Why are you undercutting Ronald Reagan now?
I didn’t say ‘purist’ I said ‘conservative’.
The Republican does not have to run as a RINO to win the election.
Give me a break. I’m not undercutting anyone. Reagan reached out to moderates - fact. In his own day many purist conservatives loathed him - fact (some of the same who now admire him).
What you need to do is read his own autobiography from 1990 where he states how he weathered opposition from purists on the right and went for compromises he felt were good overall. That is how he won big.
Besides some of the issue you list about McCain are peripheral. I would say Iraq and the GWOT are the most important, and McCain is right on them. He is right on spending, which is also way up there. Right to life, as well. And he wants the border secured.
But it’s funny you mention undercutting Reagan, because that’s exactly what Mitt Romney did in the 90s.