All I know is that the GOP is growing increasingly hostile toward conservatives and can’t realistically think they’ll win in future elections.
But the GOP is perfectly willing to browbeat voters for its own failure. Go figure! My take is that the GOP is a statist/liberal operation, at heart.
One bit of inside information revealed here that contradicts some of your point is that the McCain organization didn't dare to nominate a pro-choice VP in front of a convention of McCain delegates. That is, even after the strongest conservatives were screened out, because they were not strong McCain supporters, which is where the delegates came from, the convention would not have tolerated nominating a Veep to McCain's left, willing to have an open convention rebellion to prevent it. That says good things about Republican grassroots.