McCain, really?

Ezra says that he and Bill Clinton think that John McCain is "unbeatable" in the general election of 2008, if he survives the GOP primary. But in neither of his posts (here and here) does he explain why. A lot of people are jumping in arguing why Ezra is either brilliant and perceptive or retarded and slow, but I'd like to see what aspects of John McCain, 2008, make him more electorally acceptable than John McCain, 2000.

One thing is certain: McCain is running for President, and he's doing it far more conventionally than in 2000 - kissing fundamentalist ass all the way. But two other things are certain, as well:

1) McCain is, if possible, even more pro-war than someone like Lieberman.

2) The war in Iraq is going to get worse by 2008, if it hasn't already drawn to it's bloody conclusion.

These things may not outweigh the advantage McCain has by being the press darling, but the press is a fickle beast, too. As Rob points out, in early 1992 Bush Sr. was considered invincible. A nasty recession later, and poof.

I would think that McCain, in order to run successfully, needs to at the very least run as an anti-Bush Republican in a party of Bush Republicans. I can't see how this plan has even odds, much less is "unbeatable".

But like I said, I'd love to see Ezra's specific reasons for why McCain is da man.