CPA makes it. I’ve come around, somewhat to my own surprise, to the view that, of all the likely GOP nominees, McCain is the best option. Initially I thought Romney might be the least damaging of the crop since I reasoned that he would govern as a northeastern Rockefeller Republican (far from my favorite ideological grouping, but preferable to some of the alternatives). Instead he’s decided to pander to the Jack Bauer wing of the party.

McCain has the soundest views on torture, has a realistic view of the threat of climate change, and is actually something of a principled fiscal conservative. The problem, of course, is that his views on foreign policy are roughly 180 degrees away from mine. He doesn’t seem to have ever seen a foreign conflict he didn’t think the U.S. should be involved in. But, as I mentioned in a comment to CPA’s post, he would be the best, I think, on jus in bello issues if not jus ad bellum. That’s no small thing.

Which is not to say that I’d actually vote for him. I think the GOP needs to lose in 2008. I’m not crazy about any of the Dems, but eight years of Republican leadership hasn’t been good for us. The GOP needs a time out to think about what they’ve done. But it’s better for all of us if both parties put forward relatively decent candidates.