John Hood, if I did misread Larry Sabato, it was due to your summary of his argument. As for Bob Novak’s reading of the situation, it’s certainly the conventional conservative wisdom these days — and like all conservative wisdom, it’s hardened into place because of wishful thinking. In this case, the wish that the GOP couldn’t possibly choose someone who isn’t pro-life and the wish that the GOP extirpate those bad pro-war neocon types.