Thank you for your thoughtful response (and for calling me level-headed–a great compliment from you). I prefer to let what I said originally speak for itself, and let it go at that. But let me make clear that, yes, by “on the merits” I am talking about running a better campaign.

Here’s where I take issue with you:

And with the economy topping everything, the center doesn’t want to hear about Rev. Wright, or Ayers, or the daily cascade of right wing talking points generated by what the left calls (and not entirely without justice) “the right wing noise machine.” (The right really, really needs to get out of the bubble and look around.)

The American experiment is built on limited government, respect for freedom, and good old-fashioned capitalism. It’s the most profoundly successful experiment in the history of mankind. It has withstood far, far greater tests over the last 232 years – think Civil War and the Great Depression, just to name two that dwarf the current financial mess in scope and danger. The centrist voter you’re describing isn’t using that frame of reference. He’s thinking no further than whether his next paycheck drawn on First National Subprime Bank will clear.

But many of us on the right do focus on the long term, and nothing is more important to us than preserving the foundation of what makes this country the envy of the world (hint: it ain’t bailing out subprime mortgages).

We see a strong likelihood that the next president will be someone who happily goes along with racists who want America destroyed and is totally comfortable cooperating with terrorists who think they didn’t plant enough bombs in their youth.

We see every America-hating despot and terror group around the world gleefully rubbing their hands in anticipation of what they’ll be able to get away with once he’s in office. Almost all of them have already given him their endorsement. Significantly, he’s repudiated none of these.

We see his followers lining up to commit unparalleled vote fraud in Ohio, sue anyone who dares to air a public protest in Missouri, and program their children to sing a modern day version of “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” in California.

In short, we see our likely next president as someone whose every political thought from his earliest years has been opposed to those principles – limited government, individual freedom, capitalism – that have made us the richest, strongest, and most dynamic nation in history.

And it scares the hell out of us. The idea of an administration that would make the Clinton gang appear ethical and selfless should scare you too, unless you’ve become so jaded by the rampant partisanship in DC that you’re no longer capable of being shocked.

So our only recourse is to speak, as often as possible, and as loudly as possible, in the hope that enough of those centrists heed the message. Call it a “noise machine” if you want. Sometimes you need to make noise. Sometimes it’s even irresponsible to hold your tongue. I’m glad Thomas Jefferson made noise. I’m glad John Adams made noise. I’m glad Patrick Henry didn’t stop declaring his “talking points” about choosing between liberty and death. I’m very glad that Paul Revere – a noise machine if there ever was one – didn’t stop in the middle of his ride and say “Wait, I need to get out of my bubble and look around. Maybe the threat from the redcoats isn’t all that important. I have bills to pay.”

Of course, if the media were paying attention, the conservative blogosphere wouldn’t need to stay on this. But you and I both know that has zero chance of happening in the next five weeks. So while ST and others continue to sound the alarm, I support them. If the kind of misgovernment Obama promises comes to pass, no one can look at ST and say, “You didn’t warn us.”

Also, you say this:

it appears that if Obama is elected he’ll get to the White House on the merits, not because of some vast MSM conspiracy.

I know you’re level-headed, not some loon who’s on loan from dKos, so I’m wondering what you mean by “on the merits”. Surely you can’t mean because of better plans or ideas. If you mean because of a better campaign, then I’d concur in part.

First of all, as I’ve been saying for some time, this election isn’t my base can beat your base (and of course the Obamabase careth not a fig about the issues ST raised here), but an appeal to the center.

And as always, it’s the economy stupid. And the Republican administration is getting the blame. This always happens. The arguments that the Democrats are as responsible for this fine mess may be so, but the center doesn’t want to hear it.

And with the economy topping everything, the center doesn’t want to hear about Rev. Wright, or Ayers, or the daily cascade of right wing talking points generated by what the left calls (and not entirely without justice) “the right wing noise machine.” (The right really, really needs to get out of the bubble and look around.)

Anyway, this is what the center is saying: “We know; we don’t care about the past. Obama’s not an old fool like Wright or Ayers. This is about now!”

And then there’s McCain. He foolishly did his big imitation of a would-be superhero who thought he was going to parachute (yes, I know that is an MSM word, but it’s apt)in to Washington and umm, bail us out of our economics woes.

That worked well, didn’t it?

Anyway, at this point it appears that if Obama is elected he’ll get to the White House on the merits, not because of some vast MSM conspiracy.

But who knows what fresh hells are around the bend?

Of course, they then started building him right back up again, esp. after the 1994 mid-terms. They’ll do the same with the Obamessiah, trust me.

Unlike McCain’s or Sen. Hillary Clinton’s online donation pages, the Obama site did not ask for proof of citizenship until just recently. Clinton’s presidential campaign required U.S. citizens living abroad to actually fax a copy of their passport before a donation would be accepted.

When the Clintonistas can truthfully say they’re more ethical than the Dalai Bama’s cultists, you know there’s a problem. You wanna know where the MSM crowd is on this? Competing to see who has a bigger thrill up their leg, that’s where.