(auto-promoted from comments)
There's a reasonable philosophical divide between the Democratic and Republican parties. I don't agree with the Republican philosophy, but I understand it in its non-corrupt form as being a rational one that can be argued for with some logic.
And more to the point -- the Obama way definitely seems to be listen from all sides and incorporate the best solutions in the most pragmatic way.
I honestly think that if the GOP and McCain wanted to further their agenda, the best way to do it would be to talk about their issues -- the nature of the tax system, preparedness vs. reactivity in national security, "values"-based premises for social systems, self-reliance, etc. Even if they weren't elected on it, it would move the national conversation towards some of the principles at stake.
(continued on the flip).
But the relentless focus on power itself, on merely being elected, and in McCain's instance merely being President and not having a philosophy or agenda in any coherent sense, is convincing them that the attack on these bizarre points of personal history and the deeply conspiratorial frame of mind that's necessary to believe they make a difference is actually a good political tactic.
In fact, I believe McCain would be closer in the polls if he simply defended what is obviously his core belief system instead of careening between the character assassination and this weird aping of Democratic ideas or massive socialization of national problems that are completely inconsistent with his own history and that of his party (in either its best or most evil form, they own it. They don't own the Democratic philosophy and program and voters know that.)
It seems obvious to me that an issues-based campaign would've been better for all of us in the end, and I would posit that it would've been better for McCain's chances and any move he might want to make towards his party's agenda. But it is the ultimate and most damning thing about McCain in this election that he hasn't been true even to himself. That alone would seem to make him permanently unfit to be President of the great Republic of the United States.