Unfortunately, Ramesh Ponnuru outlines what drives those who only care about the first word:
Why do the donors and bigwigs settle on their candidate earlier than the activists do? Partly because they’re more concerned about picking a winner. Compared to Tea Party ralliers, their support is more of an investment and less of a statement. . . .
Being nothing more than a special interest with money, they care only on what that money will buy – the Establishment is mainly concerned with winning. Winning. Pretty much, that’s it – the “afterwards” part is rather optional.
I disagree partly with the “statement” – that which implies that TEA Party folks (and movement Conservatives and Libertarians) are just out for PR purposes. Rather, we are intensely concerned with that “afterwards” – the enactment of policy that hews to Principles and not that which is just merely expedient or “popular”.
