This battle we are witnessing or participating in, I'd like to frame it properly.

It is Pragmatic Idealism vs. Realism, Machiavellian style.

McCain represents the "deal maker" who, like Machiavelli, is sometimes willing to compromise principle in order to achieve his ends.

The principled conservatives are the idealists who desire actual adherence to conservative principles from the Republican candidate and the do not see it anywhere in McCain.

Many conservative realists are turned off by the principled conservatives who strenuously object to McCain, but they may not realize that the vast majority of principled conservatives have a healthy dose of pragmatism, they know they will never get the perfect candidate.

Their problem with McCain is that he has compromised principles too much, so much so that there is little difference between him and the Democratic candidates.

That is the basis of my argument as to why I will not vote for McCain, because voting for him would be like voting for a moderate Democrat.

I will not be voting for Hillary or Barak, and those conservatives who say they will are betraying their narcissism. Ann Coulter does not represent the majority of principled conservatives, she and those like her are off their rockers.

Have you noticed who's writing all the articles telling conservatives to suck it up and support McCan't?

Why, it's the Neo-conservatives, of course! It's Bill Kristol, John Podhoretz, Fred Barnes, and others who seem quite cozy with the Washington establishment, like Jeff Jacoby and Daniel Henninger; all telling me that I'm an idiot for rejecting McCain.

In all the articles I've read, I always come away with the feeling that I've just been condescended to. Of course, that's because they are looking down their noses at me, annoyed that I just don't get it.

It isn't me who doesn't get it, gentlemen.

Jacoby tells me that McCain "isn't perfect."

There is a wide canyon between "not perfect" and in-your-face Republican liberalism that makes up McCain's core being.

Henninger says, "To now call [McCain]'s embrace of your ideas unacceptable is churlish and self-defeating."

Excuse me, did you just call me churlish? Henninger, did it occur to you that McCain might just be saying whatever he needs to to get elected?

Barnes invokes Goldwater, telling me to "grow up" because I'm quite upset with McCain's shenanigans and attempts to fear-monger by telling me that GOSH, the Democrats just might win in November if I don't get in line.

How strange that you think it childish for someone think that a candidate must have a minimal level of conservative credentials before they should be voted for.

Podhoretz says that I am, "confusing ideological convictions with political tactics, and infusing a disagreement on how to approach problems with a moral edge it does not deserve."

Is it a political tactic to SPONSOR a bill to limit free speech? Podhoretz, you are allowing your morality to become infused with your lust for power.

Folks, this all adds up. It's condescension, plain and simple. These people don't like us, the principled conservatives, in the first place. They're annoyed that they have to spend their valuable time trying to convince a bunch of idealistic buffoons who just don't know how Washington works.

We do know. We do get it.  And that's why we won't vote for McCain in the general election.