Some email reaction to my earlier post on the political ramifications of McCain's opposition to the President's position on interrogations.

"He (McCain) is already a hopeless cause with McCain-Feingold and The Gang of 14, this "torture" debacle seals the deal against McCain. In combination with Republicans already on thin ice with respect to rampant spending, nakedly corrupt pork barreling, immigration, judicial nominees, John Bolton, a McCain presidency would be a new floor in the disastrous descent from the principles of 1994. Republicans just haven't figured out how to rule yet.

I respect McCain's past service to the country as much as I detest his media darling conniving. This torture imbroglio is nothing but moral posturing. It is hurting the men and women trying to protect this country. McCain will pay for it among conservatives."

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"My take on McCain is this: given that he knows that he is despised by much of the conservative base that controls the nominating apparatus in 2008, his only hope of capturing the GOP nomination is for the GOP to lose control of both houses of Congress in 2006. If this happens, McCain can then "ride to the rescue" in 2008 as the only Republican hope with sufficient crossover appeal to keep the White House in GOP hands. Therefore, McCain is fomenting division within GOP ranks this autumn, realizing that people have short memories, and winning is what ultimately matters in 2008. I believe McCain's odds of winning the GOP nomination are greatly enhanced if the GOP does not control Congress over the next two years.

I do not believe McCain is mounting an independent candidacy.

I do believe that McCain is playing a scorched-earth approach to getting the nomination. And it could backfire.

That said, I do believe that a compromise will be found on the detainee issue. Quickly."

I agree that a debacle for the GOP this fall does work to McCain's advantage in terms of both the nomination and the general, but I find it very hard to believe that could really be the calculus behind McCain's position. James Pinkerton has a much more pro-McCain take on The Huffington Post suggesting McCain: "might have discovered a principle that's more important to him than the presidency."

I do agree with the last point in the second email that I suspect a compromise will be found on this rather quickly, as it is in both President Bush and Senator McCain's best interest.