Thus violating the 11th Commandment, and further dooming his candidacy. McCain has only his backstabbing of the Republican base on so many issues important to it to blame for his predicament. Mitt Romney is not McCain's problem. John McCain is McCain's problem.

McCain's dismissal of the base during his push of his and Ted Kennedy's immigration reform bill, and his insistence on trying to imperiously shove that bill through on a fast track with little debate, has permanently alienated him from rank and file Republicans, and doomed his presidential prospects.