How is McCain winning?

Peggy Noonan, as usual, sums it up pretty well:

If you go by the Florida returns, maybe this year positions aren't everything. Republicans on the ground think the conservative is the one who suffered 5½ years in the Hanoi Hilton. Republicans on the ground think the conservative is the one who has endured a lifetime in the rounds in Washington and survived as antispending, antiabortion and pro-military. Republicans on the ground think the conservative is the old fighter jock who'll keep the country safe in a rocky time ahead. And maybe Republicans on the ground are saying: He earned it.

The conventional wisdom is Mr. Romney can't win it while Mike Huckabee's in it. If Mr. Huckabee dropped out, Mr. Romney might pick up his conservatives. But Mr. Huckabee seems very happy running, and perhaps happy thinking of his future as the Mitt slayer in the party of John.

Noonan also keys into one of McCain's main problems. He doesn't seem to care to soothe the conservative base on the issues that they disagree upon. He gets indignate at remarks on illegal immigration and campaign finance reform. This is his major flaw.

Most politicans at this point would spin a bit, smooth the ruffled feathers, assure the base of his committment to the things they care about. He would compromise on the things they disagree on or at least make it look that way. But McCain is stubborn and believes what he believes. He won't put icing on it the way most all politicans do. It's part of what I like about him and part of what I don't like.

And that is driving me crazy.