If George W. Bush's presidency has taught conservatives anything, it is that they must be much more circumspect when picking a candidate for the 2008 presidential election.

If winning is the only point to running a race, then conservatives should just look at the top polling candidates and back the one who looks the part and says all the things conservatives want to hear. At least this way, conservatives can say their candidate was in the mix until the bitter end. And if this so-called conservative candidate winds up winning the nomination, well then, all the better! Right?

The answer, of course, is no. Clearly this kind of rationale is nothing more than the prostitution of conservative principles for the political equivalent of bragging rights. Conservatives are better than that -- and it is time they show it.

There are true conservatives in the 2008 field of Republican candidates. There are also false conservatives, who are willing to say and do whatever they think it takes to get themselves elected. Even if the true conservative doesn't get elected in November 2008, US conservatives can claim victory as long as they stay true to themselves and refuse to compromise their integrity for the sake of a ballot.