. >> i am a junior at baylor university. i have a question, especially in light of senator arlen specter's defection to the democratic party, what type of conservative or republican party should we be trying to go for? a purification of the party? should it be a big tent conservative republican party? with john mccain's daughter talking recently about libera z liberalizing the conservative agenda to expand the party, that seems to me becoming more like the democrats. >> how well did that work for john mccain? how well did it work for not standing up for conservative values and principles? there were states they thought that would work and everyone of them we lost big. this whole notion that by watering down a conservative philosophy, you can reach middle-of-the-road voters, it doesn't work. is proven in election after election. there are pockets, there is a state or counties where a different message does appeal more to voters. that is perfectly reasonable to be aware of that. what the republican party needs to do from a pun