"Which is more important in elections--winning, or standing firm for principle?"
Don't vote for either McCain or Obama. Vote for someone better, like Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party.
http://baldwin08. com/http://www. constitutionparty. com/You do not have to choose between the lesser of two evils and you will not be wasting your vote.
http://www. constitutionparty. com/news. php?aid=106http://www. constitutionpartyofwa. com/articles/article_cb_voting_for_lessor. html