The Republican "Base"

Just how big is the Republican base that's been in the news for so long?
How big is that foundation that supposedly was so inspired by Palin?
Did that base include George Will or Chris Buckley? Maybe, but not for long.
Did that base include people who call out "Kill him!", "Terrorist!" when Palin mentions Obama or the obviously clueless McCain supporter who called Obama an(gasp!)Arab?
If it's the latter group that comprises the base of the Republican Party, then the party has (hopefully) a very small base - like the top of a pyramid.
And if the top of a pyramid is it's "base"...well, the entire structure would just...like...tip over.
Maybe that's what we're seeing now - the entire structure of the McCain campaign tipping over, if not the structure of the Republican Party.
As a Democrat, I hope that the Republican Party can survive it's "base".