Past-Subjunctive WAS in counter-to-fact IF clauses

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

In a message dated 11/28/2000 3:24:07 PM, highbob at MINDSPRING.COM writes:

<< Good point, Ron, but (and I'm really just trying to figure out what would
be
best here; it's not just my normal contentiousness) why does the actuality
of the roof being peeled off take precedent over the metaphoric fancy of the
sardine can analogy?  That's what would lead me to use WERE instead of WAS.
And wouldn't the WERE take its cue from the IF that almost immediately
precedes it?  Doesn't that determine the subjunctive mood of the verb to
follow? >>

The point is that WERE is the present subjunctive but WAS is the past
subjunctive. Since the time is past, I'd use the past subjunctive. Examples:

WHAT IF NIXON ACTUALLY WAS THE REAL WINNER OF THE ELECTION?
WHAT IF NADER ACTUALLY WERE THE REAL WINNER OF THE ELECTION?

My memory is that this is what the old-timey rule-books say.