Posted on 06/29/2007 6:37:53 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
As the American people, elected officials, and commentators reflect on the heated immigration debate that came to a temporary close in the Senate this week many will ask, and have asked, why U.S. Senator John McCain (R., Ariz.) staked out a position that may, in retrospect, be seen as devastating to his presidential ambitions. I hope the American people, at least, step back from the obsessive play-by-play pre-season election analysis and reflect on Senator McCain’s actions for what I believe they were: One of the purest examples of political courage seen in Washington in a very, very long time.
Before I elaborate, let me state as clearly as I can that my comments are not an endorsement. I have not endorsed any Republican candidate for president and I may not make such an endorsement. As senators, telling the American people how to vote ought to be far down on our list of priorities.
I opposed Senator McCain in this immigration debate. I believed the policies he advocated were wrong for America and I used every tool at my disposal to defeat his position. However, the way Senator McCain conducted himself represented the essential qualities of leadership the American people deserve.
Senator McCain didn’t speak in generalities. He spoke in specific terms. He didn’t take a position and change his position when he came under withering fire. He didn’t pander. He didn’t equivocate. He didn’t demean his opponents in the Senate or insinuate we harbored base motives or secret prejudices. He was motivated by principle. He believed he was serving his country. He was not inspired by political strategists who foolishly believed they could use this bill to grow the Republican party, and did not lecture his colleagues about why those strategists were smarter and wiser than 80 percent of Americans.
When Senator McCain lost this battle he didn’t express self-pity or bitterness. Instead, he said he would carry on and offered a unifying message that is beyond debate, saying, “The American people will not settle for the status quo — de facto amnesty and broken borders.”
Whether you agree with him or not, Senator McCain’s actions demonstrated the qualities we rarely see in Washington — courage, character, honor, and dignity.
It saddens me that so many commentators will judge Senator McCain’s actions by how his role in this debate will impact the next poll or fundraising report. Survival is not the highest virtue in politics. Sacrifice is the highest virtue. In battle we don’t ask which soldier was a success — the one who charged the hill and lives a long life or his friend beside him who falls and leaves a widow and children behind. Whether this week helps or hurts Senator McCain politically is not the point. What matters is that without courage, we all lose.
Most politicians possess, in abundance, the skill of making promises that will appeal to a majority of voters. Very few politicians, however, ever demonstrate the kind of political courage Senator McCain demonstrated in this debate. Many qualities, of course, matter when selecting our elected leaders — political philosophy, judgment, specific plans, etc. — but the most important quality upon which all others depend is courage. On that count, Senator McCain has given all of us in the Senate an example to be followed.
— Dr. Tom Coburn (R.) is a United States senator from Oklahoma.
I assume, as I never served our country, that the fact he survived the Hanoi Hilton and refused to return to the United States before the rest of the prisoners of war is enough to give him the status of hero. That assumption is based on never hearing of anything else except his POW status!
That was how many years ago? And, he has done what since then? I can't stand the man! I absolutely cannot stand him...he reminds me very much of a movie that I saw. Let's see, what was that? Oh yes, Mutiny on the Bounty
Judging by experience, who is more qualified?
As I recall he was at the forefront of the tobacco suit in the late 90’s.
McCain is a great American. He is just a lame Senator.
Political courage was John Hancock and those folks, not the the pampered, corrupt House of Lords.
What some call courage, I call insanity.
Senator butt buddies. Oh, for the good old days when they were gentlemen and had pistol duels.
A rather debatable conclusion Tom.
When he used the F-word to my senator? I don't agree that McCain has good character, honor or dignity.
Courage? Maybe. Cornyn is about 6'6".
“One of the elements of courage is the willingness to lose”
Its also one of the elements of stupidity, stubborness, arrogance and/or extremism. Take your pick.
>> On that count, Senator McCain has given all of us in the Senate an example to be followed.
Awe, gosh...
... We Don’t Care About The Self-Indulging Flattery Of Senate Protocol!!!
Do the Citizen’s Business!
And so is McCain.
Big BUMP to that.
Just what are these people on? I have never heard such nonsense.
on foreign nincompoops
Beeber set to STUNE : )
Oh brother! What a moron. McCain didn't exhibit the "purest example of political courage" he committed political suicide because he is a traitor and was attempting to sell out Americans!![ He thought it was going to pass and he would be able to take credit for writing it. Unfortunately for him, it did the exact opposite and now Americans detest him!!
I wonder how much McCain paid this clown to write this ridiculous piece?
Shouldn’t there be a barf alert? Courage is one thing stupidity is another.
Go back and read the letter again. Coburn is praising McCain in order to slam all the other Pro-Amnesty types and the wafflers like Brownback.
And things are looking better for McCain haters like me. He’s down in single digits in Iowa, the DBM no longer cares about him, and his mindless support for Amnesty and invading Iran has turned Independents against him. Other than “Captain Ed” and a few dopey “moderate” Republicans nobody cares about him anymore, he’s done.
He’s as relevant as Grandpa Simpson.
The EPA should test the DC water supply. Something is rapidly destroying brain cells.
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