Townhall columnist Kurt Schlichter has this to say about political "courage"
For the liberal establishment, “political courage” means a politician spitting in the face of his conservative constituents. The President’s gun proposals demand such political courage, [2] and we conservatives ought to be all for it.
There are people who really believe President Barack Obama is some sort of cunning political grand-master, plotting out the checkmate ten moves ahead of his plodding opponents. Nonsense.
Let the Democrats Shoot Themselves in the Foot [3], January 23, 2013
When I think of courage, especially the courage that involves spitting in the face of conservative voters, I think of “Maverick” John McCain.
A Google search for McCain courage immigration [4] produces some interesting results
- Courage in Arizona [5], NYT editorial May 19, 2010—they say McCain lacks the courage to betray his constituents.
- John McCain lacked courage to keep immigration stance: Barack Obama [6], By Richard Sisk and Michael Mcauliff , Daily News , July 8, 2008—Candidate Obama said the same thing in 2008.
- Senator John McCain's U-Turn on Immigration. [7] August 4, 2010—Neoconservative Peter Wehner [Twitter [8]]in Commentary: “Senator McCain’s U-turn [on birthright citizenship]is certainly not without precedent in American politics. But it is nevertheless fairly dramatic — and for a man who has long fancied himself a person of unusual political courage and independence, it is discouraging.”
And finally, an ad by McCain himself, for the 2010 Senate Campaign saying he does have [9] courage: "But Arizona has a senator with the courage and character to stand up to a president who is wrong. John McCain. “
Leaving us to wonder: If he had the courage [10] to stand up to Obama, why didn’t he do it [11] when they were both running for president?
The source of that quote is The Man Who Never Was, [12] By Todd S. Purdum, Vanity Fair, November 2010.
Purdum says in that article that Lindsey Graham has courage. What courage? The courage to support Elena Kagan!. For which, Purdum says “He is likely to pay a real political price in South Carolina…” which is possibly true, since Graham is up for reelection next year.
Seriously, ex-fighter pilot and POW [13] McCain does have courage [14]. So does a weasel [15]. But he’s not totally stupid, and he’s still Senator from Arizona.
See What McCain's Tactics Teach [16], by Pat Buchanan [17] and Ruthlessness—What Patriotic Immigration Reformers Must Learn From The McCain Miracle [18] by James Antle [19] for the grisly details.