I think I will always feel a bit uncomfortable praising John McCain. As a personality, I love the guy. He comes across very regular guy, smart, funny, no bs. Politically, however, he scares me - or rather, it scares me that people think he's a moderate simply because he seems to be a nice guy. (Remember the Simpson episode when Sideshow Bob is on trial for trying to kill Bart? The judge lets Bob go, saying: "No one who speaks German can be an evil man!") Not that McCain comes close to being a Nazi, but rather, I think people judge his politics by how nice he seems. The man may very well be a hoot at a dinner party or a baseball game, but that doesn't make him a moderate.
E.J Dionne on McCain defending Kerry:
"One person who is outraged by the attacks on Kerry is McCain. When I reached the Arizona Republican, I found him deeply troubled over the reopening of wounds from the Vietnam era, 'the most divisive time since our Civil War.' He called Sampley 'one of the most despicable characters I've ever met.' McCain said he hoped that in the midst of a war in Iraq, politicians 'will confront the challenges facing us now, including the conflict we're presently engaged in, rather than refighting the one we were engaged in more than 30 years ago.'
McCain recalled that he had worked with Kerry on 'POW/MIA issues and the normalization of relations with Vietnam' and wanted to stand up for his war comrade because 'you have to do what's right.' Speaking of Kerry, McCain said: 'He's my friend. He'll continue to be my friend. I know his service was honorable. If that hurts me politically or with my party, that's a very small price to pay.' " - Wash Post
