Like the gyroscopes that keep ships and planes on course, firm principles and a profound sense of honor guide Sen. John McCain. He learns from his mistakes, but he does not abandon long-held beliefs, even when his stands could cost him the presidency.
McCain's willingness to break with his party on issues like climate change and immigration, his honesty and his refusal to pander make him the Monitor's choice in the Jan. 8 Republican presidential primary.
Last summer in Concord, with his campaign broke and his unwavering support for the war in Iraq costing him politically, McCain said he would rather lose the presidential race than lose the war. No one in the room doubted that he meant exactly what he said. Since then, he has earned the support of New Hampshire voters by attending town meeting after town meeting, where he has invited tough questions and answered them.
McCain advocates an immigration policy that secures the border but stops short of the impossible task of summarily deporting the millions of people in the United States illegally. His attempt to pass immigration reform, McCain says, taught him that the American people won't trust politicians to deal with the issue unless they secure the borders first. This admission is proof that politicians can change for good reasons, not for expediency's sake.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071229/OPINION/712290311/1027/OPINION01
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