Today's Broder Errata

From the Bucks County Courier Times today (re: this column concerning the 85th birthday celebration for George McGovern and other stuff – he’s referring to the 1972 presidential election below)…

At the time, it certainly didn't look like salvation to party leaders, who saw the Democrats losing seat after seat in the McGovern debacle.

To clarify, the Democrats lost some seats in the U.S. House, though they still held the majority. However, they gained seats in the Senate, and anti-war candidates were not hurt when they ran for Congress (sorry I can’t source this better; I was reminded of that here, but I know I also read it elsewhere, probably in The Nation online - certainly not by Podhoretz, of course). Also, as commenter M.A. (#1) noted, Nixon was starting to de-escalate our troop presence; there certainly wasn’t any talk of “a surge.”

Also, I would ask that you read the second paragraph of this excerpt in particular (re: “sticking to your guns,” as they say)…

There's a lesson in this for those running for president today. There is more than one way to measure a successful campaign. Pragmatism -- setting positions to suit the current political winds -- can yield short-term victories. But sticking to principle can build a legacy for a generation.

That may be consolation for John McCain, who is the most stubbornly principled person in the Republican field. He is being punished now for saying what he believes about Iraq and immigration, among other things. But the examples of (Barry) Goldwater and McGovern tell us that battle-tested veterans who take the abuse and don't abandon their beliefs can inspire a movement of enduring importance.

What flowery language here by Broderella; the problem is that McCain is in trouble primarily because he sold himself out completely (as you can see here), and he tethered himself hopelessly to the Iraq war (as noted here by Arianna Huffington).

McCain deserves this political fate, but I can never forget his sacrifice for our country, nor should any of us. For this reason, he stands apart from the field of Repug presidential pretenders.

(And by the way, Impeach Bush, Impeach Bush and Impeach Bush).