Political Courage

    We witnessed two acts of political courage and personal integrity this week. Independent of what one feels about the candidates' views on issues, both Barak Obama and John McCain exposed a view into their inner soul and both, I believe, came away strengthened by their instinctive responses. Rather, we were inspired by their strength.
    When have we last heard a candidate or politician concede a point? Yet in this week's Democratic Presidential Debate (26 February 2008) this is precisely what Obama did. By that single act of conceding, he arguably won. This is not only good debating tactic, it is the mark of a confident gentleman. After Obama denounced Farrakhan's endorsement of him, Clinton insisted on the sophistic distinction between "rejection" and Obama's "denunciation". Through a gracious, incredulous smile, and with a prescience for the larger picture, Obama calmly offered, "I am happy to concede the point. I reject and denounce." And deftly, he walked away more presidential than she.
    Prior to that evening, graciousness was shown Obama by his presumed Republican rival. At rally in Ohio, a local radio commentator hired to "warm up" the crowd with "red meat" (his words), chose subtly bigoted remarks about Obama's middle name. McCain found the urge to apologize for the incident, taking complete personal responsibility for the incident. Personal responsibility, no less! Other radio commentators rushed to criticize McCain. I commend and honor him. McCain needs the conservatives, but conservatism doesn't need bigotry and school-yard name calling, and intelligent crowds don't need red meat, they need thinking men and women who will lead with class. With all that was going on in his mind in the throes of a presidential campaign, and rejecting the temptation to pander to a constituency without which he cannot win in November, McCain's instinct was for principle over self-interest. What else can one expect from a man who volunteered to remain in a Vietnamese POW camp after being offered release, because he did not want leave before another American prisoner?
    It was a good week for American leadership.