A Few Good Men (CS)

Laurence O'Donnel here says that he believes McCain's negotiation of a compromise reagarding Bush's preferred judges is "the bravest political act of the century." Hyperbole aside, there are certainly other actions we can consider braver, even by Senator McCain himself. Most notably, I would cite his staunch support of Citizens Against Government Waste especially against pork-barrel spending. Pork is, to me, the most disgusting and dissapointing part of our government and yet Sanator McCain seems to be certainly in the minority fighting against it. It is absolutely crushing that our tax dollars might go toward padding the pockets of congressmen, their friends, or their pet projects that have minimal (if any) impact for the better.
In his tenure Senator McCain has exhibited a frankness in attitude, a comittment against corruption and, within this latest newscycle, a capability for compromise and statesmanship. Can you imagine if he had won the Republican nomination in 2000 instead of Bush what better hands we would have been in? For that matter, what better shape the Republican party would have been in, as I would assume he would have torn Al Gore a new one and not left the party with the stigma of stealing an election.
Yes, McCain has made certain political maneuvers at times. Most recently one could cite his support of GW Bush in the 2004 election, particularly dissapointing in light of the whisper campaign in South Carolina that really derailed McCain's campaign in 2000 (second item down compiles news sources reporting on Bush/Rove's dirty tactics against McCain). All the same, when taken in comparison to his colleagues, McCain is the guy you want sticking up for you.
The President's approval rating has been hitting a record low, but it is at least salvageable in comparison to Congress's approval rating which has absolutely tanked (as of last month only 37% thought they were doing a decent job... and it's only gotten worse). I wonder, without the handful of men and women like Senator McCain among their ranks, where would they be?