I was thinking of McCain because of a certain other politician of the moment in Arizona, and was reminded of a time when a DC journalist-type, not an "objective" journalist but a somewhat left of center one, basically said something like, "I just really like John McCain and he's a lot of fun and I can't criticize him." McCain's positions on certain issues, such as abortion, were hardly secret, and his position on that issue specifically (and others) would have enraged this journalist from any other politician. But, hey, he was likeable and fun and DON'T YOU PEOPLE HAVE ANY ACTUAL FRIENDS???
The supposedly sophisticated Politics Knowers, the ones paid to explain it all to us, are often the worst in their "style over substance" focus.
