In an article today, Carl Bernstein quotes John McCain as follows…
I've always tried to act on what I thought was the best for the country. And that has guided me. The only thing I can do is assure people that I would act on principle.
I don't believe that…and not just about McCain. I don't believe that in my lifetime, I've seen any politician who has struck me as standing on principle and "the good of the country" over personal benefit. Perhaps if I think back, I can say it about some third party candidate who never stood a chance of winning…or some Democratic or Republican who finished near last place.
But they all — 100% of the major contenders — decide that what's best for the country is that they be elected and hold power. That may sound cynical…and to the extent it does, it's probably an indictment of the voters as much as it's a criticism of those whose names appear on ballots. Does anyone want to argue that Mssrs. Obama and McCain have both taken some less-than-sincere positions because what they really believe would cost them votes? Even their supporters rationalize the distortions and reversed stances as "What he has to say to get elected."
Richard Nixon famously said on several occasions, "I will decide [whatever the issue is] on the basis of what's best for America, not what's best for Richard Nixon." And every time, he decided that what was best for Richard Nixon just "happened" to coincide with what was best for America. That seems to be how it always works.