Listening to the talk radio hacks yesterday (both the nationally syndicated variety and the local yahoo variety), I couldn't help chuckling at the amount of froth spewing out of their mouths over the fact that my man John McCain is causing the GOP faithful heartburn once again. Their common theme: McCain has "lost the base" of the GOP and now has no hope of a successful presidential bid in 08.

Is it so completely difficult for the idealogues to get their heads around the concept that there might be one or two politicians left who actually attempt to do the right thing once in a while? Apparently so.

David Ignatius nails it:

Let's be reckless fools and imagine that this week's Great Compromise isn't a momentary delay in the capital's flame wars but a first step toward rebuilding a governing majority in the center. Let's imagine that the hatchet men and attack merchants get frightened, and begin to think about passing legislation rather than cultivating the base. Maybe we'd see some more profiles in courage: Democrats standing up to offer serious proposals on Social Security solvency rather than continuing to demagogue the issue, and Republicans balking at permanent tax cuts for the rich at a time when the country is running a huge deficit.

Amen!  ¶ 10:10 PM