A reader writes:
I was surprised that you so easily bought into the notion that McCain would "do the right thing" on torture. McCain has an election to win and needs the support of the Christianist pro-torture crowd. And if he wins, I assume that many of the appointees (and outright hires) who enabled or encouraged torture would remain in place as the price McCain must pay for the nomination and the support of the base in the election. I can never support a Republican in 2008 for the simple reason that I think a change of party -- whether led by Hillary or Obama -- is necessary to clean the Bush disciples out of the executive branch, starting with Monica Goodling's Regent University Law School classmates.
Another adds:
You are not the only one who is heartbroken. It is hard to believe that on an issue about which he seemed to feel such conviction, McCain bended so swiftly when bullied by the unforgiving right wing of his party. He's got the nomination sewn up, and yet he is still so intimidated that he offers up this tribute to Bush, his new BFF in these primary skirmishes.
I think it will be McCain who, in the end, is the most heartbroken of all. How will he look back on this moment, when he realizes that he was not strong enough to stand by his principles? That his hunger for power overwhelmed him at last? He is not on a road to victory. He is on a road to self-betrayal and despair.