John McCain has decided to nuance his position, stated earlier this week, "no I don’t believe in gay adoption."
Now we have this, from a statement released by his campaign:
"Sen. McCain's expressed his personal preference for children to be raised by a mother and a father wherever possible," the statement added. "However, as an adoptive father himself, McCain believes children deserve loving and caring home environments, and he recognizes that there are many abandoned children who have yet to find homes. John McCain believes that in those situations that caring parental figures are better for the child than the alternative."
There are plenty of reasons--good reasons--why a politician might want to change or nuance her view. For example, after some thought and further research, a policy position might prove to be ineffectual or counterproductive. Or, for example, one might have a blanket statement that needs refining. Refining, obviously, meaning that the initial blanket statement remains true but with some caveat or other.
John McCain, however, in the course of a week has done a complete 180 on his initial position that gays should not. I sincerely doubt that in the last two days, McCain has realized just how stupid his earlier position was (that is, from a policy perspective). Rather, I think he said something that was politically unpopular (around 60% of the country believes that gays and lesbians should be able to adopt, and can I say wow, that's a lot higher than I would have thought...) and his advisers had to walk him back.
Now that, my gentle readers is being a maverick, independent, real man.
You stay classy, John McCain.
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