We had something like this happen in the States after WWI. In 1922 U.S. Senator Robert LaFollette was up for re-election. The problem was he had been a consistent dove during the war and had cast votes against it that were considered "unpatriotic." His advisers told him he needed to do some damage control, so they arranged to have him address the Wisconsin Legislature. They told LaFollette that he needed to repudiate his anti-war record and apologize to his constituents.

But when he stood up to give his speech, LaFollette instead nailed his colors to the mast in an electrifying performance that brought the audience to tears. "I would not take back a single vote!" he insisted, and in order that there be no misunderstanding he went over his record for the audience--lest any jingos vote for him by mistake.

By refusing to run from his record and instead standing on principle when a lesser man would have bent with the wind, LaFollette won re-election handily.
Montag | 02.26.05 - 1:56 am | #