Who gets to define which candidate counts as a “real conservative”? 

   Should we listen to talk radio titans and sharp-tongued pundettes who’ve never held public office?  

   Or does it make more sense to listen to idealistic elected officials who toil every day to put conservative principles into practice?   

   Who knows more about the true character and credentials of a presidential contender like John McCain? 

    Leaders of the conservative media establishment like Rush and Sean and Ann who, if they’ve met the Senator at all, know him only from interviews? Or is it safe to say that you can place more trust in the evaluation of embattled conservative stalwarts in Congress, who’ve worked with McCain every day for years to give the people less government and more freedom?  

  When it comes to evaluating McCain, I don’t expect Republicans to trust me – any more than they should trust my fellow talk hosts and commentators. But they should listen carefully to heroes like Tom Coburn, the Senator from Oklahoma who’s universally esteemed as one of the strongest conservative voices in Washington. Coburn has earned a lifetime rating of 97.8 from the American Conservative Union (McCain himself drew an admirable lifetime number of  83—virtually identical to Fred Thompson’s 86.) And earlier this week the Oklahoman endorsed his Arizona colleague for President. 

   Notably and appropriately, Senator Coburn explained this decision by praising McCain, without dismissive or negative references toward anyone else.  

   “Since I came to Congress in 1995,” Tom Coburn declared, “I have met one true reformer- John McCain. He has the unique blend of character, guts, and experience needed to transform Washington from the inside out. He is beholden to no special interest. He is guided by strong conservative principles, and committed to doing what he believes is right without concern for political consequence. 

  “John McCain has never been afraid to take the road less traveled, and he has fought wasteful spending at every turn along the way. He’s saved taxpayers untold billions, and he has rightfully earned the reputation as the Senate’s number one fiscal hawk. I trust that as president, John McCain will veto any pork-barrel bill that crosses his desk, and will make the authors famous.” 

    At this point in his announcement, Senator Coburn turned to an issue of profound concern to most conservatives – but of special interest to him, as an obstetrician who has personally delivered more than 4,000 babies. 

   “When it comes to ensuring the sanctity of human life,” the good doctor declared, “you will find no one stronger on the issue than Senator McCain. For twenty-four years, John McCain has been an unwavering voice in Congress for the rights of the unborn.” 

    In the face of this testimonial from the most honorable and principled member of the Senate, do you still want to accept the claim that “McCain’s not a conservative” from herd mentality radio commentators who’ve never worked a day of their lives in the U.S. Senate? 

   The truth is that some of the most outstanding conservatives in recent Senate history have come together with Senator Coburn to campaign for McCain – including Phil Gramm of Texas (co-chair of the national McCain campaign), John Kyl of Arizona, John Thune of South Dakota, Dan Coats of Indiana, Trent Lott of Mississippi, Slade Gorton of Washington, Warren Rudman of New Hampshire, and a dozen others. 

  Several of the most dynamic Republican and conservative governors of our time are working actively in the McCain campaign – including Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Jon Huntsman of Utah, Mitch Daniels of Indiana, Frank Keating of Oklahoma, Tom Kean of New Jersey, Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania, and more. 

  In other words, conservatives who know him best attest to McCain’s consistency, his character, and his Reaganite world-view. Those associates, enthusiastically promoting McCain’s candidacy, count for more than strident and angry talkers who know McCain not at all.  

  Most impressive to me is the way that even Senators who’ve disagreed with McCain can attest to his integrity and effectiveness in their battles.  

   Senator Coburn, for instance, did not support the comprehensive immigration reform bill so passionately promoted by Senator McCain and by President Bush. Nevertheless, after the push for reform collapsed in the Senate, Coburn wrote an admiring blog on National Review Online about McCain’s role. 

   “As the American people, elected officials, and the commentators reflect on the heated immigration debate that came to a temporary close in the Senate this week, many will ask, and have asked, why U.S. Senator John McCain (R., Ariz.) staked out a position that may in retrospect be seen as devastating to his presidential ambitions. I hope the American people, at least, step back from the obsessive play-by-play pre-season election analysis and reflect on Senator McCain’s actions for what I believe they were: One of the purest examples of political courage seen in Washington in a very, very long time.”  

   Few of McCain’s innumerable critics will be able to emulate such political courage, but they ought to be able to recognize it. 

   In the course of 25 years in Congress, the Arizona Senator has taken his share of positions that seem quirky, annoying, even illogical. With no effort at all, I could list a half dozen issues on which I disagree with his stand. 

   Nevertheless, after a quarter century in the House and Senate in which he’s voted the   conservative position some 83% of the time, it’s idiotic to label him a “liberal” or a “moderate” or, heaven forbid, a RINO (Republican in Name Only). Unlike Rudy Giuliani, he’s never supported a Democrat in any campaign (though he did help his friend, Joe Lieberman, when he ran as an Independent in 2006). And McCain’s enthusiastic campaigning for President Bush in 2000 and particularly in 2004, played important roles in securing GOP victory.     

   In this context, McCain’s leadership towers over the misguided and mean-spirited media mob that questions his conservative credentials. In terms of stature and straight-talk, the Senator from Arizona will be remembered as a hero, patriot and legislative leader long after everyone’s forgotten about some shrill radio shouter.  

   Whether or not he wins in South Carolina on Saturday, and whether or not he goes on to claim the nomination, McCain’s already earned his place in history. Yes, he’s earned respect for his conservatism but, even more than that, for his courage.