McCain and the "c" word

Comprehensive, that is (get your minds out of the gutter!). For all the self-labeled "straight talk," McCain is doing pretty much what you would expect of a presidential candidate. During the primaries, he distanced himself from his own legislation (especially because it has the word "Kennedy" in it) and started talking about enforcement while consciously avoiding "comprehensive." Comprehensive reform refers to enforcement as part of an overall package that includes some means of facilitating and legalizing migration to and from Latin America.

Now, with the nomination in hand (simply awaiting the convention coronation) he has moved back toward the center and says that comprehensive reform would be his "first priority." After having changed his position, he then argued that Obama couldn't be trusted.

It is a delicate balancing act. His position might anger restrictionist Republican voters, who seem to make up a significant amount of the base. However, obviously he possibly stands to pick up a lot of centrists, perhaps people who voted for Hillary Clinton but aren't enamored of Obama. And, of course, he hopes to pick up Latino votes. Regardless, this is the opposite of straight talk.