Random Acts of "Mark Hatfield"-ism

Kari Chisholm

Over at MSNBC, progressive host Rachel Maddow eulogized Mark Hatfield last week.

She did an excellent job of reviewing a handful of cases when Senator Hatfield stood on principle - in the face of near-unanimous opposition from his fellow Republicans.

But much more interestingly, she also notes that - even in this era of crazed Tea Party orthodoxy - there are still "Mark Hatfield moments" when prominent and ambitious Republican politicians take positions at odds with that orthodoxy. And not backbenchers either. She reviews four - including two presidential candidates (and a non-candidate that Tea Party folks seem to be hoping becomes a candidate).

Pretty good stuff.