Wash. Post editorial claimed McCain "insisted on his more humane approach" to immigration, but not that he no longer supports it

Summary: The Washington Post asserted in an editorial, "As opponents reversed long-held positions to appeal in ugly ways to anti-immigrant sentiment, Mr. McCain insisted on his more humane approach." But the Post did not point out that McCain reversed himself on a key component of immigration reform, now saying that "we've got to secure the borders first," or that McCain said he would not support the immigration reform bill he co-sponsored if it came to a vote on the Senate floor.

In a September 1 editorial, The Washington Post asserted that Sen. John McCain "insisted on his more humane approach" to immigration, writing: "As opponents reversed long-held positions to appeal in ugly ways to anti-immigrant sentiment, Mr. McCain insisted on his more humane approach. And against considerable odds, he outlasted the field." But the Post did not point out, as Media Matters for America has repeatedly documented, that McCain reversed himself on a key component of immigration reform, now saying that "we've got to secure the borders first" -- a position at odds with his prior assertion that border security could not be disaggregated from other aspects of comprehensive immigration reform without being rendered ineffective. Nor did the Post note that McCain stated during a January 30 Republican presidential primary debate that he would not support the immigration reform bill he co-sponsored with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) if it came to a vote on the Senate floor.

From the September 1 Washington Post editorial:

Mr. McCain's journey to this nomination in many ways encapsulated his legend as a fighter, maverick and man of principle. Last summer, with his campaign broke and his chances written down to zero by the experts, Mr. McCain threw away the standard playbook -- and much of his staff -- and appealed directly to the people of New Hampshire in a grass-roots, no-frills campaign. Though the war in Iraq was deeply unpopular, he refused to trim his conviction that America should stick with it. As opponents reversed long-held positions to appeal in ugly ways to anti-immigrant sentiment, Mr. McCain insisted on his more humane approach. And against considerable odds, he outlasted the field.

—L.K.A.