The Political Chase

McCain and Honor

How revealing. Greg Sargent has an interesting post about John McCain getting quite “prickly” when asked during a Time magazine interview to define “honor” in a political context. Saint McSame refused to answer the question.

Well, this is what Webster says and apparently McSame needs to re-read it.

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French onur, honur, from Latin honos, honor

Date:

13th century

1 a: good name or public esteem : reputation b: a showing of usually merited respect : recognition <pay honor to our founder>

2: privilege <had the honor of joining the captain for dinner>

3: a person of superior standing -now used especially as a title for a holder of high office <if Your Honor please>

4: one whose worth brings respect or fame : credit <an honor to the profession>

5: the center point of the upper half of an armorial escutcheon

6: an evidence or symbol of distinction: as a: an exalted title or rank b (1): badge, decoration (2): a ceremonial rite or observance <buried with full military honors> c: an award in a contest or field of competition darchaic : a gesture of deference : bow eplural (1): an academic distinction conferred on a superior student (2): a course of study for superior students supplementing or replacing a regular course

7: chastity, purity <fought fiercely for her honor and her life - Barton Black>

8 a: a keen sense of ethical conduct : integrity <wouldn’t do it as a matter of honor> b: one’s word given as a guarantee of performance <on my honor, I will be there>

9 plural : social courtesies or civilities extended by a host <asked her to do the honors>

10 a (1): an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten especially of the trump suit in bridge (2): the scoring value of honors held in bridge -usually used in plural b: the privilege of playing first from the tee in golf