John McCain his own man

The New York Times approves of McCain's independence,

There can be no doubt that McCain would not be a puppet - that having and opinion and judgment of his own, he would act from his own impulses rather than the impulses of others
- that possessing great integrity he would not sacrifice his country's interests at the shrine of party...

Just kidding, that was written of John Adams in the Philadelphia Aurora. But it fits, and well.

Taken from John Adams by David McCullough, page 464.