Kennedy argues that political courage should be judged in light of the pressures faced by elected representatives. Senators may have to weigh conscience against party loyalty, public opinion, electoral prospects and the interests of their constituents. These pressures can make adherence to an unpopular principle personally and professionally costly.

The quotation therefore asks citizens to distinguish between condemning political weakness and understanding why it occurs. Kennedy does not present surrendering one’s conscience as admirable; instead, he suggests that recognising the forces that encourage conformity makes genuine acts of courage easier to appreciate. In Profiles in Courage, this idea supports the book’s broader argument that political courage is unusual precisely because representatives operate within systems of competing obligations and incentives. Courage becomes significant when a public official accepts serious consequences rather than abandon a judgement they believe to be right.