What does it mean to stand your ground?  In a street fight, it can mean not backing down when your life is on the line.  In a political fight, it often means not backing down when your reputation is on the line.  It means standing tall when the media, your opponents, or even a sizeable portion of the electorate wants to paint you as a fool, a madman, or–worst of all–a corrupt pawn of malicious special interests.