Being idealistic doesn't at all detract from the real practical progress that he and the FSF have made in the past 20+ years. He knows exactly what he's doing

Being idealistic doesn't at all detract from the real practical progress that he and the FSF have made in the past 20+ years. He knows exactly what he's doing when he takes a hard line. Being weak-spirited and compromising isn't a very good way to get noticed.