He can afford to be politically incorrect because he makes all the decision, and because nobody else than him can make decisions. He is the expert.

There are very few places in software where an expert/engineer have full authority on the development/how things are done/specifications. You often see money/markets/trends take over.

I really wonder what linux will become without Torvalds when he will go away. I hope he already thought about it, because it will really require somebody with huge confidence about what to do.