by Mark Silva
Sen. John McCain campaigned for president as "the original maverick.''
Now the four-term senator from Arizona is campaigning for reelection as no maverick at all.
"I never considered myself a maverick," McCain says in an interview published by Newsweek, "I consider myself a person who serves the people of Arizona to the best of his abilities."
That's an interesting turnabout, considering the campaign ad that McCain aired during his bid for the White House in 2008 (see it above.)
And it's a "striking comment in light of the number of times that the former Republican presidential candidate has embraced the term;,'' CBS News notes. "At a town hall meeting in Michigan in September of 2008, he said, "Sarah [Palin] and I don't agree on every issue -- what do you expect of two mavericks? To agree on everything?"
As recently as March 26, at a campaign rally for McCain in Arizona, Palin asked Arizona voters to "send the maverick back to the United States Senate'' as McCain stood by smiling (below). She explained that McCain's "maverick" status hasn't won him any friends ampong the "Washington D.C. elite machine."
McCain, the maverick, was the Republican who worked with Democrats on campaign finance reform, immigration reform and other issues, the one who rallied independent voters in his first bid for the GOP nomination in 2000 with a stunning New Hampshire upset of George W. Bush, who went home to Texas to recalibrate and returned to the campaign trail as the "reformer with results'' and claimed their party's nomination.
Bucking his own party's presidents is what had helped earn McCain the "maverick'' label - the Washington Post called him that in the early 1990s, as McCain staked a reform-minded agenda in the Senate. And it was McCain who, after defeating Bush in New Hampshire in 2000, declared on his way South: "We have sent a powerful message to Washington that change is coming.''
By the 2008 campaign, when McCain finally won his party's nomination, he had become the "original maverick.'' Ultimately, Barack Obama eclipsed him on the "change'' front.
"The most important thing that McCain can do in this campaign is reoccupy that change and reform territory," Todd Harris, who worked for McCain in 2000 but wasn't on the 2008 campaign payroll, said back then.
But now that he faces a tough fight within his own party once again -- this time for nomination for another term for a Senate seat that he has held since 1987 -- McCain maintains that he never was a maverick.
It reminded us of that juncture when McCain faced Joy Behar on The View during the last campaign ."You used to be more of the maverick,'' Behar told McCain, "then you sort of turned.''
"In what way?'' McCain asked.
"You became much more lockstep, I think, with your party, with George Bush's policies,'' Behar told him. "I don't see the old John McCain who used to really buck the system as much.... I understand why,'' she said, "you want to get elected...''
The audience laughed, and McCain did, too.
Comments
It's just McSame old song, but with a different feeling since you've been John.
Posted by: Kel | April 5, 2010 5:29 PM
Anyone think Gramps is losing it? They did hide the fact that Reagan had old-timer's disease for quite some time.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | April 5, 2010 5:51 PM
I think its about time McCain was finally pushed out of office. Hasn't he done enough damage bringing Sarah Palin into the mainstream?
http://therealitycheckblog.wordpress.com/
Posted by: Wahrheit | April 5, 2010 9:15 PM
Well, I guess the mantel falls to Tom Cruise.
Posted by: ornery | April 5, 2010 10:59 PM
That's nuts. The only chance we have at a strong fight against this left administration is to have McCain remain in Washington fighting against the mounting deficit!We have had enough of dirty, crooked politicians.
Posted by: Kase | April 6, 2010 12:43 AM
You know, at one point, I used to really admire this guy for his bipartisanship, and for his typically straightforwardness, regardless of which party it offended.
Now is the time of reconing for his run for POTUS. He did unleash the Palin upon this country, as well as he fundamentally changed who he was when he embraced the pug machine.
I think it is time for him to retire and enjoy those 8 houses of his.
Posted by: Xcellentform | April 6, 2010 7:12 AM
John was erratic in his military career. Too many "accidents".
"Flaming out" pilots in planes lined up behind him...
Lots of demerits....
But he has stuck by his principles. For the most part.
That's why the crazies who have taken over his party want him OUT.
Posted by: ornery | April 6, 2010 11:16 AM
Hey, lay off us old guys.
We still have enough mental capacity to vote.
And we always vote.
Posted by: ornery | April 6, 2010 11:22 AM
Considering all of the Republicans quoted in this story, at least Bruce can't post his usual whine about the Democrat-to-Republican quote ratio.
Good job Mark!
Posted by: BC | April 6, 2010 11:31 AM
Proof that McCain was in fact a "Maverick":
http://bit.ly/9ICtin
Posted by: Matt | April 6, 2010 6:48 PM
Grammstanding McCain Speaks! I'm Colo Solo Panama Canal Zone (birthers) I repeat, I'm Colo Solo Panama Canal Zone 1936, naturalized american soil! I'm no Maverick! I'm Born in Panama! He's YOU LIE, brown skin, brown eye, Born in the USA! I'm Colo Solo Panama Canal Zone 1936. Sarah is the EVE in EEVS! I'm the REAL ID! I repeat, I'm Colo Solo Panama Canal Zone (birthers) drinking my TEA! Enjoying my PARTY! 1936 Naturalized American Soil! I Roger Morris approve this message! AIM, RELOAD! He's YOU LIE, Senator Joe Wilson, YOU LIE, brown skin, brown eye man born before 1964! He doesn't qualify! He doesn't qualify! I'm the REAL DEAL! I'm no Maverick! I old, dusty, crusty, and going ROGUE! I'm ROGUE, nota Maverick. Drink the TEA! Bring those REAL ID's! Let's PAR-TAY! Just you, not them!
Posted by: Roger Morris | April 6, 2010 6:53 PM
You know, at one point, I used to really admire this guy for his bipartisanship, and for his typically straightforwardness, regardless of which party it offended.
Now is the time of reconing for his run for POTUS. He did unleash the Palin upon this country, as well as he fundamentally changed who he was when he embraced the pug machine.
I think it is time for him to retire and enjoy those 8 houses of his.
Posted by: Xcellentform | April 6, 2010 7:12 AM
Me too also. There's something about the Republican party, especially the Republican party of Bush's Administration, that absolutely poisoned everything it touched. We're going to be spending years trying to get rid of their stench.
McCain learned a hard, bitter lesson from Bush in 2000 about what it would cost to hold onto ideals that didn't match the Party platform; he made sure not to make the same mistake in 2008.
Posted by: Op109 | April 7, 2010 1:41 PM
Op109,
I agree with the poisoning of the pug party, but I give the honor of architect to Atwater and put the date somewhere in the early 1980's. I'm sure historians will mark that time as the unraveling of the empire.
Posted by: Xcellentform | April 7, 2010 4:53 PM