Media Embrace McCain’s ‘Maverick’ Re-Branding Effort
Media Embrace McCain’s ‘Maverick’ Re-Branding Effort
By choosing Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) as his running mate, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has tried to reinvigorate the perception that he is a “maverick.” Last week in their respective speeches to the Republican National Convention, McCain and Palin underscored this point by branding themselves as the “maverick” ticket:
– PALIN: That is only one more reason to take the maverick of the Senate and put him in the White House.
– McCAIN: You know, I’ve been called a maverick; someone who marches to the beat of his own drum. Sometimes it’s meant as a compliment and sometimes it’s not. What it really means is I understand who I work for. I don’t work for a party. I don’t work for a special interest. I don’t work for myself. I work for you.
The McCain campaign has amplified this talking point with a new ad (that lies about Palin’s record on the so-called Bridge To Nowhere) called “The Original Mavericks.”
On Fox News yesterday, the Weekly Standard’s Fred Barnes observed that this re-branding effort is something that “the media has bought.” Barnes is right. Since the convention last week, the media appear to be more than happy to comply with McCain’s effort to put the “maverick” brand back into his campaign — hook, line and sinker. Watch a compilation:
In fact, there is nothing about any of McCain’s policy proposals that could in any way justify calling him a “maverick.” His economic, energy, health care and national security policies are all either in line with President Bush’s or in some cases further to the right.
Indeed, CNN’s Paul Begala noted last week, “If McCain is a maverick reformer, then I’m a Hasidic diamond merchant.”
Just after the RNC, CNN’s Campbell Brown asked, “can he make the maverick label stick?” Of course, McCain has always been the media’s “maverick,” but unfortunately, the answer to Brown’s question is, it appears so.
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“The Me Too Express now leaving from Gate 1. All aboard. Next stop — the Bridge to Nowhere.”
September 9th, 2008 at 3:44 pmMaverick, schmaverick.
McCain’s just a nasty, cantankerous, ambitious, hot-headed old fart.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:45 pmI believe he’s speaking of corporate executives, when John McCon says he works for “you”. Either that, or Bush’s base.
McCon/Pullin ‘08
September 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pmBy definition a maverick is an unbranded cow.
So, I’m cool with branding McIIIrd.
A big ass “I’m with stupid here –>” and a picture of Bush should do the trick.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pmMaverick my ass!
McPutz = Bush on steroids.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pmAnd I work for my loyal supporters, who made money off Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
At least 20 McCain fundraisers have lobbied on behalf of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, netting at least $12.3 million in fees over the past nine years.
You won’t know their names, my friend! And nevermind, our editorial in today’s Wall Street Journal on this very topic.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:48 pmAs long as the media continues to reside in McCain’s back pocket, its going to be difficult to get any semblance of the truth out there. This is why the media fears the internet. The corporate masters can’t control the message the same way that they can with the media.
So the truth leaks out and has to compete with the message.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:49 pmAnd Sarah got her own McCon/Pullin plane today:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/sarah-palin-pla.html
When does she get her new chef?
September 9th, 2008 at 3:50 pmIf you call taxing health care benefits something a maverick would do, then yes, McCain is a maverick. If you call privatizing Social Security something a maverick would do, then yes, John McCain is a maverick.
These are two policies that I can do without and John McCain the maverick can just fold his cards and go back to one of his seven houses.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:52 pmThere’s only two choices:
1) You make Palin a laughing-stock. This shouldn’t be too hard to do, with a pregnant teen daughter, ethical lapses by the score, and apparently the sincerity of a waterspout. The down-side of that is that you also make all those who admire her into either 1) laughing-stocks themselves (which of course they are, but of which fact they are understandably loathe to be reminded) or 2) Fundie/Mother warriors for the cause.
2) Just STFU and let it play out.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:57 pmwhat’s this i hear, about dan senor, campbell brown’s husband,
having knowledge of the missing 8billion from iraq?
anyone?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:01 pmQuoth Truman, “I wonder how many times you have to be hit on the head before you [realize] who’s hitting you? It’s about time that the people of America realized what the Republicans have been doing to them.”
Every time I think ‘merkins can’t get any more gullible, they soar to new depths…
September 9th, 2008 at 4:02 pmMcCain is a Reformed Maverick…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZvehP7vV9s
September 9th, 2008 at 4:03 pmThe Mcmaverick Reformer is still a re-puke and that means four more years of crime,war, corruption and contradictions coming from the Mcsame W.H.To bad our MSM will keep protecting Mcwars and Caribou Barbie.I still have to laugh when they reform Wash., what a joke these two are.It`s got to be hard trying to seperate Mcwars and caribou Barbie from the SHRUB and his crime family, because that`s where their values and dogma can`t seperate them from the SHRUB.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:03 pmdid you run out before the harvest, tokin?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:04 pm’cause you’re sounding really grumpy lately… more than usual…
How long before Sarah puts her new plane on EBay and makes yet another profit?
How many people work for companies that pay them a per diem when they’re at home? That’s not a maverick, more like a leech or a lamprey.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:04 pmMcCAIN: You know, I’ve been called a maverick; someone who marches to the beat of his own drum. Sometimes it’s meant as a compliment and sometimes it’s not. What it really means is I understand who I work for. I don’t work for a party. I don’t work for a special interest. I don’t work for myself. I work for you.
Guess “you” doesn’t include Vets from Iraq and Afghanistan , no matter how badly they were wounded , if they didn’t put in enough time (in your old eyes) , yet came home with less limbs , sanity , etc …………Lying d0uchebag.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:05 pmstate ~ look for a fire sale on November 5th. They’ll have lots of debt racked up from their failed campaign.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:05 pmMcCain of 2008 is a Maverick just like George W. Bush is a “Compasionate Conservative”.
They are just BS terms to get the easily duped to vote for them.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:08 pmYesterday I made a comment about McCanary and his singing at the Hanoi Hilton. Someone asked for a link. One of the best summaries I have found is at http://www:usvetdsp/mcainhro.htm. It is an article by Ted Sampley in the U.S. Veteran Dispatch dated November 1999 and updated in 2008. Most of the collaboration is admitted by McCain in two books and some articles. When reading keep in mind the Military Directions concerning the conduct of POW’s. Obviously, by his own admission, McCain thought himself to be a “Maverick” then.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:09 pmTechnically speaking Bush was also a “maverick” so, yes…
September 9th, 2008 at 4:09 pmWe’re all Hasidic diamond merchants now.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:12 pmWhich one is Bret and which one is Bart?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:12 pmRe #20
The correct link is http://www.usvetdsp.com/mcianhro.htm
September 9th, 2008 at 4:12 pmThe dumbing of America.
Stoopider by the day.
Brought to you by the Repugnican Party and MSM.
I’ve pretty much lost hope.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:14 pmOBAMA – get off that high horse right now and start running ads 24×7 introducing the American public to the real John McBush and the real Sarah Barracuda. If you don’t do it and do it now, we may lose this one.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:17 pmWhile growing up on a horse ranch in Arizona, I asked my Dad what a ‘maverick’ was. Dad said in the late 1800’s some ranchers would refuse to brand their cattle – due to the pain inflicted on the animal. Dad said those who refused to brand their animals were then called ‘mavericks’.
Dad also said that the term ‘maverick’ was supposed to suggest that the ranchers who did not brand their cattle could then claim ownership over ANY unbranded cattle. The name ‘maverick’ was a term of derision toward those who practiced this habit of basically stealing any animal not carrying a brand.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:18 pmI feel a new drinking game about to begin, then, we’ll all abe numb when these jackovs get the WH again…
September 9th, 2008 at 4:19 pmSuch BS. As a constituent of the state where he is supposed to “represent me” — he never has and he never will. In each and every time that I have contacted him about my concern about various issues, I have gotten NOTHING back except the requisite Republican talking point.
No careful consideration of my views or even an acknowledgment of the validity of such. He is strictly in the pocket of Big Business. He doesn’t work for me, he never has. The thing is, the population and views of this state are changing, he just doesn’t recognize it.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:20 pmThey saw how popular Obama’s ‘change’ was, so they’re capitolizing on it. The media is too lazy to get out of their old cliches, so ‘Maverick’ it is and will always be. It’s too easy for segways: no imagination required. Besides, someone suggested ‘honky’ wouldn’t go over well.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:21 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
OBAMA – get off that high horse right now and start running ads 24×7 …
i completely understand your anxiety!
but he’s going to stick to the plan, and i do admire him for that…
if he gives in to the “old ways”, then it’s all over…
SEND MONEY!
the TRUTH is all he needs to tell… and it’s very expensive!
September 9th, 2008 at 4:22 pmmcchimpy and plain are putting the name maverick to shame.
maverick used in a bad way is when this pair uses it.
mcchimpy is an old lying coot. plain is a lying failed mother.
both of them don’t have the decency to run for any office.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:24 pmI have been interested in military affairs for a long time, and McCain was very active and prominent in fighting inefficiencies in defense spending.
He may not be an all-round maverick, but he’s been a one-man army against Pentagon efficiencies and has been as successful with it as possible for a mere senator.
That doesn’t make him a great presidential candidate, though.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:26 pmMcCon wore out the soles of those Maverick boots years ago, when he shuffled between Liberty and Regent Universities to meet with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson.
Selecting a former “agent of intolerance” as his VP, sealed the deal.
How does his “former Maverick” status, rub off on her?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:26 pmI feel like Obama has to battle McCain as well as the media; it used to be just FOX, but now it seems to be all of them.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:29 pmAfter the MSM descended on the GOP convention, for blocks and blocks around the Xcel center in St. Paul, every hardware store sold out of kneepads and every convenience store sold out of cheap lube…
Think there’s a correlation?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:31 pmMistress Z @#22 `
And how would you like this nice plump rock cut, dearie, princess, solitaire or emerald??
September 9th, 2008 at 4:33 pmmcchimpy and plain are the only mavericks in the world.
I get sick looking at the two of them.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:33 pmThe MSM are disgraceful and I don’t watch anything now other than KO and Rachel, after MSNBC caved and yanked the “partisan” KO and Tweety off of live coverage, caved to the right as always, if I want to hear Pat Buchanan bloviation right wing talking points then I’d watch Snooxe, I’m an optimist but that’s fading fast. THEY hate us for our freedoms….
September 9th, 2008 at 4:36 pmbilbo @#26
Check THIS out
September 9th, 2008 at 4:36 pmAre you interested enough to know that the Iraq and Afgan vets give mccain a solid D for his voting record on veterans issues….please take a moment to read this.
Who really supports the troops…hint, it aint republicans.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pm@RUCerious: Great ad, but I sure as hell wouldn’t have used the “dreaded word” that many times, why re-enforce that idiotic claim, call em’ what they are, and use the firty word, “Republicans”…
September 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pmSven Ortmann Says:
I guess the trillion wasted on Iraq doesn’t count….how much did mccain oppose that? You leave many questions unanswered with your statement.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:44 pmthis is classic Rovian stuff:
say something often enough and if nobody calls you out on it, it seeps into the collective consciousness as “truth”…
propaganda works… if ANYTHING the bushies have taught us these past eight years, they taught us that simple idiom…
September 9th, 2008 at 4:45 pmStratRat Says:
While growing up on a horse ranch in Arizona, I asked my Dad what a ‘maverick’ was. Dad said in the late 1800’s some ranchers would refuse to brand their cattle – due to the pain inflicted on the animal. Dad said those who refused to brand their animals were then called ‘mavericks’.
Dad also said that the term ‘maverick’ was supposed to suggest that the ranchers who did not brand their cattle could then claim ownership over ANY unbranded cattle. The name ‘maverick’ was a term of derision toward those who practiced this habit of basically stealing any animal not carrying a brand.
Yep I can just see them sneaking into other people’s barns and stealing yet to be branded animals.
It figures the mcchimpy and plain would take the name maverick w/o knowing the facts. It’s just like their policies, no forethought.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:48 pmSeriously, why should we expect anything different. I am going to be very abusive to our side here to make a point: The Democrat party is nothing more than a door mat. It will not stand up, will not and accept with nothing more than a whimper any insult or abuse handed out to it by its betters. Do not believe me, then look at the record:
1. For years, the Republican party has alleged that the media had a liberal bias based upon faux, Republican controlled think tank findings. Did the Democrat party ever once fight back? Stir up its base to counter punch the media with letters, e-mails and boycott threats as did the Republicans? Ever once see a prominent Democrat tear into the media or did the just simper with a very little yelp – please master, please quit kicking your dog?
2. We allowed the Republicans to savage Dukakis, Gore and Kerry. Never once did I see a timely or effective come back. Even Tweety agrees that Gore was savaged and that Kerry lost in large part because of media amplification of the Swiftboating. Where has been the timely and effective framing of McCain in this campaign? Where has been the sharp defining of some very, very serious flaws with McCain such as his reliance on lobbyists which is only now and weakly being noted? Where were the earlier attacks on McCain’s record of flip-flops? No, with the exception of Bill Clinton, the Democrat party will just pull its punchers.
3. We have seen the Republican disdain and mockery of the Democrat party grow increasingly naked and open over each election. Remember how Gore was treated with the complicity of the media? Remember the undermining of Kerry with the shameful handing out of band aides and flip-flops at the Republican convention? But now we have the absolutely absurd celebrity commercials, the fairly pronounced accusations that Obama is unpatriotic (willing to lose a war for political advantage) and culminating with the standing crowd after three mocking, belittling speeches literally chanting that our candidate is a zero. Where has been the outrage from our party. Or are we really just the little girlie men as they assert?
4. The press has kowtowed to the Republican party and acquiesced to their masters without a single real protest of hiding their VP from real interviews. There is little in the press to note the total, outlandish lies by Palin (23 times now on the bridge) whereas our candidates would have been tarred, feathered and ridden out of town on a rail. But have you seen any significant outrage or push back from the press? Of course not. They know there would be hell to pay from the Republicans and that the Democrat party will do nothing. God, the Republicans can now set who the MSNBC anchors will be for the election.
WHEN WILL THE DEMOCRATS AND THE DEMOCRAT PARTY GET MAD. WHY TAKE THE REPUBLICANS LIES? WHY LET THE PRESS DISRESPECT YOU? WHY AVOID THE DIRECT CONFRONTATION AND BATTLE WITH THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF McCAIN’S CHARACTER (AMBITION OVER PRINCIPAL, PANDERING AN OUT RIGHT LYING)? WHY LET THEM TRAMPLE ON THE NAME OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY?
I hope as you read my post that you got mad, mad at me. I hope that you felt like getting your hands on my throat and wanted to strangle me as a Republican troll. Why? Because Obama, the party, you, me and all the other Democrats had better start getting mad, very mad or there will be a President McCain.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:50 pmkaty Says:
Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
OBAMA – get off that high horse right now and start running ads 24×7 …
i completely understand your anxiety!
but he’s going to stick to the plan, and i do admire him for that…if he gives in to the “old ways”, then it’s all over…
Telling the voting public who John McBush and Sarah Barracuda are is not the “old ways”. As long a he doesn’t lie and sticks to the truth, that kind of an ad campaign will be perfectly acceptable. It’s a shame that the Democrats and the Obama campaign have to spend their money to do the job the MSM should be doing, but thems the facts…
September 9th, 2008 at 4:51 pmMcCain may have been a maverick, but he’s now clearly a USDA approved downer cow that’s contracted Mad Cow disease. Will the electorate fall for this deception?
September 9th, 2008 at 4:52 pm#RUCerious Says:
bilbo @#26
Check THIS out
That gives a 404 error.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:52 pmleftzone Says:
The MSM are disgraceful and I don’t watch anything now other than KO and Rachel, after MSNBC caved and yanked the “partisan” KO and Tweety off of live coverage, caved to the right as always, if I want to hear Pat Buchanan bloviation right wing talking points then I’d watch Snooxe, I’m an optimist but that’s fading fast. THEY hate us for our freedoms….
We always have CSPAN. It’s going to be interesting to see what MSNBC is going to do when they have a zero rating with Gregory commenting on the debates. They may live to regret that decision. I can’t stand Gregory and refuse to watch anything he is on.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:57 pmSven Ortmann Says: “…he’s been a one-man army against Pentagon efficiencies…”
Well, my friend, I see another troll has been converted. Welcome to the land of the intelligent and free thinking individuals.
September 9th, 2008 at 4:59 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says
September 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pmWe always have CSPAN. It’s going to be interesting to see what MSNBC is going to do when they have a zero rating with Gregory commenting on the debates. They may live to regret that decision. I can’t stand Gregory and refuse to watch anything he is on.
What the hell happened to him anyway, he used to really stand up, and now he’s another hack?
Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
#RUCerious Says:
bilbo @#26
Check THIS out
That gives a 404 error.
Weirdness, Bilbo. It shouldn’t be, and it works for me.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:01 pmI haven’t been posting here for awhile as I’ve been consumed with disgust over the Palin pick and the American voters’ response to an obvious pandering. I’m thoroughly disgusted with republicans who believe the VP pick shows McCain will usher in some sort of wonderful new deal in Washington. Just picking Palin and the falsifying of her record says that it will be worse, as they have shown deceit will continue in the WH. Hers’ was not a pick based on what is good for America, but what is good to win an election. McCain would rather risk the stability of America than lose an election.
I’m disgusted that McCain’s campaign staff refuses to permit Palin to face the press. To ask that “deference” be paid by the press to Palin is pure crap.
Republicans actually think they should ignore the policy failures of their party. They actually want to reward them with more time to screw this nation into oblivion.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:01 pmMcCain fought against improper arms procurement that only enriched the corporations due to terrible contract conditions.
That’s something completely different than being pro or contra more care for veterans.
It’s also something very different than being responsible for the size of the military budget as a mere senator.
Help Ron Paul to win the primaries next time if you want someone to become president who voted against the excessive military budgets.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:03 pmSven Ortmann Says:
ah, that’s different….not.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:07 pmHaven’t heard him say a word about halliburton…..or blackwater….
Ron who?
September 9th, 2008 at 5:08 pmleftzone Says:
Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says
We always have CSPAN. It’s going to be interesting to see what MSNBC is going to do when they have a zero rating with Gregory commenting on the debates. They may live to regret that decision. I can’t stand Gregory and refuse to watch anything he is on.
What the hell happened to him anyway, he used to really stand up, and now he’s another hack?
He danced the Macerana with KKKarl Rove. That seemed to have done it.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:08 pmParasite Palin and Blustering McCain: another pair of GOP losers, like lying Bush and fear-mongering Cheney. It’s time for a New Deal, America. Time to forget the lying retreds presented to us by the GOP…
September 9th, 2008 at 5:12 pmWe can watch C-Span for the whole story – yes – along with about 10% of the rest of the population.
The other 90% are not watching C-Span. They are watching sports (where ads play) and listening to limbaugh while they commute.
We keep thinking Obama will appeal to the better angels among us; the people are not stupid; but we are seeing that the media has joined the McCain camp big time, and the short attention span of the voters, who follow the “shiny object” of gotcha politicking — the news anchors with the short skirts, the Ted Baxters of the pretty boy news anchors, the corporate bosses who keep their news reports slanted just the right way, are as easily led as the sheep to slaughter, taking the entire nation along.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:20 pmDamned Liberal media!!!!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 5:20 pmMaverick must be an attempt at a “TopGun” tie-in.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:29 pmbitblt Says: “Maverick must be an attempt at a ‘TopGun’ tie-in.”
He certainly qualifies as an “Ace” having downed five “Enemy” aircraft. That is why he was welcomed in Hanoi and put up at the Hanoi Hilton where he was, by his own admission, the star “Singer.”
September 9th, 2008 at 5:51 pmAt this point, they could just call him ‘The Shadow’ because everything he’s the champion of now is what Obama said first. Those things must have tested through the roof, like ‘it’s about you, not me’, ‘change’, ‘dialogue can be useful’, ‘alternative energy’, ‘Enough!’. Maybe ‘Copy Cat’ would fit a little better.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:54 pmAssuming this is not a stab at the clearly gay undertones of TopGun, I commend our friend bitblt!
September 9th, 2008 at 6:08 pmhttp://www.thepersonalispolitical.com/ There you go, Maverick!This team of morons needs to be exposed for the farces they really are…they think we’re STUPID!!! Gonna let them get away with that? They insult all of us and think they’re so damn slick.Expose the lies!!
September 9th, 2008 at 7:01 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T85cOGc8L0 And then there’s THIS little snippet..can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat animals
September 9th, 2008 at 7:04 pmBilbo, try this linky
One more time
Unless this is a site you’ve been banned from, it should work…
September 9th, 2008 at 7:11 pmThe maverick was W who left the farm on his own and McSame voted with him over 95% of the time. Following W is not a maverick. McSame has 5 dozen lobbyists running his campaign. McSame is more of G W B. We cannot afford another day, much less four more years of republican lies and graft.
September 9th, 2008 at 9:39 pmThis is another example that the “old world jounalism of Murrow, Cronkite and Rather is dead and buried. In the case of the Time Magazine reporter Ms Tumulty, she seems to think the finding out the who, what, where, when and how have been replaced with a steno pad, which she records what ABC said in rebuttle to the complaint of Congressman Kucinich. There is a great disconnect with what happened and the points made by ABC. She asks little of no questions to ABC. She takes what is handed to her and repeats it vebatim and then calls that reporting. I call is stenography. Lida Sohbet sohbet sesli chat Gelinlik Modelleri
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I want suits in Colorado, New Jersey, and any other state where illegal suppression campaigns are being conducted. And some real looks at the polling methodology would also be eye opening.
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