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NY Times propagated myth of "maverick" McCain

February 06, 2007 6:57 pm ET
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A February 4 New York Times article about Republican Sens. John McCain (AZ) and Chuck Hagel (NE), "Mavericks Both, but Different Iraq Paths," asserted that the senators "seemed to revel in rankling the Republican establishment, often infuriating the White House from their side-by-side suites in the Russell Senate Office Building." The Times further claimed that while McCain is "perhaps the most influential and outspoken supporter in Congress of the president's plan to send more troops to Iraq," Hagel "seems to have assumed Mr. McCain's former role as their party's leading maverick." However, McCain's aggressive courting of the conservative base by supporting President Bush's Iraq policy is not, as the Times suggested, the only area in which McCain has given up his purported claim to the "maverick" description.

Media Matters for America has documented numerous instances in which McCain has fallen in line with the Bush administration or the establishment Republican Party on issues large and small.

— R.C.
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    • Author by greekfurnace (February 06, 2007 7:22 pm ET)
         

      Maverick McCain. How can one be such a Bush Admin boot-licker and still be a maverick? By definition, it is impossible.

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    • Author by col.roycampbell (February 06, 2007 7:25 pm ET)
         

      I love the word 'maverick', it had dropped out of modern lexicon and mccain and the media brought it back.   

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    • Author by col.roycampbell (February 06, 2007 7:26 pm ET)
         

      PS - thanks mmfa for allowing conservatives to post here without being banned.  i noticed you guys changed policy on this within the last few months and i think it is much more fun this way.  

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      • Author by RINO Hunter (February 06, 2007 7:29 pm ET)
           

        Don't get too over confident. It will only be a matter of time before you get banned. The same goes for myself as well.

        Report Abuse
        • Author by col.roycampbell (February 06, 2007 7:43 pm ET)
             

          yeah i probably just jinxed us all

          it gives mmfa more visitors and credibility to allow debate though. 

          Report Abuse
          • Author by rusty shackleford (February 07, 2007 1:41 pm ET)
               

            Don't worry.  Y'all can always return under different screenames - again.

            Report Abuse
      • Author by greekfurnace (February 06, 2007 8:27 pm ET)
           

        MMFA is, in fact, quite fair re who can post here. I've watched this site for some time and ... only when people incessantly attack, use overly inflammatory language, are insulting, etc... are they ever banned. It's usually well-founded.

        MMFA (and the so-called liberal posters around here) don't care ... in fact, enjoy the opposing viewpoints. Certainly keeps it lively.

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        • Author by HuntingtonBeachLefty (February 07, 2007 12:26 am ET)
             

          Right, Greek,

          I've seen Conservatives post at least 3/4 of the comments on some threads, even when it gets way off topic.It's only the real goofy stuff that gets deleted.

          Take it from me, as I've had a few posts deleted, probably deservedly.I just didn't cry about it.

          Report Abuse
      • Author by solon (February 07, 2007 1:15 am ET)
           

        MMFA never banned conservatives for being conservative. At least the two years I have been here. Bruce, Another American, leatherhelmet and Tommy have all been here as long as I have.

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    • Author by Damian G. (February 06, 2007 8:30 pm ET)
         

      The problem is that MMFA operates under the assumption that the media call McCain a "maverick" because they are conservatively biased when just the opposite is true.

      They love that McCain is moderate on so many issues, such as illegal immigration, campaign finance reform and homosexual "marriage."  They are so enamored of him that they are willing to overlook his flip-flops and overtures to the Right.

      That, and the media love to abuse language.  An "anchor" is a piece of metal, not a newsreader, people!

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      • Author by col.roycampbell (February 06, 2007 8:37 pm ET)
           

        not bad.

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      • Author by greekfurnace (February 06, 2007 10:36 pm ET)
           

        I'm sorry...

        But, the 'liberal media bias' trip is long over. So, you're saying they have 'moderate media bias'? Right. All you have to do is watch the tripe that comes out of the MSM (even if you exclude FOX) ... the fawning that goes on toward the Republicans vs the completely jaundiced eye that is thrown on the Dems is striking. Nice try though.  

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    • Author by bruin606 (February 06, 2007 11:03 pm ET)
         

      mmfa:

      Will you document the same media propping of Hagel as a maverick? Hagel ooften touts his 100% ACU voting record and was just identified by CQ as the Republican Senator with the strongest pro-Bush voting record. Yet, the media insists he's a maverick.

      it might be worth the effort

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    • Author by Intergalatic Purveyor (February 07, 2007 12:45 am ET)
         

      McCain the "maverick" is a creation of fiction like a unicorn.

      Neither one exists.

      Report Abuse

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