After repeatedly referring to Sen. John McCain as a "maverick" or having a "maverick brand" during the Republican presidential primary, CNBC chief Washington correspondent John Harwood once again used the moniker while discussing McCain, asserting the McCain campaign's criticism of the media is, in part, “a way for John McCain, who has been such a maverick, to try to unify the Republican Party, 'cause one thing that unifies Republicans is that the mainstream media is something they don't like very much.” As Media Matters for America has documented, broadcast and print media routinely use the term “maverick” when discussing McCain, often without noting his rightward shift on high-profile issues such as immigration and taxes or acknowledging his numerous falsehoods.

Harwood's comments came during an appearance on the June 9 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, after MSNBC political analyst Mike Barnicle asked: “John, what happens to John McCain if, as seems to be happening as we speak, is this continued thin-skinned atmosphere around the McCain campaign towards the media? You know, 'that's an unfair story,' 'you're pro-Obama.' ” Barnicle added, “I mean, John McCain, we -- he's widely admired by members of the media, myself included. I've covered him for a long time. What happens if he changes during the course of this campaign and becomes appearing as thin-skinned, and his people appear as thin-skinned, toward a force in this country that has been so beneficial to him?" After suggesting that McCain's complaints about the media may be an attempt to “unif[y] Republicans,” Harwood continued, asserting: “You know, I -- we'll see how that plays out over the long run. I think it's a tactic right now, and it's a little bit silly, because, you know, you talk to all the Republicans who ran against John McCain, they think that he's gotten a very favorable press for quite a long time. So, maybe he's trying to cure the perception that, you know, he's in love with all the people around your table up there.”

From the June 9 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:

PAT BUCHANAN (political analyst): Right. John, you know, when you take a look at the issues -- basically the unpopularity of the war, Bush at 28 percent, the economy, you know, unemployment rising by 750,000, gas prices going through the roof -- Democrats should walk away with the race, and yet, in the polls today, you've got a dead heat between Obama and McCain. What do you attribute that to?

MIKA BRZEZINSKI (co-host): Yeah.

BUCHANAN: I mean, especially the Obama segment has this sort of leftist taint and the attacks on him as being exotic and out of touch, do you think they've taken root in light of the fact that, I guess, Hillary Clinton was still running stronger in the national election only slightly against McCain when she dropped out?

HARWOOD: I think it's that green-puke background from that speech the other night --

[laughter]

BUCHANAN: That helped McCain?

HARWOOD: -- and the theme was pudding. Americans like a theme with pudding. No, seriously, I think it has to do with the fact that, first of all, John McCain's persona is very strong. People like McCain. They admire the brand of patriotism that he represents, so that's a powerful, independent asset, even if you set aside the problems for the Republican brand.

Barack Obama is different. He's the first African-American candidate. He's got a different background that -- than a lot of mainstream voters can relate to. The whole Jeremiah Wright thing, Bill Ayers, the entire aura of Hyde Park is something that Republicans and Mrs. Clinton were able to use in the primary -- will be able to use some more -- the question is, how does all that net out at the end?

I think Barack Obama, as you indicated earlier, Pat, begins in a pretty strong position. All of the atmospheric conditions are right for Democrats. The question is, can he hold up over the course of the campaign? Clinton people made the argument she would hold up better than he could. And there's some reasons to think that that might be true. However, it's a change election, and he's the guy more than anybody in the country who personifies change --

BRZEZINSKI: Change, absolutely.

HARWOOD: -- and so that puts him in a good position.

BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.

BARNICLE: John, what happens to John McCain if, as seems to be happening as we speak, is this continued thin-skinned atmosphere around the McCain campaign towards the media? You know, “that's an unfair story,” “you're pro-Obama” --

BRZEZINSKI: Yeah, there is a lot of that.

BARNICLE: I mean, John McCain, we -- he's widely admired by members of the media, myself included. I've covered him for a long time. What happens if he changes during the course of this campaign and becomes appearing as thin-skinned, and his people appear as thin-skinned, toward a force in this country that has been so beneficial to him?

HARWOOD: They're beating that drum pretty hard, aren't they?

BARNICLE: Yeah.

HARWOOD: I think part of it is that that is a way for John McCain -- who has been such a maverick -- to try to unify the Republican Party, 'cause one thing that unifies Republicans is that the mainstream media is something they don't like very much. You know, I -- we'll see how that plays out over the long run. I think it's a tactic right now, and it's a little bit silly, because, you know, you talk to all the Republicans who ran against John McCain, they think that he's gotten a very favorable press for quite a long time. So, maybe he's trying to cure the perception that, you know, he's in love with all the people around your table up there.