After about the fifth time Governor Palin used the term ‘maverick’ to describe her running mate during the VP debate last night, I wanted to shoot the television. The McCain-Palin folks have obviously decided to brand their campaign with one word.

Now, I know McCain has done some really good things in his career both during his service in the armed forces, as well as in the Senate. But a word like maverick is usually reserved for younger men – not guys in their 70’s. Obviously the McCain people have research to justify that the word maverick is the best way to spearhead their campaign. Only a maverick would have a millionaire wife and several houses. Only a maverick would shock the world by naming a running mate like Palin. Only a maverick would actually call himself a maverick (which he does, often).

When Palin says “McCain is a maverick.” or when McCain himself says, “I’m a maverick” (which he does, often) – it makes me think they’re trying to overcome the fact that he’s old. If they tell the public he’s a maverick it somehow makes him “an unbranded, range animal.” Which is fine for a 20-year old man running free in the world. But John McCain?

Unfortunately, every time anyone uses ‘maverick’ to describe McCain, I have this disturbing image of him standing in my bedroom wearing a white terry-cloth robe and black socks with garters. And he’s flashing a million dollar grin.

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Jim Mitchem

The end of day baseball

Jim Mitchem

Writer. Father to daughters. Husband. Ad man. Raised by wolves. @jmitchem on twitter. First novel, Minor King, out now.

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