(CNN) - Play word association with the name "John McCain" and "maverick" is certain to pop up.
After all, McCain's presidential campaign repeatedly dubbed the Arizona Republican "the original maverick" and late last month McCain's former running mate, Sarah Palin, urged a crowd in Tucson to "send the maverick back to the Senate!"
But there's only one problem: McCain, who faces a difficult primary challenge from the right, says he's no maverick.
"I never considered myself a maverick," the senator told Newsweek this week. "I consider myself a person who serves the people of Arizona to the best of his abilities."
McCain faces a primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth and has come under criticism for being too moderate on a variety of issues, including immigration. Several leading Tea Party activists in Arizona have decided not to endorse McCain or Hayworth, criticizing both of their records while serving in Congress.
Palin, who remains popular with the conservative voters McCain is hoping to court, campaigned with the Arizona senator last month. It was the first time the two appeared publicly since their 2008 bid for the White House came to an end.
Following Palin's recent appearance for McCain, the senator's campaign released a 90-second video of the two .
From CNN Politics
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all this proves is that he is certainly a flip-flopper
I lived in AZ for 7 years and John McCain was a great Senator..at least you knew with him he wasn't taking earmarks from co-operate lobbyists. He knows how to work with the other side to get things done. He has a record of doing just that. He worked with Ted Kennedy, Russ Feingold etc and has even had bills put into law..the McCain-Feingold bill for one.
J.D. Hayworth was my representative in Congress and let me tell you he is simply a big mouth. He never shows that he can work to get anything done and that speaks volumes...
More of a gelding.
Now if this don't beat all! This man is losing his bearings and I mean fast. He can on being a maverick for years. However, he is right, he is NO maverick, he is a puppet for the republican party, playing along with their tricks and games. He is literally begging the republican party to send him back to Washington because he is NO maverick, but rather part of the Washington establishment. Send his old butt home, I don't think John McCain has much left to give, send him home!
Like most republicans, he is worthless as an elected official. He has vowed to not work with the democrats or work for the American people. That is something Arizonans can be proud of.
:: Reads article ::
:: laughs really hard ::
So there they were, traveling the hard campaign trail, swearing up street and down alley and McCain and Palin were both a couple of mavericks (even though they were nothing more than Bush imitators and that's not a sincere bit of flattery) - but now he's.... not?
Imagine that.
He can see Mexico from his house.
I hope he checked with Sarah Palin before making the announcement. She is the RNC leader.
WOW McCain must be aging fast. Now he no longer remembers what he was or is. I'm no Hayworth supporter either but McCain really needs to retire and hire someone to count his homes and let him know how many they have,
:: Takes another look at McCain ::
No, he doesn't look anything like Bret, Bart, Brent or Beauregarde.
Can't call McCain a Maverick.
OMG ... would someone get on YouTube and run the tape of McCain referring to himself and Palin, both individually and collectively, as MAVERICKS.
Does he think the American people are this dumb?
poor mcinsane....he really needs to go ahead and retire cause his old age is really showing!
God Bless President Obama, VP Biden, the First Families and "Bo"
FLIP FLOP.
Senators need term limits just like the President please just go away.
FLIP FLOP.....
Poor McCain! He had no idea what he was doing when he asked Palin to be his running mate, and he has no clue today! He simply can't decide what he is doing. He's showing that he is just as kooky as is Palin. SCARY!
How about Hypocrite???
Old and confused!!!
what a joke ! fire the bum
then why did he campaign on it! Man the RNC needs to get their stuff together
I recall Sarah Palin saying during the 08 campaign to send the (2) mavericks to Washington. Who was she referring to then John? Obama & Biden?
So Sarah Palin is wrong again. That ain't news...
McCain is an old geezer who should retire. He served in the military, was a prisoner of war and has been in the political scene too long. However, looking at his competitor, he appears to be the less of two evils. He accepted that "maverick" moniker when it seemed to help. Maybe he has outgrown it. It appears to be no longer useful.
OK, so now he's NOT a maverick.
This jerk has more backflips than an Olympic gymnast.
What does he stand for? McCain is a political windsock.
Arizona and America shold teach this ex-maveick a lesson for unleashing Half-Govenor Palin on the American people. Try to put that genie back in the bottle.
Look, McCain, you're married to an ex-beauty queen who owns a beer company. Retire and enjoy it.
Don't let he door hit 'ya where the good Lord split 'ya!
He just cna't remember who he is supposed to be today. I sense a little "hope-e / change-e" going on here, maybe things will work out and he get beat in the primary so he can live in one of his many houses, if he can remember where they are.