Did McCain take his so-called "Maverick" positions on partisan

[WCGreen]

issues because he could or because he had a deep sense of conviction concerning these so-called "Maverick" issues?

Did he ever actually vote against his party when it would actually make a difference in the outcome?

Did he ever cross the aisle and give the democrats a victory?

Or did he first scope out the political landscape, hunker down with McConnell or Frist or Dole and work out his "Maverick" persona before the vote even got to the Senate floor?

I'm on vacation now and really can't do the research, but I wonder if McCain is just a Maverick in name only.

Curious in Tennessee...

[Buzz Clik]

1. McCain's ability to cross the aisle made a big difference on occassion.

He pissed off a lot of Republicans in the process. His role in the Gang of 14 is an example.

[WCGreen]

2. Yea but the GOP still won all those Judicial nominations

If memory serves me correct.

[Buzz Clik]

4. The point of the Gang of 14 was to ...

... avoid filibuster by bringing forward judicial nominees that were acceptable to all concerned. This was considered to be backstabbing by many Pukes not on the Gang of 14. Yes, the judges passed, but the screening was supposed to be more of a compromise on the front end.

[seasat]

3. He was really only a maverick just after the 2000 election.

McCain supported Repubs and Bush more than most Repubs in the 110th, 109th, and 108th senates. He ranked among the top ten most conservative Repubs during those years. He was the second most conservative in the 109th congress. He was only moderate in voting in the 107th senate. The 107th was right after his loss to Bush. Before that he broke from his party on major issues during off election years but generally voted Repub on most issues and was solidly Repub during election years. The campaign finance reform promotion was to revitalize his image after nearly being indicted in the Keating Five scandal. So yes, the evidence shows that http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/12/ap/politics/mainD8MJRGCO0.shtml">John McCain is clearly a maverick in media image only.