PHOENIX - “He’s a maverick.” “He’s the consummate maverick.” “We’re a team of mavericks.” - You’ve all heard it time and again in recent weeks as Republican John McCain and fresh-faced running mate Gov. Sarah Palin slap on the maverick label to differentiate themselves from the GOP herd corralled inside the beltway in Washington.
But the New York Times reported on Sunday that the real Mavericks - a storied south Texas family with a long tradition in progressive politics - are not too happy about what they say is the misappropriation of their family name.
“I’m just enraged that McCain calls himself a maverick,” the Times reported Terrellita Maverick, 82, saying. The San Antonio resident is the scion of a family which has been outspoken about liberal causes for generations, and has otherwise bucked conventions.
The family’s name crept into the language for Samuel Augustus Maverick, a rancher who became known for not branding his cattle in the 1800s. Any unbranded cows found out on the range were simply known as “Maverick’s.”
Ranching aside, the Times reported that members of the Maverick family also have a long history championing often unpopular civil libertarian causes — from the rights of indentured servants in long ago New England to defending the cause of “draft resisters, atheists and others scorned by society” more recently in Texas.
Aside from an unbranded calf, the word maverick has come to mean a lone dissenter who takes an independent stand from his or her associates - a label handy for McCain, who has tried to distance his campaign from eight years of rule by the increasingly unpopular President George W. Bush. Nevertheless, the veteran Republican Arizona senator’s appropriation of the word still grates on the original Mavericks.
He “is in no way a maverick, in uppercase or lowercase,” the Times reported Terrellitta, 82, as saying.
“It’s just incredible - the nerve! - to suggest that he’s not part of that Republican herd. Every time we hear it, all my children and I and all my family shrink a little and say, ‘Oh, my God, he said it again.’ ”
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage
Photo credit: REUTERS/Brian Snyder (McCain greets people in Sedona, Arizona)
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Linda,
–Is it just the republicans who are concerned about Obama’s ties to William Ayers, Rev. Wright or any of his other cronies?
Yes. Anytime somebody tries to tie him to those people, he emphatically distances himself from them
–Does it bother any of you that he will be raising taxes not only on the rich but on people making $42K a year?
Well, somebody’s got to pay a $700 billion debt caused by the Bush administration’s lack of financial oversight, and it’s going to be ALL OF US.
–Why is it so difficult to see this man (Obama) has quite a bit of mystery to him?
Because you want there to be some mystery and refuse to believe he’s just being honest.
–Why does it offend him to honor our flag? Why does he travel to different countries and apologize for our Great Country? Does any of these things offend you?
–Well it offends me that he is offended by our country and our traditions!!!!!
It’s this kind of hubris that’s bringing us all down. We’re Number 1! We’re untouchable! We can do no wrong! Then the whole world falls down around us.
–I believe he is a muslim and he plans on “NO GOOD” for our country.
This is where you lost ALL credibility. He’s not a Muslim, but a Christian. You were worried about his ties to Rev. Wright. Rev. Wright is not a Muslim cleric. He is a pastor for the United Church of Christ. Why would you be worried about a Muslim’s ties to a Christian pastor?
- Posted by JosephHey Linda, if you actually READ Obama’s plan (don’t just listen to Republican talking points), you will more than likely see a reduction in taxes if you make less than $250,000.
The sad group who believe McCain have no idea that their taxes will go up across the board (unless you are rich) as he taxes your health benefits (the part your employer pays will now be considered income), so that you can get a credit of $5000 if you wanted to buy your own (My family’s health care is over $13000 per year, and that is for the lowest plan offered by my employer).
But of Course with McCain, the rich will enjoy generous tax breaks and bless their hearts, as they have been so generous with sharing the wealth over the last few years.
Hey, maybe it is the Republicans who need a hug anyway, after all, they seem to have the biggest problem with forgiveness. Obama must be evil because he met a former radical a couple of times who became a productive member of our society and has clearly done quite a bit to make the city of Chicago better. Isn’t that how we ended up in Iraq, since little Bush couldn’t forgive mean old Saddam for wanting to kill his dad?
I feel blessed to live in country where everyone can vote, but honestly I am saddened sometimes that they do.
- Posted by C.H.9:14 pm GMT Is it just the republicans who are concerned about Obama’s ties to William Ayers, Rev. Wright or any of his other cronies?
Does it bother any of you that he will be raising taxes not only on the rich but on people making $42K a year?
Why is it so difficult to see this man (Obama) has quite a bit of mystery to him?
Why does it offend him to honor our flag? Why does he travel to different countries and apologize for our Great Country? Does any of these things offend you?
Well it offends me that he is offended by our country and our traditions!!!!!
I believe he is a muslim and he plans on “NO GOOD” for our country.
- Posted by Linda
Statements like this is why the Republicans are going to lose this election. And if they don’t wake up soon they may not win again for years to come. Obama is no more Muslim than Ronald Regan was. I believe the problem is ignorance. It would be like saying John McCain is Jewish, which we all know is not true, but the right-wing hate groups in this Country may start to beleive it if I said it enough. It’s a very old tactic.
Simple question; Are you happy with the way things have been the last 8 years? If you are, then vote Republican. If not, then you can vote for a CHANGE that matters.
- Posted by FloridafishLet me see if I got this straight.The family called Maverick became legendary due to their ancestor NOT branding his cattle , and then claiming all unbranded CALVES as his.
Why- then I agree with them .
John McCain is not a Maverick.
Cattle thieves for Obama!
- Posted by Bob SwansonWow, calling Sarah Palin, or anyone for that matter is so school yard.
- Posted by H.G.[...] McCain is not _technically_ a Maverick Tales from the Trail
- Posted by How McCain is not _technically_ a Maverick - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!Is it just the republicans who are concerned about Obama’s ties to William Ayers, Rev. Wright or any of his other cronies?
Does it bother any of you that he will be raising taxes not only on the rich but on people making $42K a year?
Why is it so difficult to see this man (Obama) has quite a bit of mystery to him?
Why does it offend him to honor our flag? Why does he travel to different countries and apologize for our Great Country? Does any of these things offend you?
Well it offends me that he is offended by our country and our traditions!!!!!
I believe he is a muslim and he plans on “NO GOOD” for our country.
- Posted by Linda[...] McCain is not _technically_ a Maverick Tales from the Trail
- Posted by How McCain is not _technically_ a Maverick - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!It’s always stands out when the freepers all come to a message board at the same time…
- Posted by schabadoolol, McCain.
Does anybody else get a kick out of watching conservatives engage in mental gymnastics in order to justify McCain? They make some epic comments. I swear I could defend him better than they can just because they have lost track of how to notice glaring hypocricy.
- Posted by penkilkApparently Reuters has run out of photoshopping
- Posted by That One Guymaterial as evidenced by going out of their way
to find a family with the last name Maverick and
decide to run an anti-Conservative story. This is
great Grade-A National Enquirer material. Good job boys!
I forgot…Reuters tends to suckle.
- Posted by Joe StahlLiberal whiners from Texas. Gah.
- Posted by Joe StahlReuters— you’re kidding right? This is news?
- Posted by Christopher StraussWhy doesn’t Obama talk about his record on crime?
Answer: The murder rate in Chicago is higher than in Bagdad!
- Posted by BILL5321Maverick? maverick? NOT!!! Not when you voted with GW over 90% of the time. You are considered a disciple or a follow-tail-dog, which could also include a pit bull with lipstick. Not when you have no new ideas, when you try to be folksy, when you spew trash dug from sewers. You can only claim this when you renounce the republican party, disown your mother and set forth on a new path. Using the same old rhetoric can never make you a maverick, regardless how much you long to be one. Anyway, the Maverick family has really and truly disowned you and “bless their hearts” they are the true mavericks!
- Posted by karuna“Maverick” vs. “Change”
Both are vague platitudes to which neither candidate will really adhere come 2009. Regardless of who wins, McCain and Obama will continue to push their agendas ahead of the people’s needs. And those times that their agendas should coincide with the needs of the people, the candidate will be able to anoint himself as the embodiment of their vague campaign messages.
All this story proves is that there’s some 82 year-old Texan with a tumbleweed stuck up her bum.
- Posted by K-ManBeing from San Antonio and knowing of the storied Maverick family history, I was wondering when someone was going to say something about McCain’s use of the now generic term. Texans get branded with the Bush label too often. There’s a long line of progressive Texans, who may not be in the majority at the moment, but who are still around. Too bad Lloyd Bentsen, another more progressive South Texan who probably knew the Maverick family personally, isn’t still here to tell McCain and/or Palin, “You’re no Maverick.”
- Posted by Jeff CWell spoken, Terrellitta! Brand him the conformist bum that he is, along with his pet dog, Sarah.
- Posted by John HMcCain is no Maverick! he is a REPUBLICAN
- Posted by Keith Darussy