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)
Trackback
73 comments so far
Previous | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Next
Texasred,
- Posted by lauraWe have been here since 1832 and you moved here when? Appears that when facts are presented, you resort to personal attacks. Sadly, I had hoped you were above such things.
After reading nearly all of the above comments…. well I still say this is much ado about nothing. they dont OWN the name…. it a word/term….. that happens to be their name… big deal, get over it.
No matter who gets elected it will eventualy be politics as usual…. THEIR agenda… not what the people want or need…. that is evident in the recent “bail out bill”. Politicians of both parties will say ANYTHING, PROMISE anything to gain votes and figure out how to justify NOT coming thru on those promises AFTER they are well entrenched in office.
- Posted by WillThese maverick people in texas need to get over themselves. Heck I am not even a McCain supporter and I think this is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.
- Posted by WillJames Garner is the Original Maverick as far as I know
- Posted by MaverickGo read the Webster’s dictionary definition of the word and deal with it!
- Posted by U. GottobekiddnMcCain is a hack
- Posted by Kevin CassidyI’ve been hoping that someone would write an article about how McCain probably is a type of maverick but that all mavericks don’t necessarily rebel in a positive direction (let’s face it, progressive direction is not in the generic definition).
mav·er·ick [ mávvərik, mávvrik ] (plural mav·er·icks)
noun
Definition:
1. independent person: an independent thinker who refuses to conform to the accepted views on a subject
Now think about Bush. You could argue that he is also a maverick:
Bush refuses to accept that invading Iraq was the wrong thing to do
Bush refuses to accept that global warming is real
Bush refuses to accept that he needs to respect the international treaties the US has signed
Bush refuses to accept that Guantanamo Bay is a travesty and should be shut down.
I could go on and on as we all know.
The democrats would do well to re-frame the word maverick imo and then ask the electorate if they really want another maverick in the white house.
- Posted by katyLearn about the real Maverick (McCain) and his supporters who are currently supporting terrorists…it does take a Maverick to go against the grain and support terrorists.
The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) is considered to be a terrorist organization by many countries and organizations, including the United States and the European Union. Why is this important?
In March 2007, the international fruit corporation, Chiquita, admitted to having paid the AUC from 1997 to 2004 $1.7 million in order to protect its workers and operations, in Urabá and Santa Marta, of which at least $825,000 came after the AUC was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department in 2001.
The the Chief Executive Officer of Chiquita Brands International is Carl Lindner. Lindner recently co-hosted a $25,000-per-person fundraiser for McCain and the Republican Party in the wealthy Indian Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. The event raised about $2 million; Lindner also serves on McCain’s Ohio Victory Team.
- Posted by DanWow, Republicans are the nastiest, greediest, most maligning people. Just look at their comments listed here in comparison to the others. No wonder our country is in the most dire of straits! You think you all could move to the same geographical area and create your own country? Sure would make it easier for the rest of us!
- Posted by texasredThe infor mation I previously documented about Sam Maverick is in the “Original Source Material of the Writings by Samuel Maverick. Rueters you can correct your facts by researching his papers, that I have studied, in the LBJ Library in Austin Texas. Both His writings and Mary Adams Mavericks original ducuments are stored there.
- Posted by LauraDera Readers,
Samuel Maverick is my relative. She is correct to say that his was used for the term of an unbranded calf. Unfortunatly,
She is incorrect about the slavery issue. When Maverick left South Carolina to move to Texas he brought his slaves with him. His main sleve was killed trying to defend Maverick during the second war with Mexico.
Maverick was then marched with his men from South Texas to Mexico City where he was offered early release(his prominate father arranged this, Maverick turned it down. He refused to leave his men. Sound familiar folks.
Lastly, the Maverick family, in the 50′, acted more left. As mayor of San Antonio, Maury Maverick, a friend of FDR, allowed Communist to protest in the Market area. Consequently, he was not reelected as mayor.
Needless to say the Maverick family is diverse and some individuals lean left and others lean right. Terralita, you do not have your facts straight and you do not speak for the Mavericks.
- Posted by Lauralinda, you’re just too gullible if you think that Obama won’t honor the flag just because he didn’t wear a flag on his lapel. I’m embarassed FOR you. The glory days of the uninformed and prejudiced are ending with this election when Obama wins.
- Posted by markwell,well well. lookie here Old Mc Lipstick has done it agian. Not only has he made himself not look like a leader or a hero he has managed to upset a family whos name he is throwing around like it is his to do as he likes. The fact is american are not amused with the kind of things that the Mc Kronies are doing. Just look at the polls!? It pretty bad when two enter a race and you come in 3rd. OBAMANOS AMERICA…
- Posted by we willHi again folks I love the fact you are living Lala land if you are dumb enough to think there are no Republican conseratives in the Maverick family. There are a multitude of us but we are just not as loud and rude as you are. Actually, I liked Maury Jr. He was very kind to us when my daughter came with her company, the Deutsche Oper (Berlin) Ballet and danced in the San Antonio Festival he wrote a lovely article about her but at the end he said I have never gotten along with her grandmother for her politics. (Conservative Republican). She died in 1995 at 90 years old. Is that long enough to be a Maverick Republican? I have nothing against your grandmother as she is a very colorful and interesting character and stands up for what she believes in. So do I! And I make no apology for it. Just remember there are a multitude of people who have never heard of the Mavericks and could care less what we think. Have a nice day! I certainly plan to!!!!
- Posted by Maudie HalbertAnd Maudie your obviously delusional to say that only the Ivy League out of staters are supporting Obama. Or that Terrelita is living in the past. Thats B.S. and you know it. I say this as a staunch and proud liberal. Of the movers and shakers in this family… the people I have highlighted above……they were all very liberal politicians.
- Posted by Maury Maverick HarmsThat is a historical fact!!
The direct descendents of these great people are ALL liberal. Please…by all means… tell me who it is your talking about that supports McCain in this Family…. and what was that you were saying about the liberal aspect of this family being a thing of the past???
That past that my GRANDMOTHER is supposedly living in???? EXCUSE ME?!?!??!??!???!
I just having turned 30… KNOW very personally all the people you are speaking of. They are my cousins, my uncles, my GRANDMOTHER, my sister, my aunts, and we ALL support Obama!!!!!!! Granted some of us supported Hillary at first (not me …EEECCCHHHH!!!!!!) but we are all Democrats or (liberal) Independants. Never Republicans!!!!!!!
SIgned
Maury MAVERICK Harms
To Bob Swanson…..
- Posted by Maury Maverick HarmsWho was asking if the only reason were famous is because of the deal with unbranded cattle…
No.
There are a few other reasons……
Two Mayors of San Antonio. A Senator from Texas. A famous civil liberties lawyer for the A.C.L.U. in Texas who defended the rights of Atheist, Socialist, and C.O.s.
A Texas Legislature.
As well as ancestors who were killed at the Boston Massacre, Meriwether Lewis of the famous Lewis and Clark duo…… If you are at all familiar with history throughout America you would be familiar with my family. But your obviously not very educated at all…….
Ms Halbert, could you kindly explain to me what makes Gov. Palin so remarkable? The few people I know that support the Mccain/Palin ticket just cannot seem to explain what makes her so electable. Oh, they know what they like about her but just can’t seem to put their finger on how she would make a great VP or President for that matter. If you have any input besides she’s a hockey mom, she’s bubbly, she’s attractive, she was in the PTA, she has foreign policy experience because she can see Russia, I would love to hear it. And Mr Budziak, thanks for the laugh.
- Posted by C. MartinicoA nod to Lloyd Bentsen:
“I knew James Garner, I was a friend of James Garner, you sir are no Maverick.”
- Posted by Guy BudziakIt is an honor for me for John McCain and Sarah Palin to be called a Maverick because my great great grandfather was Samuel A Maverick, a hero during the Alamo and signer of the Texas War of Independence from Mexico. As the Webster’s Dictionary 1983 version says “an unbranded calf, cow, steer that is separated from its mother after S A Maverick (1803-1870) Texas pioneer who neglected to brand his cattle. Also, it says a dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist or politician who takes an independent stand apart from his associates.” That is certainly what McCain and Palin will do and can make the difference for the future of this country. They will owe no one anything when they are elected and their patriotism will never be questioned. My grandmother was the oldest sister of Maury Maverick and she married another Texas hero’s son by the name of McNeel who was one of the Stephen F. Austin’s 300 who settled in Texas and also signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Only the Ivy League Maverick brats support Obama but the real Texas folks who have gone to school here have the good sense of knowing a war hero and truly remarkable young woman leader who has proved herself have the right to be called Mavericks. Terrelita has no idea how many Mavericks that are supporters of McCain and Palin. She is living in the past. Maudie Halbert
- Posted by Maudie HalbertI have read some really stupid things lately but this is the most ridiculous. I cannot believe any newspaper would waste their time with this story or the paper and ink to even print it. Journalism is sliding down on a new low!!!!
- Posted by JB