McCain: From maverick to teabagger?

Up through the latter portions of the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign season, we kept hearing about what a maverick John McCain was. Then Sarah Palin came along and latched on to the word herself. As if.

That said, there was a time, long ago, when perhaps the "maverick" label did apply to Senator John McCain, at least some of the time.

For instance:

• He worked with liberal Democratic Senator Russ Feingold on campaign finance reform.

• He opposed military involvement in Somalia.

• He took on the tobacco industry by introducing legislation to increase cigarette taxes.

• He opposed the George W. Bush administration's torture policy, at least at first.

But then something happened. Maybe it was the influence of his vice presidential running mate from the 2008 campaign. Whatever it was, it turned the former sometimes-maverick into just another partisan sheep. Or worse.

The evidence: Last month he had Sarah Palin speak at a rally for his upcoming reelection race. And she was as black-and-white extremist as ever, associating McCain's reelection bid with the tea party movement that she now seems to lead:

"Everyone here supporting John McCain, we are all part of that tea party movement."

Will this new association with the tea partiers help or hurt McCain's chances at re-election? My instinct tells me that the tea partiers were there for Palin, not for McCain.

McCain apparently senses the danger, as he is now denying that he was ever a maverick.

It's as if he is trying to reinvent himself yet again in a desperate attempt to remain relevant to whatever group will support him.

At any rate, it will surely be an interesting campaign season.

And I wonder how McCain sleeps at night.