Can you imagine what the media would say of Kerry if he tried something like that?

[Mass]

Not even two years between the two versions. I would lose all respect for McCain if I had any left.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023203.php

'I NEVER CONSIDERED MYSELF A MAVERICK'

...

In 2008, McCain's television ads described him as "the original maverick."

[karynnj]

1. He would have been killed

But, I don't think Kerry could have if he wanted to. McCain created the mythology of being a maverick. That mythology swept away bits and pieces of his past that didn't fit. He also used his real POW history and blew it up into another bigger than life image.

All candidates create an image that it is not really the full complex person they are. McCain was extremely good at this. Kerry never really was able to do this as well. So, there really aren't "fake Kerry" images he can refute - just a complex person who is harder to define, but who is who he is.

With McCain, I doubt this will really work. The fact is the far RW purists are likely not against him from the word, but for the positions it represented. (Not to mention Palin and Brown have both called him a maverick when campaigning with him.)

[wisteria]

2. McCain is becoming very embarrassing as he tries to run from his past in order to get reelected.

And, if it were Kerry saying this, he would be further branded a flip flopper.