It's my job to do marketing, so I think a lot about associations, which has lead to me be interested in the associations we have with "Maverick."
First of all, the dictionary definition:
mav·er·ick
Pronunciation[mav-er-ik, mav-rik]
–noun
- Southwestern U.S. an unbranded calf, cow, or steer, esp. an unbranded calf that is separated from its mother.
- a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician, who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates.
- (initial capital letter) an electro-optically guided U.S. air-to-ground tactical missile for destroying tanks and other hardened targets at ranges up to 15 mi. (24 km).
[Origin: 1865–70, Americanism; after Samuel A. Maverick (1803–70), Texas pioneer who left his calves unbranded]
—Synonyms 2. nonconformist, independent, loner.
Now, personally, when I think of Maverick the first association I have is with Tom Cruise in Top Gun:
Or, if you are like me and fond memories of Slow Dances during your Junior High:
Does it strike anyone else that none of associations we have with Maverick ever imply leadership? In fact, to be a Maverick is necessarily to be defined by dissension to authority, not as authority. Tom Cruise's Maverick character was a rebel who railed against authority, took dangerous risks, and acted out of boldness and ego. This created around him an aura of masculine sex appeal, making him irresistible to Women (and 1000's of gay boys).
From a marketing perspective, when running for position of Leadership, associating yourself with "Maverick" has certain beneficial connections: masculinity -- Alpha Maleness -- being the primary association, along with certain aspects of independent thought, etc. But the problems are larger. Namely, there are too many associations of Mavericks with risk. Think of Tommy Cruise again flying that plane, or driving that car in Days of Thunder -- there are literally 100's his roles to choose from.
And you will notice Obama has recently moved the tenor of his negative ads to playing on the risk associated with choosing McCain. Don't underestimate the importance of this -- It is OBAMA who was supposed to be the risky choice for America. Instead, you have McCain being branded as the risky one. Unlike these Ayers ads, this is a characterization that is going to stick, because it is one McCain actively encourages and cultivates.
So that, my friends, is why I think John McCruise is fatally flawed candidate. His mistake is that he does not understand leadership, therefore he cannot be a leader. He defines leadership exclusively through ego, boldness, and risk taking. It is less to say "I am ready to lead a country" and more a reflection of vanity: "I am sooo damn hot."
And he misses that his essential, oft repeated characterization has it's roots in southwestern USA, as a lost and lonely calf:
Post Script: It is obligatory after a diary that suggest McCain is fatally flawed, not winning by any conceivable objective metric, and been reduced to cultivating race-baiting attacks as his only lifeline, to remind you: please don't get complacent. Personally, I hope you smell blood in the water and get hungry for a big, juicy, unbranded cow. (made of tofu for the vegans).
Thank you.