Main Entry: [1]mav·er·ick
Pronunciation: ‘mav-rik, ‘ma-v&-
Function: noun
Etymology: Samuel A. Maverick †1870 American pioneer who did not brand his calves
Date: 1867
1 : an unbranded range animal; especially : a motherless calf
2 : an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party

Poor George Voinovich.

It’s bad enough that the “Republican” Senator from Ohio is going to have the entire right side of the blogosphere picking on him for the next few days in response to his rather curious position(s) on the Bolton nomination. But what I really pity him for is that the mainstream media has now branded him a maverick - a “kiss of death” moniker that scuttles political ambition and assures anonymity to its bearer.

As Mr. Voinovich’s refusal to support Mr. Bolton’s nomination demonstrates, “the vanishing center”-as another centrist Republican, Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, often says - can still play a powerful role. There are just four core centrists in the Senate, Mr. Chafee, Ms. Collins, Ms. Snowe and Mr. Specter. They are joined from time to time by mavericks like Senators John McCain of Arizona, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Mr. Voinovich.

(HT: Michelle Malkin)

The use of maverick to describe a politician has different meanings to different people. As Michelle Malkin points out, the mainstream media has one definition which is meant to contrast the political positions of other Republicans:

All I know is mainstream conservatives (known in MSM terminology as right-wing radicals or extremist Republicans) are calling Sen. Voinovich a lot of names these days.

But “maverick” isn’t one of them.

Tee-hee.

But when the MSM calls a Democrat a “maverick”…well, that’s a horse of a different color:

The fire still burns within maverick Congressman Bernie Sanders even after 14 years representing Vermont in the U.S. House. His fight for the little guy continues with as much fervor as the day in 1981 when he upset the order and became Burlington’s first socialist mayor.

Gosh…Maybe if we’re lucky they’ll catch Bernie walking on water.

To be a Republican maverick is sort of like being cured of leprosy; you’re accepted in polite society but not invited to the real trendy cocktail parties on the upper west side.

So Voinovich in what can only be considered a fit of pique, lambasted UN Ambassador-designate John Bolton for not being diplomatic enough:

“This is not behavior that should be endorsed as the face of the United States to the world community at the United Nations,” Voinovich said. “It is my opinion that John Bolton is the poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be.”

Forget for a moment that poster children are used to represent something positive hence this dunce of a Senator uses an entirely inappropriate metaphor. What’s really striking about this statement is that “the face” of John Bolton has been revealed not by the record, but by office gossip, sly inuendo, and the character assassins on lefty websites.

In short Senator Clueless has based his decision to oppose the President on opposition smear tactics.

Being a maverick has its perks. You get flattering references on the front page of the New York Times. The networks will call you whenever they need a Republican face that disagrees with the President. And lefty websites quit calling you a “Rovian automaton” and a “repugnut.”

The downside is that you’re revealed to be a shallow panderer. And I doubt whether the President is going to ask you to fly with him on Air Force One the next time he goes to Ohio. But when it’s all said and done, you end up getting the best of it.

After all, it takes a village to raise a motherless calf. You can always appear in a Hillary ‘08 commercial.