Reply #6: As an Arizonan since well before he entered the political scene, I've got some ideas about this and

[blondeatlast]

they bear consideration.

*He started out making some powerful local political allies (his current wife no doubt got him hooked up with Charles Keating). Local big biz recognized a useful idiot when he squeaked past the Keating scandal relatively unscathed and they are still making use of him. Now he's moved onto DC and big biz has begun making THEIR use of the diot.

*He puts on a good facade for the media. It's funny, because early on in his career, the local press HATED to cover him because of his temper. I know a local cameraman who says they often draw straws still to get the McCain assignment. It's a testament to the power of the corporate media that this hasn't become an issue with them. This is well known locally, but the public has no clue, it seems.

*He will pander to ANYONE to get their vote, but he's a certifiable neocon Bushbot. He's about as "maverick: as "My Little Pony"--just look at his voting record post 2001. This is also well-known and easily verifiable, but the public laps the "maverick" image up.