Is McCain a Maverick or Just a Pandering Opportunist?

Ezra Klein makes a good point:

Matt notes that this just further proves McCain's utter absence of interest in domestic policy, and that's true enough. But it also proves his interest in popularity. If you look at where McCain's made his "maverick" moves -- campaign finance reform, global warming, etc -- they're very popular. If you look at where he's swung back to the right, it is, again, in areas that are popular with conservatives, who happen to be the constituency he needed to be popular with in order to win the presidency. Indeed, stories abound from the 2000 campaign of McCain changing his mind on policy questions because he'd talk to someone who didn't like his position, or feel the disappointment of the press. The dude just wants to be liked!

The referenced Brendan Nyhan piece is worth reading, too.