Sorry, I mean “former Maverick.”

I think I’m going to stop writing about him. The cynicism is too much, even for me.

Crist, who helped McCain win Florida in the 2008 presidential GOP primary, has recently indicated he is mulling an Independent bid. McCain has backed Crist, but made it clear Tuesday that his endorsement will not stand if Crist is not the Republican candidate.

Asked if he will support Crist as an Independent, McCain told The Hill, “No.”

Pressed further, McCain said, “I support Republicans.”…

The former GOP Presidential nominee revealed that he had not discussed the matter with Crist since word spread that the Florida governor may opt to avoid a GOP primary fight by switching party affiliation.

“I support Republicans,” says a guy who’s been credibly accused of exploring ways to leave the party not once but twice in his career. Remember this bombshell about McCain’s top advisor feeling out Democrats in 2001 vis-a-vis Maverick pulling a Jim Jeffords? (Follow the link for my timeless wisdom about how that revelation would surely destroy McCain in the presidential primaries.) How about this one, in which John Kerry himself accused Team McCain of approaching him with the idea of a fusion ticket in 2004? Now, just in time for the Arizona Senate primary, suddenly he’s a party man. Whatever you think of J.D. Hayworth, and I’m pretty much in line with Michael Gerson’s read on him, let’s all thank him for inspiring this new, seemingly endless series of alternately entertaining and depressing McCainian nuance.

Here he is on a local radio show this morning, talking about the dangers of Mexican drug cartels. You mean open borders actually pose a potential security threat? Who knew? Click the image to watch.