The Defining Moment

This was the moment when the McCain-Palin shtick of referring to themselves as "hockey moms" (well, not McCain, but I have no doubt he'd use it if the focus groups showed it beneficial) and "mavericks" was revealed to be just that -- a shtick.

If you find you have to consistently apply an adjective to yourself in a self-referential way, chances are good that the adjective isn't entirely accurate.

Show, don't tell. Every writer knows that the effect of following that rule is greater emotive power.