What Happened To McCain?

In a recent opinion article posted on the Washington Post website, Anne Applebaum describes a phenomenon that seems to have affect many independent voters. McCain's political history has been one of bipartisanship, foreign policy expertise, and addressing confrontational issues. This record of reason brought him lots of support from the independent and non-aligned voters. However, why then, as Applebaum questions, has he "let his campaign appeal to his party's extremes?" Instead of remaining true to his ideals, the new McCain has "moved away from his previous positions on torture and immigration," allowed his campaign to capitalize on fear and international ignorance, and has appointed Palin as his running mate, a clear "concession to those Republicans who think foreign policy can be conducted using a series of cliches and those in his party who shout down the federal government while quietly raking in federal subsidies." These moves have obviously affected his more moderate supporters. So as the election winds down, the question remains: what happened to the maverick McCain?