Ah, yes:
“Drifts away” sounding more benign than, say, “slinks away” or “would rather you not focus on.” (Personally, I’m hearing Christopher Cross’s voice: “Sailing! Takes me away! And soon I will be free” of my deregulation legacy.)
CNN might then have done a bit more to call the drifting McCain back in the ensuing article (to account for his record or, at least, to remind readers of that record in any specificity before enabling the “drifting away” from it.)
How many politicians wish they could “drift away,” with reporters’ assistance, from suddenly unwanted “legacies?”
Liz Cox Barrett is a writer at CJR.