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*McCain once said to Republican Senator [[Chuck Grassley]], "You know, senator, I thought your problem was that you don't listen. But that's not it at all. Your problem is that you're a f---ing jerk."<ref>{{cite news| first= Jake | last= Tapper |title=How tough is Senator John McCain?|publisher= [[Salon.com]]|url= http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/05/14/mccain/print.html| date=[[1999]]-[[05-14]]| accessdate= 2007-01-10}}</ref>
*McCain once said to Republican Senator [[Chuck Grassley]], "You know, senator, I thought your problem was that you don't listen. But that's not it at all. Your problem is that you're a f---ing jerk."<ref>{{cite news| first= Jake | last= Tapper |title=How tough is Senator John McCain?|publisher= [[Salon.com]]|url= http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/05/14/mccain/print.html| date=[[1999]]-[[05-14]]| accessdate= 2007-01-10}}</ref>


*McCain openly used the term "[[gook]]," a racial slur to describe Asians, in reference to his captors during the Vietnam War. During the 2000 Presidential Campaign, he repeatedly refused to apologize for his continued use of the term, stating that he reserved its reference only to his captors <ref>http://archive.salon.com/politics2000/feature/2000/02/17/mccain/print.html</ref>. Late in the primary season, with growing criticism from the Asian-American community in the politically important state of California, McCain demured, and vowed no longer to use the term in public.<ref>http://www.asianweek.com/2000_02_24/feature_mccainapology.html</ref>
*McCain openly used the term "[[gook]]," a racial slur to describe Asians, in reference to his captors during the Vietnam War. During the 2000 Presidential Campaign, he repeatedly refused to apologize for his continued use of the term, stating that he reserved its reference only to his captors <ref>http://archive.salon.com/politics2000/feature/2000/02/17/mccain/print.html</ref>. Late in the primary season, with growing criticism from the [[Asian American]] community in the politically important state of California, McCain demured, and vowed no longer to use the term in public.<ref>http://www.asianweek.com/2000_02_24/feature_mccainapology.html</ref>


==Appearances on radio, television and in movies==
==Appearances on radio, television and in movies==

Revision as of 04:25, 29 January 2007

For McCain's grandfather and father, see John S. McCain, Sr. and John S. McCain, Jr.
John McCain
United States Senator
from Arizona
Assumed office
January 6, 1987–
Serving with Jon Kyl
Preceded byBarry Goldwater
Succeeded byIncumbent (2011)
Personal details
Nationalityamerican
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)(1) Carol Shepp, divorced; (2) Cindy Hensley McCain

John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936) is an American politician. An influential Republican, McCain is currently the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. He was a presidential candidate in the 2000 election, but was defeated in the Republican primary by George W. Bush. On 15 November 2006, McCain announced he was forming an exploratory committee for a 2008 presidential campaign.

Born in Coco Solo in the American-controlled Panama Canal Zone, the son and grandson of United States Navy Admirals, McCain was educated at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. He then served as a naval aviator, seeing combat in the Vietnam War, and first became a national celebrity after being held as a prisoner of war for five and a half years, from 1967–1973.

Upon his release and return, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in Arizona's 1st district in 1982 and then to the United States Senate in 1986. He is currently serving his fourth term.

Early life and military career

McCain was born in Coco Solo in the American-controlled Panama Canal Zone. Despite being born in a foreign country, his parents were both U.S. citizens and he acquired U.S. citizenship at birth, making him eligible for the Presidency.[1] Both his father and grandfather were famous U.S. Navy admirals. His father John S. "Junior" McCain commanded American forces in Vietnam while McCain was a prisoner of war. His grandfather John S. McCain, Sr. commanded naval aviation at the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. His mother is Roberta Wright (b. 1912). He attended Episcopal High School and graduated in 1954. That fall, McCain, like his father and grandfather, entered the United States Naval Academy. He graduated in 1958. In 1965, McCain married Carol Shepp, a model originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The couple divorced on April 2, 1980.[2]

File:Jmpolit01.jpg
Right:Lieutenant John McCain when he was an instructor in 1965 and 1966 with his squadron

After graduating from Annapolis, McCain trained as a naval aviator at Pensacola, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas. During a practice run in Corpus Christi, his aircraft crashed into Corpus Christi Bay, though he escaped with no major injuries.[3] Eventually he graduated and entered the U.S. Navy's light attack community.

File:Nixon greets POW McCain.jpg
President Richard Nixon greets the released John McCain.

Vietnam

McCain escaped death once again on July 29, 1967. While Forrestal steamed off the coast of Vietnam preparing to launch attacks, a Zuni rocket from an F-4 Phantom was accidentally fired across the carrier's deck. The rocket struck McCain's A-4E Skyhawk as the jet was preparing for launch.[4] The impact ruptured the Skyhawk's fuel tank, which ignited the fuel and knocked two bombs loose. McCain escaped from his jet by climbing out of the cockpit, working himself to the nose of the jet, and jumping off the nose boom onto the burning deck of the aircraft carrier. Ninety seconds after the impact, the bomb exploded underneath the airplane. McCain was struck in the legs and chest by shrapnel. The ensuing fire killed 134 sailors, destroyed at least 20 aircraft, and threatened to sink the ship.[5]

After the Forrestal incident, McCain joined the VA-163 Saints on board the short-staffed Oriskany. Before McCain's arrival, on October 26, 1966, a mishandled flare caused a deck fire, resulting in the death of 44 men, including 24 pilots, and the Oriskany was just returning to duty after significant repairs.

The Saints squadron and its parent Air Wing 16 suffered the highest loss rate of any Navy flying unit during the entire Vietnam War. These heavy losses have been attributed to the perilous missions assigned to the squadron and the aggressiveness of its aviators.[citation needed]


Unidentified man being pulled out of a lake in North Vietnam

On October 26, 1967, McCain's A-4 Skyhawk was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile, landing in Truc Bach Lake. He broke both arms and a leg after ejecting from his plane. After he regained consciousness, a mob gathered around him, spit on him, kicked him and stripped him of his clothing. He was then tortured by Vietnamese soldiers, who bayonetted him in his left foot and groin. His shoulder was crushed by a rifle butt. He was then transported to the Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton.[6]

Once McCain arrived at the Hanoi Hilton, he was placed in a cell and interrogated daily. When McCain refused to provide any information to his captors, he was beaten until he lost consciousness.[7]

When the North Vietnamese discovered his father was the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Command, (CINCPAC), commander of all U.S. forces in Vietnam, he was offered a chance to return home. McCain turned down the offer of repatriation.[8]

Interview with McCain on April 24, 1974, after his return home.

McCain signed an anti-American propaganda message which was written in Vietnamese, but only as a result of rigorous and brutal torture methods, which have rendered him incapable of raising his arms above his head. According to McCain, signing the propaganda message is something he most regrets during his time as a POW. After McCain signed the statement, the Vietnamese decided they could not use it. They tried to force him to sign a second statement, and this time he refused. He received two to three beatings per week because of his continued refusal.[9]

McCain was held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five-and-a-half years, mostly in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, and was finally released from captivity in 1973, having been a POW for almost an extra five years due to his earlier refusal to accept an out of turn repatriation offer. McCain was reinstated to flight status and became Commanding Officer of the VA-174 Hellrazors, the East Coast A-7 Corsair II Navy training squadron[10]. In 1976 he became the Navy's liaison to the Senate.[11] He retired from the Navy in 1981 as a captain.[12] During his military career, he received a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, and a Distinguished Flying Cross.[13]

McCain is one of only four Vietnam veterans currently serving in the U.S. Senate, alongside Republican Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Democrat John Kerry of Massachusetts, and Democrat Jim Webb of Virginia. [14]

A television-based film entitled Faith Of My Fathers, based on McCain's memoir of his experiences as a POW, aired on Memorial Day, 2005 on A&E.[15]

Political career

Senator John Sidney McCain III

In 1981 McCain married Cindy Hensley and moved to Phoenix. There he went to work for her father's Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship, where he gained political support among the local business community.[11] When John Jacob Rhodes, the longtime Republican congressman from Arizona's 1st congressional district, announced his retirement, McCain ran for the seat as a Republican in 1982 and won.[16] In 1986, upon Republican Senator Barry Goldwater's retirement, McCain was elected to succeed him.[11]

2000 presidential primary

See also: United States presidential primaries, 2000

In 1997, TIME named him as one of the "25 Most Influential People in America". His best-selling family memoir, Faith of My Fathers (1999), helped propel his presidential run. McCain skipped the Iowa caucus, focusing instead on the New Hampshire primary. In visits to towns he gave a ten-minute talk (focused on campaign reform issues), then announced he would stay until he answered every question that everyone had. He made over 200 stops, talking in every town in New Hampshire in an example of "retail politics" that overcame Bush's famous name. He won by 49-30, and suddenly was the celebrity of the hour. Analysts predicted that a McCain victory in the crucial state of South Carolina primary would give him unstoppable momentum. However, McCain lost South Carolina, allowing Bush to regain the momentum. Analysts attribute McCain's loss in South Carolina to Bush's mobilization of the state's evangelical voters and to the perception among voters that McCain's campaign was too negative especially in regards to ads comparing Bush's honesty to President Clinton's.[17] Indeed, each side made allegations of negative campaigning against the other. There was alleged to have been a push polling campaign by the Bush camp, in which phone calls were made to conservative Republican voters in the Deep South, allegedly to ask them whether they would support McCain if he had an illegitimate interracial daughter with a black woman. McCain in fact has an adopted daughter from Bangladesh. Accounts of this are covered in the books, Bush's Brain and Boy Genius.[18] Additionally, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh entered the fray supporting Bush.

File:McCain-Bush-050321.jpg
McCain and Bush in Tucson, Arizona, March 21, 2005

McCain never recovered from his defeat in South Carolina, although he did bounce back by winning in Michigan and Arizona. However, McCain made serious mistakes that negated any momentum he may have regained with the Michigan victory. In Virginia, he began criticizing leaders of the religious right Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. McCain lost the Virginia primary and then, a week later, went on to lose 9 of the 13 primaries on Super Tuesday. His overall loss on that day has been attributed to his going "off message", ineffectively accusing Bush of being anti-Catholic in response to his visit to Bob Jones University[19] and getting into a verbal battle with leaders of the Religious Right.[20] McCain was also criticized for his continued use of an ethnic slur in reference to his Vietnamese captors. He told reporters, "I hate the gooks.... I will hate them as long as I live."[21] At first, he stood by his use of the slur, saying that it was "the kindest, the kindest description I can give them."[22] Amid heavy criticism,[23] McCain later reversed his position and apologized [5], though the delay aroused the ire of Asian Americans[21]. McCain would go on to win a few more primaries (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont), but in a two-man contest he was unable to catch up.

2004 presidential election

See also: United States presidential election, 2004

McCain publicly supported Bush in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. He often praised Bush's leadership since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. McCain's reputation as a moderate appealed to many voters who found Bush too conservative, and in the 2000 elections, many saw Bush as the more conservative candidate and McCain as the more moderate candidate. In fact, according to voteview.com, McCain's voting record in the 109th Congress was the third most conservative among senators. [6] On the other hand, his voting record during the 107th Congress, from January 2001 through November of 2002, placed him as the 6th most liberal Republican senator, according to the same analysis at voteview.com. [7]

McCain's longtime friend and colleague, and also the 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee, John Kerry of Massachusetts, reportedly asked McCain to be his running mate.[24]

McCain accused the Swift Boat Vet campaign against Kerry of being "dishonest and dishonorable".[25]

2008 presidential race

See also: United States presidential election, 2008

McCain formed an exploratory committee after the 2006 midterm elections.

Should McCain win in 2008, he would be the country's oldest President in history at initial ascension to office, being 72 years old and surpassing Ronald Reagan, who was 69 years old at his inauguration following the 1980 election. He has dismissed concerns about his age and past health concerns (malignant melanoma in 2000), stating in 2005 that his health was "excellent."[26][27]

McCain's oft-cited strengths[28] as a presidential candidate in 2008 include national name recognition, sponsorship of major lobbying and campaign finance reform initiatives, leadership in exposing the Abramoff scandal[29], military service (including years as a tortured POW), competing in the 2000 presidential campaign (where he won the New Hampshire primary), extensive fund-raising abilities, strong advocacy for President Bush's re-election campaign in 2004, and appeal to independent voters. He appeals to Democrats as well, and as noted above it was reported that John Kerry asked him to be the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004. In mid-November 2006 early polls showed him leading Hillary Clinton.[30] During the 2006 election cycle, McCain attended 346 events and raised more than $10.5 million on behalf of Republican candidates. He also donated nearly $1.5 million to federal, state and county parties [8].

In May 2006, McCain gave the commencement address at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. During his 2000 presidential bid, McCain had called Falwell an "agent of intolerance." With significant coverage during the campaign, McCain said that he would never back down from his earlier statement. His later appearance at Liberty University prompted questions about the McCain-Falwell relationship and a possible presidential run in 2008. McCain stated that Falwell is no longer that divisive figure and the two have discussed their shared values.[31] McCain delivered a similar address at The New School commencement in Madison Square Garden. McCain was received by boos, jeers, and several students and professors turned their backs or waved fliers reading "McCain does not speak for me."[32] McCain's speech mentioned his unwavering support for the Iraq War and focused on hearing opposing viewpoints, listening to each other, and the relevance of opposition in a democracy.[33] At the recent inauguration of Alabama governor Bob Riley, McCain mentioned the incumbent as a possible running mate in the 2008 election.

In December 2006, McCain introduced the "Stop the Online Exploitation of Our Children Act" [34] that would require millions of commercial web sites and personal blogs to report illegal images or videos posted by their users or pay fines of up to $300,000. The bill would affect all "social networking sites", and due to the lack of concise definition of this term could encompass all sites to which users can post content. It has been speculated that negative reaction from online communities to the introduction of such liability may seriously affect the amount of any support McCain would be able to garner from online sources in any presidential bid. Given the importance of online publicity from both independent and campaign affiliated blogs and discussion groups in recent election years, this has been seen as a potentially serious stumbling block to McCain's electability. In a 2006 poll [35] McCain received only 31 out of a possible 100 points on the "technology score card" section.

He hired a board member of the neocon Project for the New American Century, Randy Scheunemann, as his foreign-policy aide.[36]

Political views

A lifelong Republican,[37] McCain's American Conservative Union rating is 83 percent.[38] However, McCain has supported some initiatives not agreed upon by his own party and has been called a "maverick" by some members of the American media.[39]

Foreign policy

McCain delivers keynote address at the Pentagon on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, Sept. 19, 1997

McCain has consistently shown himself to be a prominent hawk on foreign policy. McCain supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq; the U.S. decision to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime; a continued and increased military presence in Iraq; and most of Bush's foreign policies.[40] His speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention centered around that theme. Despite offering support for war, McCain has urged the Bush administration to make "significant policy changes" in the Iraq War, yet to "stay the course."[citation needed] He criticized The Pentagon several times, most notably concerning low troop strength in Iraq,[41] and has called for a diversification of Iraqi national forces to better represent the multiple ethnic groups contained within the country. He stated that the United States government must do more to keep public support high for the war, stressing that "America, Iraq and the world are better off with Saddam Hussein in prison rather than in power…and we must honor their sacrifice by seeing this mission through to victory." McCain's full speech on the matter from mid-November 2005 can be read at his Senate website.[42]

McCain has stated that he had "no confidence" in former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, but refused to act on his words to call for his resignation, explaining that "the president picks his team, and the president has the right to stay with that team if he wants to." [43]

Environmental issues

McCain's concerns over global warming and other environmental issues have put him at odds with the Bush administration and other Republicans.[44] He has also stated opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and his voting record generally reflects this [45][46]; however, he has at times voted for bills which included provisions that would have allowed drilling. [47]

McCain opposes ethanol subsidies. In 2000, he skipped most of the Iowa caucuses, in large part because his opposition to ethanol was a nonstarter in a state where making corn into fuel is a big and lucrative business. [9]

McCain is a member of the Honorary Board of the Republicans For Environmental Protection organization.[10]

Social issues

McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, arguing that each state should be able to choose whether to recognize gay marriage [48] [49] He supported the Arizona initiative to ban gay marriage, which failed in 2006. [50]. On June 26, 1984, McCain voted for H.AMDT.942 to H.R.5490 “An amendment to define "person" as including unborn children from the moment of conception". [11] This measure is similar to H.R. 552, The Right to Life Act, which was introduced on February 2, 2005 by US Representative Duncan Hunter, who's also running for President. The purpose of the bill is to "implement equal protection ... for the right to life of each born and preborn human person." [12]

Illegal immigration

McCain has initiated legislation to grant amnesty and citizenship to the estimated 12-20 million illegal aliens in the United States, and to create a guestworker program for immigrants. His legislation coauthored with Senator Kennedy was a major focus of debate in 2006. He has supported some moves to expand immigration to the US,[51] including expansion of the H-1B visa program (though H-1B is technically a non-immigrant visa). In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with Ted Kennedy that would expand use of guest worker visas.[52] However, he voted for the permanent ban on the immigration of individuals living with HIV.[53] Speaking about the immigration reform protests, McCain warned the Hispanic community that it may experience a backlash if too many Hispanic flags were flown during the protests.[54] In an interview with Vanity Fair, McCain was asked about an immigration bill (that contained funding for a fence on the Mexican border) and how it played to the Republican base. "In the short term, it probably galvanizes our base," he said. "In the long term, if you alienate the Hispanics, you'll pay a heavy price. By the way, I think the fence is least effective. But I'll build the goddamned fence if they want it." [13]

Education

McCain has announced that he supports the inclusion of intelligent design teaching in schools.[55] In 2005, McCain told the Arizona Daily Star that he believes "all points of view" should be available to students.[55]

McCain is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports stem cell research despite his earlier opposition.[56]

Middle East

McCain firmly supports the State of Israel. He demonstrated his strong support when he made a speech addressing AIPAC on April 23, 2002 [14]. During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, McCain said Israel's response to the assault by Islamic guerrillas is appropriate. "What would we do if somebody came across our borders and killed our soldiers and captured our soldiers?," says McCain. "Do you think we would be exercising total restraint? Such restraint should come from Hezbollah and the nations sponsoring it, notably Iran", McCain said in remarks that became a freewheeling, far-reaching speech on foreign policy, including his views on matters involving North Korea, Iraq and the U.S. war on terrorism.[57]

McCain tried to persuade FIFA to ban Iran from the 2006 World Cup.[58] given Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments that the Holocaust never happened (which is a criminal offense in Germany where the competition was held).

"Gang of 14" and Senate filibuster

Main article: Gang of 14

On May 23, 2005, McCain was one of fourteen Senators to forge a compromise on the Democrats' use of the judicial filibuster, thus eliminating the need for the Republican leadership's attempt to implement the so-called "nuclear option". Under the agreement, senators would retain the power to filibuster a judicial nominee, the Democrats would agree to use this power against Bush nominees only in an "extraordinary circumstance", the Republicans involved would agree to vote against the nuclear option if implemented, and three of the most contested Bush appellate court nominees (Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen and William Pryor) would receive a vote by the full Senate.

Detention and torture of extrajudicial prisoners

For further details on this topic, see McCain Detainee Amendment and Military Commissions Act of 2006

The McCain Detainee Amendment was an amendment to the United States Senate Department of Defense Authorization bill, commonly referred to as the Amendment on (1) the Army Field Manual and (2) Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment, amendment #1977 and also known as the McCain Amendment 1977. It became the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 as Title X of the Department of Defense Authorization bill. The amendment prohibits inhumane treatment of prisoners, including prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, by confining interrogations to the techniques in FM 34-52 Intelligence Interrogation.

McCain, as a former POW, was previously recognized for his sensitivity to the issue of the detention and interrogation of detainees from the War on Terror. On October 3, 2005, McCain introduced the McCain Detainee Amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill for 2005. On October 5, 2005, the United States Senate voted 90-9 to support the amendment.[59]

On December 15, 2005, President Bush announced that he accepted McCain's terms and will "make it clear to the world that this government does not torture and that we adhere to the international convention of torture, whether it be here at home or abroad."[60] President Bush made clear his interpretation of this legislation on December 30th, 2005, in a signing statement, reserving what he interpreted to be his Presidential constitutional authority in order to avoid further terrorist attacks.[61]

McCain argues that American military and intelligence personnel in future wars will suffer for abuses committed in 2006 by the US in the name of fighting terrorism. He fears the administration's policy will put American prisoners at risk of torture, summary executions and other atrocities by chipping away at Geneva Conventions. He argues that his rival bill to Bush’s plan gives defendants access to classified evidence being used to convict them and will set tight limits on use of testimony obtained by coercion. Furthermore it offers CIA interrogators some legal protections from charges of abuse, but rejects the administration’s plan to more narrowly define the Geneva Conventions’ standards for humane treatment of prisoners. McCain insists this issue overrides politics.

McCain, whose six years of captivity and torture in Vietnam made him a national celebrity, negotiated (in September 2006) a compromise in the Senate for the Military Commissions Act of 2006, suspending habeas corpus provisions for anyone deemed by the Executive Branch an "unlawful combatant" and barring them from challenging their detentions in court. (McCain himself was tortured in Vietnam, signing a false confession in 1968.) Coming on the heels of a Supreme Court decision adverse to the White House, McCain's compromise gave a retroactive, nine-year immunity to U.S. officials who authorized, ordered, or committed acts of torture and abuse, and permitted the use of statements obtained through torture to be used in military tribunals so long as the abuse took place by December 30, 2005.[62] McCain's compromise permitted the President to establish permissible interrogation techniques and to "interpret the meaning and application" of international Geneva Convention standards, so long as the coercion fell short of "serious" bodily or psychological injury.[63] Widely dubbed McCain's "torture compromise", the bill was signed into law by George W. Bush on October 17, 2006, shortly before the 2006 midterm elections.

Campaign finance regulation

An advocate of government restrictions on campaign spending and contributions, McCain made campaign finance reform a central issue in his 2000 presidential bid. With Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin he pushed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 which banned unlimited donations to national political parties ("soft money") and curtailed issue-advocacy ads.[64] Because of McCain and Feingold's involvement, the law is commonly referred to as the "McCain-Feingold Act."

Budget

McCain has emphasized deficit reduction over tax cutting. The contrast with George Bush's preference for tax cuts was prominent during the 2000 presidential campaign,[65] and after Bush became president McCain opposed his tax cut proposals.[66] McCain is also one of the Senate's most outspoken critics of pork barrel spending.[67]

Controversies

Keating Five controversy

Main article: Keating Five

The Keating Five (or Keating Five Scandal) refers to a Congressional scandal related to the collapse of most of the Savings and Loan institutions in the United States in the late 1980s. McCain was one of five senators who met at least twice in 1987 with Ed Gray, chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, seeking to prevent the government's seizure of Lincoln Savings and Loan, a subsidiary of Charles H. Keating's American Continental Corporation. Between 1982-1987, McCain received approximately $112,000 in political contributions from Keating and his associates. In addition, McCain's wife and her father had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center in April 1986, a year before McCain met with the regulators. McCain, his family and baby-sitter made at least nine trips at Keating's expense, sometimes aboard the American Continental jet. After learning Keating was in trouble over Lincoln, McCain paid for the air trips totalling $13,433.[68] Federal regulators ultimately filed a $1.1 billion civil racketeering and fraud suit against Keating, accusing him of siphoning Lincoln's deposits to his family and into political campaigns. McCain received a rebuke from the Ethics Committee for exercising poor judgment for intervening with the federal regulators on behalf of Keating. On his Keating Five experience, McCain said: "The appearance of it was wrong. It's a wrong appearance when a group of senators appear in a meeting with a group of regulators, because it conveys the impression of undue and improper influence. And it was the wrong thing to do."

Other controversies

  • In 1998, McCain was chastised for reportedly making an off-color joke at a Republican fundraiser about President Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, saying "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno." McCain later apologized to President Clinton and Clinton accepted his apology.[69]
  • McCain has acknowledged engaging in extramarital affairs upon returning from Vietnam. While he was in Vietnam, his wife Carol had been severely injured in a car accident. Upon returning home in 1973, McCain found his wife to be very different from when he had married her. Due to the accident, she had become 4 inches shorter, gained weight, and had to use crutches to walk. He soon began engaging in extramarital affairs and in 1979, he met Cindy Hensley. A year later, McCain sought a divorce from Carol and a month after that, he married Cindy. McCain remains on good terms with Carol, who said in 2000, "I'm crazy about John McCain and I love him to pieces,"[70] though Salon.com speculates this may be because Carol wants to protect her children.[71]
  • Joan Molinaro, Bruce De Cell, Grace Godshalk and Peter Gadiel of "9/11 Families for a Secure America" accused McCain of "screaming at them" during a chance encounter with McCain when they criticized his proposed immigration reform bills, which they felt were not strict enough in stopping terrorists from crossing the southern border.[72]
  • McCain once said to Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, "You know, senator, I thought your problem was that you don't listen. But that's not it at all. Your problem is that you're a f---ing jerk."[74]
  • McCain openly used the term "gook," a racial slur to describe Asians, in reference to his captors during the Vietnam War. During the 2000 Presidential Campaign, he repeatedly refused to apologize for his continued use of the term, stating that he reserved its reference only to his captors [75]. Late in the primary season, with growing criticism from the Asian American community in the politically important state of California, McCain demured, and vowed no longer to use the term in public.[76]

Appearances on radio, television and in movies

McCain has made appearances in various entertainment media. He was criticized for his cameo in the 2005 summer movie Wedding Crashers. It prompted some critics to accuse McCain of hypocrisy due to his earlier criticisms of Hollywood for creating too many movies of that style.[77] Matt Drudge of the Drudge Report, commenting on McCain's appearance, referred to the film as a "boob raunch fest." McCain responded during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno by joking that he is "working with boobs all the time in Washington.".[78]

He made several appearances on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart", and is regarded a friend of the show.[citation needed]

McCain hosted the October 12, 2002 episode of Saturday Night Live, making him the second U.S. Senator after Paul Simon, to host the show.[79]

In the 2005 documentary Why We Fight by Eugene Jarecki, McCain is interviewed.[citation needed]

McCain made a brief cameo on the television show 24.[80]

He appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2005 in a bit entitled Secrets.[81]

A 2005 made-for-TV movie, Faith of My Fathers, was based on John McCain's memoirs of his experience in the Vietnam War.[82]

Personal life

McCain lives with his second wife Cindy Hensley McCain in Phoenix. She is the chairman of the large Anheuser-Busch beer and liquor distributor Hensley & Company, founded by her father.[83][84] Cindy suffered a stroke in April 2004 due to high blood pressure, but appears to have made a full recovery.[85]

McCain is a member of the Episcopal Church.[86][87]

McCain has been treated for recurrent skin cancer, including melanoma, in 1993, 2000, and 2002.[88]

He has seven children and four grandchildren. McCain adopted his first wife Carol's sons (Doug and Andy), and he and Carol had a daughter, (Sydney). John has three biological children with his wife Cindy – Meghan, Columbia University (2007); John Sidney IV (Jack), United States Naval Academy (2009); and James, Brophy College Preparatory (2006); in addition, he and Cindy adopted their youngest daughter, Bridget, after discovering her in a Bangladeshi orphanage run by Mother Teresa. McCain's son James enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2006, and began recruit training in September 2006.[89]

Awards

Works

  • Character Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, October 2005) ISBN 1-4000-6412-0
  • Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, April 2004) ISBN 1-4000-6030-3
  • Odysseus in America by Jonathan Shay, Max Cleland, John S. McCain (Scribner, November 2002) ISBN 0-7432-1156-1
  • Worth the Fighting for: A Memoir by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, September 2002) ISBN 0-375-50542-3
  • Unfinished Business: Afghanistan, the Middle East and Beyond—Defusing the Dangers That Threaten America's Security by Harlan Ullman, John S. McCain (Citadel Press, June 2002) ISBN 0-8065-2431-6
  • Faith of My Fathers by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, August 1999) ISBN 0-375-50191-6
  • The Reminiscences of Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., U.S. Navy (retired) by John S. McCain (U.S. Naval Institute, 1999) ISBN B0006RY8ZK

See also

Further reading

  • Michael Barone, et al. The Almanac of American Politics: 2006 (2005) pp 93-98

References

  1. ^ Rudin, Ken. "Citizen McCain's Panama Problem?". The Washington Post. 1998-07-09. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
  2. ^ Alexander, Paul (2002). John McCain: Man of the People. John Wiley & Sons. pp. pp. 92. ISBN 0-471-22829-X. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  3. ^ Alexander (2002), pp. 32.
  4. ^ Alexander (2002), pp. 39-41.
  5. ^ "FAITH OF MY FATHERS—THE JOHN McCAIN STORY". B-29s over Korea. Retrieved 2006-08-15.
  6. ^ Alexander (2002), pp. 49.
  7. ^ Alexander (2002), pp. 50.
  8. ^ Vietnam War - Senator John McCain of Arizona Biography
  9. ^ Alexander (2002), pp. 60.
  10. ^ "Dictionary of American naval Aviation Squadrons - Volume 1" (PDF). Naval Historical Center. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. ^ a b c Frantz, Douglas, "THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE ARIZONA TIES; A Beer Baron and a Powerful Publisher Put McCain on a Political Path", The New York Times, pp. A14, February 21, 2000, URL retrieved November 29, 2006.
  12. ^ "Just the facts about McCain", The Arizona Republic. 2006-09-18. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
  13. ^ "Candidate profile of John McCain". Election 2000. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 2006-11-17.
  14. ^ http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/special3/articles/mccain_facts-CR.html
  15. ^ "Recently Reviewed: Faith of My Fathers". Variety. 2005-5-30. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
  16. ^ Mary Thornton, "Arizona 1st District John McCain," Washington Post, Dec. 16, 1982
  17. ^ Corera, Gordon (2000-02-21). "McCain down, but not out". BBC News. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ Ferullo, Mike (2000-02-10). "'Push polling' takes center stage in Bush-McCain South Carolina fight; Dems campaign in California". CNN. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ Freedman, Samuel G. (2000-03-10). "Thanks, but no thanks". Politics2000. Salon.com. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ Robinson, B.A. (2000-03-09). "RELIGION AND THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES IN THE YEAR 2000". Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ a b Nevius, C.W.; Sandalow, Marc; and Wildermuth, John (2000-02-18). "McCain Criticized for Slur". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Tapper, Jack (2000-02-17). "Straight talk". Politics2000. Salon.com. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ "McCain under fire for racial slur". Associated Press. 2000-03-01. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ The New York Times reported on June 11, 2004, that Kerry, "has repeatedly and personally asked Senator John McCain...to consider being his running mate, but Mr. McCain has refused, people who have spoken to both men said Friday." [1]
  25. ^ Coile, Zachary (2004-08-06). "Vets group attacks Kerry; McCain defends Democrat". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ McCain, John. Interview transcript. Meet the Press. MSNBC. 2005-06-19. Retrieved 2006-11-14.
  27. ^ McCain, John. Interview transcript. Larry King Live. CNN. 2005-11-03. Retrieved 2006-11-14.
  28. ^ Balz, Dan (2006-02-12). "For Possible '08 Run, McCain Is Courting Bush Loyalists". Washington Post. p. A01. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ Richard Cohen, "McCain's Day to Crow," Washington Post January 5, 2006; Page A15 [2]
  30. ^ He led her 48-45 in the Rasmussen poll.[3]
  31. ^ "VIDEO: McCain Says Jerry Falwell is No Longer an 'Agent of Intolerance'". Think Progress. 2006-04-02. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ Herszenhorn, David M. (2006-05-20). "Graduates at New School Heckle Speech by McCain". New York Times. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ McCain, John (2006-05-22). "'Let Us Argue'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ McCullagh, Declan (2006-12-13). "'Senator: Illegal images must be reported'". net. Retrieved 2006-12-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ "'Technology Voter Guide'". net. 2006-12-13. Retrieved 2006-12-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Blumenthal, Sidney (2007-01-27). "'The myth of McCain'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-01-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ Joshua Green, "The Big Switch," Washington Monthly, May 2002.
  38. ^ http://www.acuratings.org/2005all.htm#AZ
  39. ^ Barone, Michael, et al. The Almanac of American Politics: 2006 (2005) pp 93-98
  40. ^ York, Byron (2005-12-08). "America's (second) most important hawk". The Hill. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  41. ^ "McCain criticizes Pentagon on Iraq war". CNN. 2004-12-05. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  42. ^ McCain, John (2005-11-10). "WINNING THE WAR IN IRAQ". Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  43. ^ "Hardball's College Tour with John McCain". Hardball with Chris Matthews. 2006-10-19. Retrieved 2006-10-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  44. ^ Barone (2005)
  45. ^ http://www.whereistand.com/JohnMcCain/16044
  46. ^ http://quiz.ontheissues.org/Celeb/John_McCain_Energy_+_Oil.htm John McCain on Energy & Oil
  47. ^ http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=S0061103
  48. ^ McCain's Senate website, Statement on the Federal Marriage Amendment, July 13, 2004, accessed November 18, 2006
  49. ^ McCain's Senate website, Statement on the Marriage Protection Amendment, June 6, 2006, accessed November 18, 2006
  50. ^ Díaz, Elvia (2005-08-26). "Gay-marriage ban initiative wins support from McCain". Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2006-11-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  51. ^ "John McCain Immigration-Reduction Report Card". Americans for Better Immigration. Retrieved 2006-08-15.
  52. ^ Patterson, Crystal (2005-03-15). "Quick Guide to Kennedy-McCain Immigration Bill". Daily Kos. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  53. ^ "Election 2000 Presidential Candidate Report" (Press release). The Body. 1999-08-01. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  54. ^ Fournier, Ron (2006-03-31). "Ariz. at the Center of Immigration Debate". Forbes. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  55. ^ a b Karamargin, C.J. (2005-08-24). "McCain sounds like presidential hopeful". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  56. ^ Allen, Jonathan (2005-10-25). "GOP hopefuls getting more time to weigh stem-cell vote". The Hill. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  57. ^ McCain: Israel's response is appropriate
  58. ^ MaCain Introduces Resolution Calling On FIFA To Ban Iran From Soccer World Cup
  59. ^ "Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 1st Session on the Amendment (McCain Amdt. No. 1977)". United States Senate. 2005-10-05. Retrieved 2006-08-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  60. ^ "McCain, Bush agree on torture ban". CNN. 2005-12-15. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  61. ^ "President's Statement on Signing of H.R. 2863, the 'Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006'" (Press release). White House. 2005-12-30. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  62. ^ William Neikirk, Andrew Zajac, Mark Silva (2006-09-29). "Tribunal bill OKd by Senate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2006-09-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  63. ^ "Senate Passes Broad New Detainee Rules". The New York Times. 2006-09-28. Retrieved 2006-09-28. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  64. ^ Dan Balz, "In Long Battle, Small Victories Added Up," Washington Post, March 21, 2002
  65. ^ Eric Pianin and Albert B. Crenshaw, "GOP Fight Bares Schism on Taxes," Washington Post, Jan. 22, 2000.
  66. ^ Dana Milbank and Jim VandeHei, "Key GOP Senators Object to Bush Plan," Washington Post, Jan. 11, 2003.
  67. ^ Howard Kurtz, "McCain, Rising Up Against 'Spartacus'," Washington Post, May 13, 2002.
  68. ^ http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special39/articles/1003mccainbook5.html The Arizona Republic: The Keating Five
  69. ^ Corn, David (1998-06-25). "A joke too bad to print?". Salon.com. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  70. ^ "Our current howler (part II): To the good times". Daily Howler. 2000-03-09. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  71. ^ [4]
  72. ^ "John McCain SCREAMS AT 9/11 FSA MEMBERS FOR OPPOSING HIS BILL TO GIVE AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS". 9/11 Families for a Secure America. Retrieved 2006-08-16.
  73. ^ Bogdanich, Walt and Nordberg, Jenny (2006-01-29). "Mixed U.S. Signals Helped Tilt Haiti Toward Chaos". The New York Times. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  74. ^ Tapper, Jake (1999-05-14). "How tough is Senator John McCain?". Salon.com. Retrieved 2007-01-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  75. ^ http://archive.salon.com/politics2000/feature/2000/02/17/mccain/print.html
  76. ^ http://www.asianweek.com/2000_02_24/feature_mccainapology.html
  77. ^ Sherwell, Philip (2005-07-31). "McCain attacked for cameo role in Wedding Crashers". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  78. ^ Kovacs, Joe (2005-07-18). "McCain on sexy film: I work with boobs every day". World Net Daily. Retrieved 2006-08-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  79. ^ "List of Saturday Night Live hosts and musical guests". Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
  80. ^ Dufour, Jeff (2006-02-02). "McCain tortures no one in '24' cameo". The Hill. Retrieved 2006-12-08. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  81. ^ "Celebrity secrets: McCain secrets". Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Retrieved 2006-08-16.
  82. ^ Faith of My Fathers at IMDb. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.
  83. ^ "About Us: Our People", Hensley & Company website, URL last accessed 2006-11-14.
  84. ^ "Hensley & Company company profile", Yahoo! Finance, URL last accessed 2006-11-14.
  85. ^ Villa, Judi (2004-04-17). "Cindy McCain goes home; full recovery is expected". Arizona Central. Retrieved 2006-08-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  86. ^ "Candidate profile of John McCain". Election 2000. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 2006-08-16.
  87. ^ "John McCain". OntheIssues.org. Retrieved 2006-08-16.
  88. ^ "Just the facts about McCain", The Arizona Republic. 2006-09-18. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
  89. ^ "Sen. McCain's youngest son joins Marine Corps". Marine Corps Times. Associated Press. July 31, 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  90. ^ ""Senator John S. McCain to Receive 2005 Eisenhower Leadership Prize"" (Press release). The Eisenhower Institute. 2005-08-24. Retrieved 2006-11-14. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  91. ^ ""Honourary Patrons"". University Philosophical Society. Trinity College Dublin. 2006-10-21. Retrieved 2006-11-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)


Articles

Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arizona's 1st congressional district
1983 – 1987 		Succeeded by
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 3) from Arizona
1987–present
Served alongside: Dennis DeConcini, Jon Kyl 		Incumbent
Preceded by United States order of precedence
as of 2007 		Succeeded by

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