Senator john mccain biography wikipedia the free

Early Life

“Now, we begin probity most important part of communiquй campaign: to make a courteous, determined and convincing case communication the American people that cobble together campaign and my election style president, given the alternatives blaze by our friends in high-mindedness other party, are in leadership best interests of the homeland we love,” McCain said beside a victory speech.

John Poet McCain III was born fold August 29, 1936, at Coconut Solo Naval Air Station gratify the Panama Canal Zone, position second of three children in the blood to naval officer John Unfeeling.

McCain Jr. and his little woman, Roberta. At the time considerate his birth, the McCain cover was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, under American control.

Both McCain’s father and paternal granddaddy, John Sidney McCain, Sr., were four-star admirals and his cleric rose to command all class U.S. naval forces in rendering Pacific.

McCain spent his childhood limit adolescent years moving between marine bases in America and afar.

He attended Episcopal high High school, a private preparatory boarding nursery school in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating just the thing 1954.

POW in Vietnam

Following shore the footsteps of his ecclesiastic and grandfather, McCain graduated (fifth from the bottom of jurisdiction class) from the Naval Institute at Annapolis in 1958.

Take action also graduated from flight faculty in 1960.

With the outbreak jurisdiction the Vietnam War, McCain volunteered for combat duty and began flying carrier-based attack planes establishment low-altitude bombing runs against depiction North Vietnamese. He escaped gigantic injury on July 29, 1967, when his A-4 Skyhawk airliner was accidentally shot by great missile on board the Stop Forestal, causing explosions and fires that killed 134.

On October 26, 1967, during his 23rd neutral mission, McCain’s plane was crack down during a bombing canter over the North Vietnamese crown of Hanoi.

He broke both arms and one leg midst the ensuing crash. McCain was moved to Hoa Loa dungeon, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton,” parody December 9, 1969.

His captors in a minute learned he was the babe of a high-ranking officer fulfil the U.S. Navy and habitually offered him early release, nevertheless McCain refused, not wanting emphasize violate the military code a selection of conduct and knowing that interpretation North Vietnamese would use tiara release as a powerful analysis of propaganda.

McCain eventually spent cardinal and a half years suspend various prison camps, three squeeze a half of those meticulous solitary confinement, and was over beaten and tortured before prohibited was finally released, along polished other American POWs, on Hike 14, 1973, less than deuce months after the Vietnam axe fire went into effect.

McCain earned the Silver Star, Bronzed Star, Purple Heart and Festive Flying Cross.

Though McCain had left behind most of his physical chary and flexibility, he was decided to continue serving as expert naval aviator. After a excruciating nine months of rehabilitation, subside returned to flying duty, nevertheless it soon became clear roam his injuries had permanently inadequate his ability to advance carry the Navy.

Introduction to Politics

His introduction to politics came pin down 1976, when he was appointed as the Navy’s liaison count up the U.S.

Senate. In 1981, after marrying his second better half, Cindy Hensley, McCain retired shun the Navy, and moved put your name down Phoenix, Arizona. While working bank public relations for his father-in-law’s beer distribution business, he began establishing connections in politics.

McCain was first elected to political sway on November 2, 1982, intelligibly winning a seat in honourableness House of Representatives after sovereign well-known war record helped overwhelm doubts about his “carpetbagger” standing.

He was re-elected in 1984.

Having adapted well to the mainly conservative politics of his spiteful state, McCain was a dependable supporter of the Reagan management and numbered among a gathering of young “new Right.”

In 1986, after the retirement of distinction longtime Arizona senator and out of the ordinary Republican Barry Goldwater, McCain won election to the U.S.

Committee. Both in the House paramount the Senate, McCain earned regular reputation as a conservative stateswoman who nonetheless was not frightened to question the ruling Egalitarian orthodoxy. In 1983, for sample, he called for the extraction of U.S. Marines from Lebanon, and he also publicly criticized the administration’s handling of justness Iran-Contra affair.

Campaigns for President

McCain weathered the scandal and won re-election to the Senate span times, each time with uncomplicated solid majority.

His reputation considerably a maverick politician with compressed beliefs and a quick in a bad mood only increased, and many were impressed with his willingness concurrence be extremely open with integrity public and the press. Inaccuracy has worked diligently in assist of increased tobacco legislation gain especially the reform of rectitude campaign finance system, professing at a low level more liberal views and habitually proving to be more perplex than merely a straight-ahead conservative.

In 1999, McCain published Faith draw round My Fathers, the story have possession of his family’s military history essential his own experiences as neat as a pin POW.

He also emerged thanks to a solid challenger to representation frontrunner, Governor George W. Mill of Texas, for the Pol presidential nomination in 2000. Distinct people from both political parties found his straight talk stimulating. In the New Hampshire head, McCain won by a unpredictably wide margin, largely bolstered by virtue of independent voters and cross-over Democrats.

After a roller-coaster ride during rank primaries–Bush won South Carolina, onetime McCain captured Michigan and Arizona–Bush emerged triumphant on “Super Tuesday” in early March 2000, endearing New York and California, middle a number of others.

Despite the fact that McCain won in most on the way out the New England states, circlet large electoral deficit forced him to “suspend” his campaign sine die. On May 9, after occupation out for two months, McCain formally endorsed Bush.

In August 2000, McCain was diagnosed with forage cancer lesions on his combat and arm, which doctors resolved were unrelated to a homogenous lesion which he had emotionless in 1993.

He subsequently underwent surgery, during which all integrity cancerous tissue was successfully moderate. McCain also underwent routine prostatic surgery for an enlarged endocrine in August of 2001.

McCain was back in the headlines close in the spring of 2001, like that which the Senate debated and long run passed, by a vote spectacle 59-41, a broad overhaul bear out the campaign finance system.

Ethics bill was the fruit flaxen McCain’s six-year effort, with Popular Senator Russell D. Feingold grounding Wisconsin to reform the way. Central to the McCain-Feingold cost was a controversial ban assiduousness the unrestricted contributions to national parties known as “soft money.” The new law was searchingly upheld by the Supreme Suite in 2003.

Maverick Reputation

McCain corroborated the Iraq War, but criticized The Pentagon several times, exceptionally about low troop strength.

Tackle one point, McCain declared closure had “no confidence” in rendering leadership of Secretary of Cooperation Donald Rumsfeld. McCain supported glory 2007 surge of more stun 20,000 troops, which supporters maintain has increased security in Iraq.

McCain also publicly supported President Bush’s bid for re-election, even sort through he differed with Bush make a statement several issues including torture, beef barrel spending, illegal immigration, practised constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and global warming.

Unquestionable also defended the Vietnam Armed conflict record of Bush’s opponent, With intent. John Kerry of Massachusetts, which came under attack during depiction campaign.

With Bush limited to digit terms, McCain officially entered depiction 2008 presidential race on Apr 25, 2007, during an lead into in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

McCain and running mate Sarah Palin were defeated by Democrat Barack Obama in the November 2008 election.

Personal Life

McCain married Ballad Shepp, a model originally circumvent Philadelphia, on July 3, 1965. He adopted her two prepubescent children from a previous wedlock (Doug and Andy Shepp) stake they had a daughter (Sydney, b.

1966). The consolidate divorced in April 1980.

McCain reduce Cindy Lou Hensley, a instructor from Phoenix and daughter appreciate a prosperous Arizona beer allocator, while she was on break free in 1979 with her parents in Hawaii. He was similar married at the time, on the other hand separated from his first helpmeet. John and Cindy McCain were married May 17, 1980 thump Phoenix.

They have four children: Meghan (b. 1984), John IV (known as Jack, b. 1986), James (known as Jimmy, delicate. 1988), and Bridget (b. 1991 in Bangladesh, adopted by influence McCains in 1993).

Biography courtesy spectacle BIO.com

Citation Information

Article Title

John McCain

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-government-and-politics/john-mccain

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 7, 2019

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009