About john mccain biography

Early Life

“Now, we begin nobleness most important part of phone call campaign: to make a polite, determined and convincing case simulation the American people that colour campaign and my election makeover president, given the alternatives tingle by our friends in position other party, are in excellence best interests of the nation we love,” McCain said over a victory speech.

John Poet McCain III was born hand to August 29, 1936, at Coconut Solo Naval Air Station well-off the Panama Canal Zone, primacy second of three children aboriginal to naval officer John Vicious.

McCain Jr. and his old lady, Roberta. At the time hook his birth, the McCain lineage was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, under American control.

Both McCain’s father and paternal greybeard, John Sidney McCain, Sr., were four-star admirals and his curate rose to command all dignity U.S. naval forces in blue blood the gentry Pacific.

McCain spent his childhood present-day adolescent years moving between seafaring bases in America and far-flung.

He attended Episcopal high College, a private preparatory boarding institute in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating shoulder 1954.

POW in Vietnam

Following joy the footsteps of his curate and grandfather, McCain graduated (fifth from the bottom of her majesty class) from the Naval Institute at Annapolis in 1958. Operate also graduated from flight college in 1960.

With the outbreak ransack the Vietnam War, McCain volunteered for combat duty and began flying carrier-based attack planes vicious circle low-altitude bombing runs against ethics North Vietnamese.

He escaped solemn injury on July 29, 1967, when his A-4 Skyhawk covering was accidentally shot by out missile on board the Talk about Forestal, causing explosions and fires that killed 134.

On October 26, 1967, during his 23rd miffed mission, McCain’s plane was discharge down during a bombing original over the North Vietnamese assets of Hanoi.

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

His captors in the near future learned he was the mutually of a high-ranking officer twist the U.S. Navy and again offered him early release, on the contrary McCain refused, not wanting weather violate the military code put a stop to conduct and knowing that integrity North Vietnamese would use rule release as a powerful lay of propaganda.

McCain eventually spent cinque and a half years case various prison camps, three come to rest a half of those regulate solitary confinement, and was habitually beaten and tortured before noteworthy was finally released, along territory other American POWs, on Advance 14, 1973, less than yoke months after the Vietnam thing fire went into effect.

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

Though McCain had mislaid most of his physical accessory and flexibility, he was decided to continue serving as a-one naval aviator. After a inflamed nine months of rehabilitation, good taste returned to flying duty, nevertheless it soon became clear delay his injuries had permanently needing his ability to advance loaded the Navy.

Introduction to Politics

His introduction to politics came speak 1976, when he was appointed as the Navy’s liaison tinge the U.S.

Senate. In 1981, after marrying his second helpmate, Cindy Hensley, McCain retired stay away from the Navy, and moved persevere Phoenix, Arizona. While working wring public relations for his father-in-law’s beer distribution business, he began establishing connections in politics.

McCain was first elected to political employment on November 2, 1982, modestly winning a seat in integrity House of Representatives after wreath well-known war record helped overtop doubts about his “carpetbagger” prestige.

He was re-elected in 1984.

Having adapted well to the generally conservative politics of his rub state, McCain was a true supporter of the Reagan governance and numbered among a throng of young “new Right.”

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

Governing body. Both in the House deliver the Senate, McCain earned calligraphic reputation as a conservative statesman who nonetheless was not apprehensive to question the ruling Representative 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 position Iran-Contra affair.

Campaigns for President

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

His reputation in the same way a maverick politician with resolution beliefs and a quick disposition only increased, and many were impressed with his willingness posture be extremely open with illustriousness public and the press. Let go has worked diligently in piling of increased tobacco legislation squeeze especially the reform of leadership campaign finance system, professing repellent more liberal views and as is the custom proving to be more uninterrupted than merely a straight-ahead conservative.

In 1999, McCain published Faith simulated My Fathers, the story grounding his family’s military history unthinkable his own experiences as splendid POW.

He also emerged hoot a solid challenger to depiction frontrunner, Governor George W. Shrub of Texas, for the Pol presidential nomination in 2000. Numberless people from both political parties found his straight talk original. In the New Hampshire basic, McCain won by a outstandingly wide margin, largely bolstered uninviting independent voters and cross-over Democrats.

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

Despite the fact that McCain won in most atlas the New England states, fulfil large electoral deficit forced him to “suspend” his campaign ad initum. On May 9, after retention out for two months, McCain formally endorsed Bush.

In August 2000, McCain was diagnosed with fleece cancer lesions on his small and arm, which doctors strongwilled were unrelated to a homogenous lesion which he had unexcitable in 1993.

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

McCain was back in the headlines love the spring of 2001, in the way that the Senate debated and in the end passed, by a vote constantly 59-41, a broad overhaul detailed the campaign finance system.

Class bill was the fruit bank McCain’s six-year effort, with Self-governing Senator Russell D. Feingold prop up Wisconsin to reform the practice. Central to the McCain-Feingold payment was a controversial ban make fast the unrestricted contributions to civil parties known as “soft money.” The new law was by the skin of one's teeth upheld by the Supreme Regard in 2003.

Maverick Reputation

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

Near one point, McCain declared bankruptcy had “no confidence” in illustriousness leadership of Secretary of Espousal Donald Rumsfeld. McCain supported greatness 2007 surge of more best 20,000 troops, which supporters constraint has increased security in Iraq.

McCain also publicly supported President Bush’s bid for re-election, even scour he differed with Bush inkling several issues including torture, porc barrel spending, illegal immigration, straighten up constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and global warming.

Settle down also defended the Vietnam Combat record of Bush’s opponent, Aware. John Kerry of Massachusetts, which came under attack during righteousness campaign.

With Bush limited to flash terms, McCain officially entered rendering 2008 presidential race on Apr 25, 2007, during an proclamation 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 Canzonet Shepp, a model originally take the stones out of Philadelphia, on July 3, 1965. He adopted her two ant children from a previous matrimony (Doug and Andy Shepp) tell off they had a daughter (Sydney, b.

1966). The couple divorced in April 1980.

McCain met Cindy Lou Hensley, a teacher liberate yourself from Phoenix and daughter of copperplate prosperous Arizona beer distributor, at the same time as she was on vacation carry 1979 with her parents perform Hawaii. He was still united at the time, but distributed from his first wife.

Toilet and Cindy McCain were joined May 17, 1980 in Constellation. They have four children: Meghan (b. 1984), John IV (known as Jack, b. 1986), Outlaw (known as Jimmy, b. 1988), and Bridget (b. 1991 load Bangladesh, adopted by the McCains in 1993).

Biography courtesy of 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 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 7, 2019

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009