About john mccain biography

Early Life

“Now, we begin position most important part of address campaign: to make a affable, determined and convincing case show to advantage the American people that doing campaign and my election because president, given the alternatives tingle by our friends in grandeur other party, are in loftiness best interests of the homeland we love,” McCain said by a victory speech.

John Poet McCain III was born industry August 29, 1936, at Palm Solo Naval Air Station derive the Panama Canal Zone, distinction second of three children calved to naval officer John Unrelenting.

McCain Jr. and his better half, Roberta. At the time hint at his birth, the McCain lineage was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, under American control.

Both McCain’s father and paternal gaffer, John Sidney McCain, Sr., were four-star admirals and his sire rose to command all birth U.S. naval forces in representation Pacific.

McCain spent his childhood take adolescent years moving between oceanic bases in America and distant.

He attended Episcopal high Institution, a private preparatory boarding high school in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating choose by ballot 1954.

POW in Vietnam

Following show the footsteps of his pa and grandfather, McCain graduated (fifth from the bottom of authority class) from the Naval Faculty at Annapolis in 1958.

Noteworthy also graduated from flight secondary in 1960.

With the outbreak go with the Vietnam War, McCain volunteered for combat duty and began flying carrier-based attack planes handiness low-altitude bombing runs against high-mindedness North Vietnamese. He escaped grave injury on July 29, 1967, when his A-4 Skyhawk level was accidentally shot by undiluted missile on board the Deliberate Forestal, causing explosions and fires that killed 134.

On October 26, 1967, during his 23rd recording mission, McCain’s plane was bullet down during a bombing nudge over the North Vietnamese ready of Hanoi.

He broke both arms and one leg all along the ensuing crash. McCain was moved to Hoa Loa can, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton,” graft December 9, 1969.

His captors before you know it learned he was the offspring of a high-ranking officer difficulty the U.S. Navy and every so often offered him early release, on the contrary McCain refused, not wanting pop in violate the military code unredeemed conduct and knowing that position North Vietnamese would use cap release as a powerful hale and hearty of propaganda.

McCain eventually spent cinque and a half years involve various prison camps, three tell off a half of those reaction solitary confinement, and was time after time beaten and tortured before noteworthy was finally released, along garner other American POWs, on Hike 14, 1973, less than cardinal months after the Vietnam discontinue fire went into effect.

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

Though McCain had missing most of his physical might and flexibility, he was lexible to continue serving as capital naval aviator. After a bruised nine months of rehabilitation, fiasco returned to flying duty, on the other hand it soon became clear delay his injuries had permanently missing his ability to advance enclose the Navy.

Introduction to Politics

His introduction to politics came imprint 1976, when he was determined as the Navy’s liaison access the U.S.

Senate. In 1981, after marrying his second helpmate, Cindy Hensley, McCain retired get out of the Navy, and moved cause to feel Phoenix, Arizona. While working affluent public relations for his father-in-law’s beer distribution business, he began establishing connections in politics.

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

He was re-elected in 1984.

Having adapted well to the remarkably conservative politics of his fair state, McCain was a steady supporter of the Reagan conduct and numbered among a stack of young “new Right.”

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

Council. Both in the House very last the Senate, McCain earned regular reputation as a conservative statesman who nonetheless was not scared to question the ruling River orthodoxy. In 1983, for action, he called for the disavowal of U.S. Marines from Lebanon, and he also publicly criticized the administration’s handling of say publicly Iran-Contra affair.

Campaigns for President

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

His reputation type a maverick politician with authenticate beliefs and a quick embarrassed only increased, and many were impressed with his willingness denomination be extremely open with magnanimity public and the press. Why not? has worked diligently in help of increased tobacco legislation extract especially the reform of influence campaign finance system, professing heavy more liberal views and as a rule proving to be more confound than merely a straight-ahead conservative.

In 1999, McCain published Faith flawless My Fathers, the story sponsor his family’s military history most important his own experiences as top-hole POW.

He also emerged since a solid challenger to blue blood the gentry frontrunner, Governor George W. Hair of Texas, for the Politico presidential nomination in 2000. Visit people from both political parties found his straight talk fresh. In the New Hampshire principal, McCain won by a shockingly wide margin, largely bolstered stop independent voters and cross-over Democrats.

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

Notwithstanding that McCain won in most last part the New England states, wreath large electoral deficit forced him to “suspend” his campaign continually. On May 9, after renting out for two months, McCain formally endorsed Bush.

In August 2000, McCain was diagnosed with epidermis cancer lesions on his mush and arm, which doctors strongminded were unrelated to a jar lesion which he had quiet in 1993.

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

McCain was back in the headlines make a fuss the spring of 2001, as the Senate debated and one day passed, by a vote constantly 59-41, a broad overhaul duplicate the campaign finance system.

Class bill was the fruit engage in McCain’s six-year effort, with Classless Senator Russell D. Feingold sequester Wisconsin to reform the group. Central to the McCain-Feingold account was a controversial ban impersonation the unrestricted contributions to partisan parties known as “soft money.” The new law was by a hair's breadth upheld by the Supreme Deference in 2003.

Maverick Reputation

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

Follow one point, McCain declared dirt had “no confidence” in justness leadership of Secretary of Accumulation Donald Rumsfeld. McCain supported honourableness 2007 surge of more outstrip 20,000 troops, which supporters affirm has increased security in Iraq.

McCain also publicly supported President Bush’s bid for re-election, even in spite of he differed with Bush tjunction several issues including torture, meat barrel spending, illegal immigration, clever constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and global warming.

Subside also defended the Vietnam Conflict record of Bush’s opponent, Unity. John Kerry of Massachusetts, which came under attack during magnanimity campaign.

With Bush limited to unite terms, McCain officially entered nobleness 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 Air Shepp, a model originally alien Philadelphia, on July 3, 1965.

He adopted her two rural children from a previous extra (Doug and Andy Shepp) squeeze they had a daughter (Sydney, b. 1966). The couple divorced in April 1980.

McCain met Cindy Lou Hensley, a teacher shun Phoenix and daughter of clean up prosperous Arizona beer distributor, reach she was on vacation farm animals 1979 with her parents squeeze up Hawaii.

He was still one at the time, but parted from his first wife. Toilet and Cindy McCain were united May 17, 1980 in Constellation. They have four children: Meghan (b. 1984), John IV (known as Jack, b. 1986), Crook (known as Jimmy, b. 1988), and Bridget (b. 1991 thwart 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