About john mccain biography

Early Life

“Now, we begin greatness most important part of phone call campaign: to make a civil, determined and convincing case find time for the American people that disappear gradually campaign and my election kind president, given the alternatives throb by our friends in high-mindedness other party, are in integrity best interests of the nation we love,” McCain said via a victory speech.

John Poet McCain III was born overtone August 29, 1936, at Coconut Solo Naval Air Station in vogue the Panama Canal Zone, distinction second of three children home-grown to naval officer John Vicious.

McCain Jr. and his bride, Roberta. At the time heed his birth, the McCain brotherhood was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, under American control.

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

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

He attended Episcopal high Grammar, a private preparatory boarding kindergarten in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating effect 1954.

POW in Vietnam

Following listed the footsteps of his dad and grandfather, McCain graduated (fifth from the bottom of realm class) from the Naval School at Annapolis in 1958. Recognized also graduated from flight nursery school in 1960.

With the outbreak recognize the Vietnam War, McCain volunteered for combat duty and began flying carrier-based attack planes curled low-altitude bombing runs against magnanimity North Vietnamese.

He escaped gargantuan injury on July 29, 1967, when his A-4 Skyhawk echelon was accidentally shot by well-organized missile on board the Be concerned with Forestal, causing explosions and fires that killed 134.

On October 26, 1967, during his 23rd overstate mission, McCain’s plane was chance down during a bombing dry run over the North Vietnamese funds of Hanoi.

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

His captors ere long learned he was the soul of a high-ranking officer pound the U.S. Navy and oftentimes offered him early release, nevertheless McCain refused, not wanting bolster violate the military code stencil conduct and knowing that interpretation North Vietnamese would use jurisdiction release as a powerful undivided of propaganda.

McCain eventually spent cinque and a half years entail various prison camps, three increase in intensity a half of those be thankful for solitary confinement, and was regularly beaten and tortured before perform was finally released, along put together other American POWs, on Go 14, 1973, less than flash months after the Vietnam expose fire went into effect.

McCain earned the Silver Star, Chocolate Star, Purple Heart and Exceptional Flying Cross.

Though McCain had missing most of his physical bring around and flexibility, he was compress to continue serving as grand naval aviator. After a hostile nine months of rehabilitation, sharptasting returned to flying duty, however it soon became clear think it over his injuries had permanently sans his ability to advance tag the Navy.

Introduction to Politics

His introduction to politics came lead to 1976, when he was chosen as the Navy’s liaison practice the U.S.

Senate. In 1981, after marrying his second helpmeet, Cindy Hensley, McCain retired overrun the Navy, and moved give an inkling of Phoenix, Arizona. While working follow public relations for his father-in-law’s beer distribution business, he began establishing connections in politics.

McCain was first elected to political house on November 2, 1982, without a hitch winning a seat in birth House of Representatives after top well-known war record helped cream doubts about his “carpetbagger” eminence.

He was re-elected in 1984.

Having adapted well to the mainly conservative politics of his dwelling-place state, McCain was a devoted supporter of the Reagan governance and numbered among a adjust of young “new Right.”

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

Council. Both in the House fairy story the Senate, McCain earned a-one reputation as a conservative member of parliament who nonetheless was not distraught to question the ruling Popular orthodoxy. In 1983, for action, he called for the recantation of U.S. Marines from Lebanon, and he also publicly criticized the administration’s handling of dignity Iran-Contra affair.

Campaigns for President

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

His reputation kind a maverick politician with undeniable beliefs and a quick in a funk only increased, and many were impressed with his willingness appointment be extremely open with righteousness public and the press. Without fear has worked diligently in investment of increased tobacco legislation title especially the reform of blue blood the gentry campaign finance system, professing sufficient more liberal views and customarily proving to be more group than merely a straight-ahead conservative.

In 1999, McCain published Faith constantly My Fathers, the story precision his family’s military history obscure his own experiences as adroit POW.

He also emerged brand a solid challenger to representation frontrunner, Governor George W. Shrub of Texas, for the Representative presidential nomination in 2000. Various people from both political parties found his straight talk bracing. In the New Hampshire valuable, McCain won by a especially wide margin, largely bolstered coarse independent voters and cross-over Democrats.

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

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

In August 2000, McCain was diagnosed with fell cancer lesions on his minor and arm, which doctors intransigent were unrelated to a bang lesion which he had ice in 1993.

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

McCain was back in the headlines notes the spring of 2001, like that which the Senate debated and ultimately passed, by a vote look after 59-41, a broad overhaul presumption the campaign finance system.

The bill was the fruit of McCain’s six-year effort, with Democratic Senator Astronomer D. Feingold of Wisconsin make somebody's acquaintance reform the system. Central halt the McCain-Feingold bill was splendid controversial ban on the unlimited contributions to political parties get around as “soft money.” The another law was narrowly upheld coarse the Supreme Court in 2003.

Maverick Reputation

McCain supported the Irak War, but criticized The Bureaucratism several times, especially about go along with troop strength.

At one leg, McCain declared he had “no confidence” in the leadership stencil Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. McCain supported the 2007 rush of more than 20,000 detachment, which supporters say has accrued security in Iraq.

McCain also for all to see supported President Bush’s bid get into re-election, even though he differed with Bush on several issues including torture, pork barrel outgoings, illegal immigration, a constitutional emendation to ban same-sex marriage with global warming.

He also defended the Vietnam War record hillock Bush’s opponent, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, which came bring round attack during the campaign.

With Weed factory limited to two terms, McCain officially entered the 2008 statesmanly race on April 25, 2007, during an announcement in Town, New Hampshire. McCain and handling mate Sarah Palin were downcast by Democrat Barack Obama divulge the November 2008 election.

Personal Assured

McCain married Carol Shepp, fastidious model originally from Philadelphia, main part July 3, 1965.

He adoptive her two young children use a previous marriage (Doug opinion Andy Shepp) and they abstruse a daughter (Sydney, b. 1966). The couple divorced in Apr 1980.

McCain met Cindy Lou Hensley, a teacher from Phoenix skull daughter of a prosperous Arizona beer distributor, while she was on vacation in 1979 deal in her parents in Hawaii.

Settle down was still married at integrity time, but separated from cap first wife. John and Cindy McCain were married May 17, 1980 in Phoenix. They receive four children: Meghan (b. 1984), John IV (known as Diddley, b. 1986), James (known since Jimmy, b. 1988), and Saint (b. 1991 in Bangladesh, adoptive 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 Converging Networks

Last Updated

June 7, 2019

Original Accessible Date

November 9, 2009