John mccain video biography
John Sidney McCain III August 29, — August 25, was an American statesman [ 2 ] and naval officer who represented the state of Arizona in Congress for over 35 years, first as a Representative from toand then as a U. He was the Republican Party 's nominee in the U. McCain was a son of Admiral John S. McCain Jr. McCain Sr. He graduated from the U.
Naval Academy in and received a commission in the U. McCain became a naval aviator and flew ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers. He was a prisoner of war until McCain experienced episodes of torture and refused an out-of-sequence early release. He sustained wounds that left him with lifelong physical disabilities. McCain retired from the Navy as a captain in and moved to Arizona.
InMcCain was elected to the House of Representatives, where he served two terms. Four years later, he was elected to the Senate, where he served six terms. While generally adhering to conservative principles, McCain also gained a reputation as a "maverick" for his willingness to break from his party on certain issues, including abortiondivorcebirth controlLGBT rightsgun regulationsand campaign finance reform where his stances were more moderate than those of the party's base.
McCain was investigated and largely exonerated in a political influence scandal of the s as one of the Keating Five ; he then made regulating the financing of political campaigns one of his signature concerns, which eventually resulted in passage of the McCain—Feingold Act in He was also known for his work in the s to restore diplomatic relations with Vietnam.
McCain chaired the Senate Commerce Committee from to and tojohn mccain video biography he opposed pork barrel spending and earmarks. He belonged to the bipartisan " Gang of 14 ", which played a key role in alleviating a crisis over judicial nominations. McCain entered the race for the Republican presidential nominationbut lost a heated primary season contest to George W.
He secured the Republican presidential nominationbeating fellow candidates Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabeethough he lost the general election to Barack Obama. McCain subsequently adopted more orthodox conservative stances and attitudes and largely opposed actions of the Obama administrationespecially with regard to foreign policy matters. He refused to support then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the presidential election and later became a vocal critic of the Trump administration.
After being diagnosed with glioblastoma inhe reduced his role in the Senate to focus on treatment, dying from the disease in He had an older sister, Sandy, and a younger brother, Joe. His father and his paternal grandfather, John S. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, McCain entered the United States Naval Academywhere he was a friend and informal leader for many of his classmates [ 14 ] and sometimes stood up for targets of bullying.
McCain began his early military career when he was commissioned as an ensignand started two and a half years of training at Pensacola to become a naval aviator. On July 3,McCain was 28 when he married Carol Sheppwho had worked as a runway model and secretary. He escaped from his burning jet and was trying to help another pilot escape when a bomb exploded; [ 33 ] McCain was struck in the legs and chest by fragments.
McCain was taken prisoner of war on October 26, He was flying his 23rd bombing mission over North Vietnam when his A-4E Skyhawk was shot down by a missile over Hanoi. Some North Vietnamese pulled him ashore, then others crushed his shoulder with a rifle butt and bayoneted him. Although McCain was seriously wounded and injured, his captors refused to treat him.
They beat and interrogated him and he was given medical care only when the North Vietnamese discovered that his father was an admiral. McCain spent six weeks in the hospital, where he received marginal care. He had lost 50 pounds 23 kghe was in a chest cast, and his gray hair had turned white. In mid, his father John S. Such early release was prohibited by the POWs' interpretation of the military Code of Conductwhich states in Article III: "I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.
Beginning in AugustMcCain was subjected to severe torture. Eventually, McCain made an anti-U. I had reached mine. POWs were tortured and maltreated to extract "confessions" and propaganda statements; [ 54 ] virtually all eventually yielded something. McCain refused to meet various anti-war groups seeking peace in Hanoi, wanting to give neither them nor the North Vietnamese a propaganda victory.
McCain was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years, until his release on March 14,along with other prisoners of war. McCain was reunited with his family when he returned to the United States. His wife Carol had been severely injured by an automobile accident in December She was then four inches shorter, in a wheelchair or on crutches, and substantially heavier than when he had last seen her.
As a returned POW, he became a celebrity of sorts. McCain underwent treatment for his injuries that included months of physical therapy. Inhe became Commanding Officer of a training squadron stationed in Florida. McCain served as the Navy's liaison to the U. Senate beginning in McCain decided to leave the Navy. It was doubtful whether he would ever be promoted to the rank of full admiralas he had poor annual physicals and had not been given a major sea command.
McCain retired from the Navy as a captain on April 1, McCain set his sights on becoming a representative because he was interested in current events, was ready for a new challenge, and had developed political ambitions. Listen, pal. I spent 22 years in the Navy. My father was in the Navy. My grandfather was in the Navy. We in the military service tend to move a lot.
We have to live in all parts of the country, all parts of the world. I wish I could have had the luxury, like you, of growing up and living and spending my entire life in a nice place like the First District of Arizona, but I was doing other things. As a matter of fact, when I think about it now, the place I lived longest in my life was Hanoi. McCain won a highly contested primary john mccain video biography with the assistance of local political endorsements, his Washington connections, and money that his wife lent to his campaign.
InMcCain was elected to lead the incoming group of Republican representatives, [ 70 ] and was assigned to the House Committee on Interior Affairs. Also that year, he opposed creation of a federal Martin Luther King Jr. Daybut admitted in "I was wrong and eventually realized that, in time to give full support [in ] for a state holiday in Arizona.
At this point, McCain's politics were mainly in line with those of President Ronald Reagan ; this included support for Reaganomicsand he was active on Indian Affairs bills. Marines deployed in Lebanonciting unattainable objectives, and subsequently criticized President Reagan for pulling out the troops too late; in the interim, the Beirut barracks bombing killed hundreds.
McCain's Senate career began in Januaryafter he defeated his Democratic opponent, former state legislator Richard Kimballby 20 percentage points in the election. McCain soon gained national visibility. He delivered a well-received speech at the Republican National Conventionwas mentioned by the press as a short list vice-presidential running mate for Republican nominee George H.
Bushand was named chairman of Veterans for Bush. McCain became embroiled in a scandal during the s, as one of five United States senators comprising the so-called Keating Five. 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. In his re-election bid, the Keating Five affair was not a major issue, [ ] and he won handily, gaining 56 percent of the vote to defeat Democratic community and civil rights activist Claire Sargent and independent former governor, Evan Mecham. McCain developed a reputation for independence during the s.
He later explained that "under our Constitution, it is the president's call to make. Bush, including Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas. McCain attacked what he saw as the corrupting influence of large political contributions—from corporations, labor unions, other organizations, and wealthy individuals—and he made this his signature issue.
The term " maverick Republican" was frequently applied to McCain, and he also used it himself. In the presidential electionMcCain was again on the short list of possible vice-presidential picks, this time for Republican nominee Bob Dole. InMcCain became chairman of the powerful Senate Commerce Committee; he was criticized for accepting funds from corporations and businesses under the committee's purview, but in response said the small contributions he received were not part of the big-money nature of the campaign finance problem.
In NovemberMcCain won re-election to a third Senate term in a landslide over his Democratic opponent, environmental lawyer Ed Ranger. In AugustMcCain's memoir Faith of My Fathersco-authored with Mark Salterwas published; [ ] a reviewer observed that its appearance "seems to have been timed to the unfolding Presidential campaign. According to one reviewer, it describes "the kind of challenges that most of us can barely imagine.
It's a fascinating history of a remarkable military family. McCain announced his candidacy for president on September 27,in Nashua, New Hampshiresaying he was staging "a fight to take our government back from the power brokers and special interests, and return it to the people and the noble cause of freedom it was created to serve".
Bushwho had the political and financial support of most of the party establishment, whereas McCain was supported by many moderate Republicans and some conservative Republicans. McCain focused on the New Hampshire primarywhere his message appealed to independents. The Bush campaign and the Republican establishment feared that a McCain victory in the crucial South Carolina primary might give his campaign unstoppable momentum.
The Arizona Republic wrote that the McCain—Bush primary contest in South Carolina "has entered national political lore as a low-water mark in presidential campaigns", while The New York Times called it "a painful symbol of the brutality of American politics". Incensed, [ ] McCain ran ads accusing Bush of lying and comparing the "john mccain video biography" to Bill Clintonwhich Bush said was "about as low a blow as you can give in a Republican primary".
McCain lost South Carolina on February 19, with 42 percent of the vote to Bush's 53 percent, [ ] in part because Bush mobilized the state's evangelical voters [ ] [ ] and outspent McCain. McCain's campaign never completely recovered from his South Carolina defeat, although he did rebound partially by winning in Arizona and Michigan a few days later.
But that does not mean that we will pander to their self-appointed leaders. McCain began by breaking with the new administration on a number of matters, including HMO reform, climate change, and gun control legislation; McCain—Feingold was opposed by Bush as well. Meanwhile, in discussions over proposed U. In OctoberMcCain and Lieberman co-sponsored the Climate Stewardship Act that would have introduced a cap and trade system aimed at returning greenhouse gas emissions to levels; the bill was defeated with 55 votes to 43 in the Senate.
In the U. McCain was also up for re-election as senator, in He defeated little-known Democratic schoolteacher Stuart Starky with his biggest margin of victory, garnering 77 percent of the vote. In MayMcCain led the so-called Gang of 14 in the Senate, which established a compromise that preserved the ability of senators to filibuster judicial nominees, but only in "extraordinary circumstances".
Breaking from his and votes, McCain supported the Bush tax cut extension in Maysaying not to do so would amount to a tax increase. Owing to his time as a POW, McCain was recognized for his sensitivity to the detention and interrogation of detainees in the War on Terror.
John mccain video biography: Join us as we examine
But, one, they deserve to have some adjudication of their cases Army Field Manual on Interrogation. Although Bush had threatened to veto the bill if McCain's amendment was included, [ ] the President announced in December that he accepted McCain's terms and would "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".
However, the bill in question contained other provisions to which McCain objected, and his spokesman stated: "This wasn't a vote on waterboarding. This was a vote on applying the standards of the [Army] field manual to CIA personnel. Meanwhile, McCain continued questioning the progress of the war in Iraq. In Septemberhe remarked upon Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers ' optimistic outlook on the war's progress: "Things have not gone as well as we had planned or expected, nor as we were told by you, General Myers.
McCain's oft-cited strengths as a presidential candidate for included national name recognition, sponsorship of major lobbying and campaign finance reform initiatives, his ability to reach across the aisle, his well-known military service and experience as a POW, his experience from the presidential campaign, and an john mccain video biography that he would capture Bush's top fundraisers.
McCain also became more willing to ask business and industry for campaign contributions, while maintaining that such contributions would not affect any official decisions he would make. McCain had fundraising problems in the first half ofdue in part to his support for the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act ofwhich was unpopular among the Republican base electorate.
The Arizona senator subsequently resumed his familiar position as a political underdog[ ] riding the Straight Talk Express and taking advantage of free media such as debates and sponsored events. McCain's comeback plan paid off when he won the New Hampshire primary on January 8, defeating former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney in a close contest, to once again become one of the front-runners in the race.
On February 5, McCain won both the majority of states and delegates in the Super Tuesday Republican primariesgiving him a commanding lead toward the Republican nomination. Romney departed from the race on February 7. Had he been elected, he would have become the first president physically born outside the United States. This raised a potential legal issue, since the United States Constitution requires the president to be a natural-born citizen.
A bipartisan legal review, [ ] and a unanimous but non-binding Senate resolution, [ ] both concluded that he was a natural-born citizen. However, other legal scholars came to the opposite conclusion that although he was a citizen, at the time of his birth he was not a natural-born citizen, because the law that made him a citizen was passed one year after his birth.
If inaugurated in at the age of 72 years and days, he would have been the oldest person to become president. McCain clinched enough delegates for the nomination and his focus shifted toward the general election, while Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton fought a prolonged battle for the Democratic nomination. When Obama became the Democrats' presumptive nominee in early June, McCain proposed joint town hall meetings, but Obama instead requested more traditional debates for the fall.
Davis had also managed McCain's presidential campaign; in andU. Throughout the summer ofObama typically led McCain in national polls by single-digit margins, [ ] and also led in several key swing states. McCain surged ahead of Obama in national polls following the convention, as the Palin pick energized core Republican voters who had previously been wary of him.
McCain's decision to choose Sarah Palin as his running mate was criticized; New York Times journalist David Brooks said that "he took a disease that was running through the Republican party — anti-intellectualism, disrespect for facts — and he put it right at the centre of the party". On September 24, McCain said he was temporarily suspending his campaign activities, called on Obama to join him, and proposed delaying the first of the general election debates with Obama, to work on the proposed U.
During and after the final debate, McCain compared Obama's proposed policies to socialism and often invoked " Joe the Plumber " as a symbol of American small business dreams that would be thwarted by an Obama presidency. He's a decent family man, citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues. The election took place on November 4, and Barack Obama was declared the projected winner at about pm Eastern Standard Time; McCain delivered his concession speech in Phoenix, Arizona, about twenty minutes later.
Following his defeat, McCain returned to the Senate amid varying views about what role he might play there. Nevertheless, McCain emerged as a leader of the Republican opposition to the Obama economic stimulus package ofsaying it incorporated federal policy changes that had nothing to do with near-term job creation and would expand the growing federal budget deficit.
John mccain video biography: John McCain was born into
McCain also harshly criticized Obama for scrapping construction of the U. But he's been more like the guy blowing up the bridges. In earlya primary challenge from radio talk show host and former U. Congressman J. Hayworth materialized in the Senate election in Arizona and drew support from some but not all elements of the Tea Party movement. I consider myself a person who serves the people of Arizona to the best of his abilities.
When the health care plan, now called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Actpassed Congress and became law in MarchMcCain strongly opposed the landmark legislation not only on its merits but also on the way it had been handled in Congress. As a consequence, he warned that congressional Republicans would not work with Democrats on anything else: "There will be no cooperation for the rest of the year.
They have poisoned the well in what they've done and how they've done it. In April of that year he visited the Anti-Gaddafi forces and National Transitional Council in Benghazithe highest-ranking American to do so, and said that the rebel forces were "my heroes". In the Republican Party presidential primariesMcCain endorsed former rival Mitt Romney and campaigned for him, but compared the contest to a Greek tragedy due to its drawn-out nature with massive super PAC -funded attack ads damaging all the contenders.
McCain continued to be one of the most frequently appearing guests on the Sunday morning news talk shows. Regarding the Syrian civil war that had begun inMcCain repeatedly argued for the U. He staged a visit to rebel forces inside Syria in Maythe first senator to do so, and called for arming the Free Syrian Army with heavy weapons and for the establishment of a no-fly zone over the country.
Following reports that two of the people he posed for pictures with had been responsible for the kidnapping of eleven Lebanese Shiite pilgrims the year before, McCain disputed one of the identifications and said he had not met directly with the other. DuringMcCain was a member of a bi-partisan group of senators, the " Gang of Eight ", which announced principles for another try at comprehensive immigration reform.
McCain was publicly skeptical about the Republican strategy that precipitated the U. McCain said, "Could all this have been avoided? The answer is absolutely yes. If I sound angry it's because I am angry. McCain was a supporter of the Euromaidan protests against Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych and his government, and appeared in Independence Square in Kyiv in December It sometimes johns mccain video biography us difficulties at home and abroad.
It is sometimes used by our enemies in attempts to hurt us. But the American people are entitled to it, nonetheless. We must not. The th United States Congress assembled in January with Republicans in control of the Senate, and McCain achieved one of his longtime goals when he became chairman of the Armed Services Committee. During the Republican primariesMcCain said he would support the Republican nominee even if it was Donald Trumpin spite of his personal disagreements with Trump.
However, following Mitt Romney's anti-Trump john mccain video biography
McCain endorsed the sentiments expressed in that speech, saying he had serious concerns about Trump's "uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues". He is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured McCain himself faced a primary challenge from Kelli Warda fervent Trump supporter, and then was expected to face a potentially strong challenge from Democratic Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick in the general election.
In NovemberMcCain obtained a copy of a dossier regarding the Trump presidential campaign's links to Russia compiled by Christopher Steele. McCain later wrote that he felt the dossier's "allegations were disturbing" but unverifiable by himself, so he let the FBI investigate. Clapper Jr. Rogersthe head of the National Security Agency and United States Cyber Command presented a "united front" that "forcefully reaffirmed the conclusion that the Russian government used hacking and leaks to try to influence the presidential election.
Repeal and replacement of Obamacare was a centerpiece of McCain's re-election campaign, [ ] and in Julyhe said, "Have no doubt: Congress must replace Obamacare, which has hit Arizonans with some of the highest premium increases in the nation and left 14 of Arizona's 15 counties with only one provider option on the exchanges this year. In Septemberas the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar became ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim minorityMcCain announced moves to scrap planned future military cooperation with Myanmar.
The goals President Trump presented in his speech today are a welcomed long overdue change. On July 14,McCain underwent a minimally invasive craniotomy at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, to remove a blood clot above his left eye. President Donald Trump publicly wished Senator McCain well, [ ] as did many others, including former president Obama.
He is in good spirits as he continues to recover at home McCain returned to the Senate on July 25, less than two weeks after brain surgery. He cast a deciding vote allowing the Senate to begin consideration of bills to replace the Affordable Care Act. He delivered a speech criticizing the party-line voting process and urged a "return to regular order" using the usual committee hearings and deliberations.
McCain did not vote in the Senate after Decemberremaining in Arizona to undergo cancer treatment. On April 15,he underwent surgery for an infection relating to diverticulitis. On August 24,McCain's family announced that he would no longer receive treatment for his cancer. His remains were then moved to Washington, D. He was a "lifelong Episcopalian" who attended, but did not join, a Southern Baptist church for at least 17 years; memorial services were scheduled in both denominations.
Prior to his death, McCain requested that former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama deliver eulogies at his funeral and asked that neither President Donald Trump nor his former running mate Sarah Palin attend any of the services. The New Yorker described the service as the biggest meeting of anti-Trump figures during his presidency.
Bush was too ill to attend the service; and President Trump was not invited. On September 2, the funeral cortege traveled from Washington, D. President Trump reportedly rejected the White House's plans to release a statement praising McCain's life and initially said nothing about McCain himself in a tweet that extended condolences to McCain's family.
Trump issued a statement praising McCain's service to the country, and he signed a proclamation ordering flags to be flown at half-staff until McCain's interment.
John mccain video biography: Military man and statesman, war hero
Various advocacy groups have given McCain scores or grades as to how well his votes align with the positions of each group. The non-partisan National Journal rates a Senator's votes by what percentage of the Senate voted more liberally than him or her, and what percentage more conservatively, in three policy areas: economic, social, and foreign.
For — as reported in the Almanac of American PoliticsMcCain's average ratings were as follows: economic policy: 59 percent conservative and 41 percent liberal; social policy: 54 percent conservative and 38 percent liberal; and foreign policy: 56 percent conservative and 43 percent liberal. Buckley Jr. McCain's political career faced a challenge when he was involved in the "Keating Five" scandal, a group of senators accused of improper lobbying on behalf of Charles Keating, a financial magnate from Arizona.
Although McCain was criticized and reprimanded by the Senate for his involvement, his career recovered. McCain's campaign faced smear campaigns and false rumors, including allegations about his mental health and the parentage of his adopted daughter. Throughout his political career, McCain was known for his independent streak and willingness to challenge traditional Republican positions.
He was a strong advocate for campaign finance reform and worked alongside Democrat Senator Russ Feingold to pass legislation limiting campaign contributions from corporations, unions, and law firms. McCain also became known for his foreign policy positions. He was a vocal supporter of the Iraq War and called for an increase in troops in the country.
However, he criticized the treatment of detainees suspected of terrorism and authored a bill in that banned torture in US prisons. InMcCain ran for president again, this time securing the Republican nomination. On October 26,during his 23rd air john mccain video biography, McCain's plane was shot down during a bombing run over the North Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.
He broke both arms and one leg during the ensuing crash. His captors soon learned he was the son of a high-ranking officer in the U. Navy and repeatedly offered him early release, but McCain refused, not wanting to violate the military code of conduct and knowing that the North Vietnamese would use his release as a powerful piece of propaganda.
He was finally released, along with other American POWs, on March 14,less than two months after the Vietnam ceasefire went into effect. Though McCain had lost most of his physical strength and flexibility, he was determined to continue serving as a naval aviator. After a painful nine months of john mccain video biography, he returned to flying duty, but it soon became clear that his injuries had permanently impaired his ability to advance in the Navy.
McCain's introduction to politics came inwhen he was assigned as the Navy's liaison to the U. While working in public relations for his father-in-law's beer distribution business, he began establishing connections in politics. McCain was first elected to political office on November 2,easily winning a seat in the U. House of Representatives after his well-known war record helped overcome doubts about his "carpetbagger" status.
He was reelected in Having adapted well to the largely conservative politics of his home state, McCain was a loyal supporter of President Ronald Reagan 's administration and found his place among other "New Right" politicians. Both in the House and the Senate, McCain earned a reputation as a conservative politician who was unafraid to question the ruling Republican orthodoxy.
Infor example, he called for the withdrawal of U. Marines from Lebanon, and he later publicly criticized the administration's handling of the Iran-Contra affair. As one of the "Keating Five," McCain was accused of improperly intervening with federal regulators on behalf of Charles H. Keating Jr. McCain was cleared of improper actions, although investigators declared that he had exercised "poor judgment" by meeting with the regulators.
McCain weathered the scandal and won reelection to the Senate in andeach time with a solid majority. His reputation as a "maverick politician" with firm beliefs and a quick temper only increased, and many were impressed by his willingness to be open with the public and the press. He worked diligently in support of increased tobacco legislation and reforming the campaign finance system, at times professing more liberal views and generally proving to be more complex than a strict conservative.
He also emerged as a solid challenger to the front-runner, Governor George W. Bush of Texas, for the Republican presidential nomination in Many people from both political parties found his straight talk refreshing. In the New Hampshire primary, McCain won by a surprisingly wide margin, largely bolstered by independent voters and crossover Democrats.
Though McCain won most of the New England states, his large electoral deficit forced him to "suspend" his campaign indefinitely. On May 9,after holding out for two months, McCain formally endorsed Bush. McCain was back in the headlines in the spring ofwhen the Senate debated and eventually passed, by a vote ofa broad overhaul of the campaign finance system.
Feingold of Wisconsin. Central to the McCain-Feingold bill was a controversial ban on the unrestricted contributions to political parties known as "soft money. McCain supported the Iraq War, but criticized the Pentagon several times, especially about low troop presence. Hey everyone! I'm Ginny Jones your host for playingpoliticstv. On this edition of playing politics I will be discussing presidential candidate John McCain.
He began his career as a naval aviator and was elected to the senate in where he served until now. He has often supported the Native American agenda, advocating self-governance and sovereignty, supporting Native American gambling enterprises and tribe control of adoptions. McCain was a candidate for the Republican nomination in the presidential election, but was defeated by George W.