JOHN McCAIN

John McCain was an American politician and military officer who served as a United States Senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. Born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, he came from a distinguished military family; his father and grandfather were both four-star admirals in the United States Navy. McCain followed in their footsteps, attending the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, where he graduated in 1958.

During the Vietnam War, McCain was a naval aviator. In 1967, while on a bombing mission over Hanoi, North Vietnam, his plane was shot down, and he was captured by the North Vietnamese. McCain was severely injured during the crash and endured five and a half years as a prisoner of war (POW). Despite being offered early release for propaganda purposes, McCain refused unless all POWs were released. His experiences as a POW greatly influenced his later political views and policies.

After retiring from the Navy in 1981, McCain began his political career. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 1st congressional district in 1982. In 1986, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, succeeding Barry Goldwater. McCain gained a reputation as a "maverick" for his willingness to break with his party on certain issues. He championed campaign finance reform, co-authoring the McCain-Feingold Act, which sought to regulate the financing of political campaigns.

McCain ran for president twice. In the 2000 Republican primaries, he was an underdog but won several key contests, including the New Hampshire primary. However, he ultimately lost the nomination to George W. Bush. In 2008, McCain secured the Republican nomination for president but was defeated in the general election by Barack Obama. His choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate was seen as a bold but controversial decision.

Throughout his Senate career, McCain was known for his work on national security, defense, and foreign policy. He was a vocal advocate for a strong military and took hardline stances on issues such as the Iraq War and intervention in Syria. However, he also worked across the aisle on immigration reform and was critical of the use of torture by U.S. forces.

McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in July 2017. Despite his illness, he continued to participate in Senate activities, including casting a decisive vote against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act in July 2017, a move that underscored his willingness to stand against party lines for what he believed was right. McCain passed away on August 25, 2018, and was widely honored and remembered as a dedicated public servant and war hero   .

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain.