American Republican politician, senator from Arizona since 1987. Previously, from 1983 to 1987, member of the House of Representatives. Veteran Vietnam War, has military awards. From 1967 to 1973 he was in Vietnamese captivity. One of the main contenders for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2008 elections.
John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936 at the American naval base Coco Solo in the zone Panama Canal. After graduating from Episcopalian in 1954 high school in Alexandria (Virginia), followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather: both of them were admirals of the US Navy. Graduated in 1958 Naval Academy USA in Annapolis (Maryland). His academic success was rather modest: he occupied one of the last lines in the course performance rating.
In 1958, McCain enlisted in the Naval Air Corps. Took part in the Vietnam War. In 1967, air defense forces Northern Vietnam McCain's plane was shot down over Hanoi. The young officer was captured in a prisoner of war camp known as the "Hanoi Hilton". There he spent five and a half years - until 1973, subjected to humiliation and torture. His life was saved only by the fact that McCain's father, Admiral John S. McCain Jr., commanded American forces on Pacific Ocean, and the Vietnamese became aware of this. The prisoner of war was offered early release, but he refused. Under torture, McCain signed a confession, which the Vietnamese command used for propaganda purposes: “I am a dirty criminal who committed an act of air piracy. I almost died, but the Vietnamese people saved my life, thanks to the Vietnamese doctors.” Weakened by torture, McCain tried to commit suicide, but his attempt was interrupted by security. One of the consequences of McCain's time in captivity was his premature gray hair - later, because of it, he violently became involved in political life USA, nicknamed White Tornado.
Upon his return to the United States, McCain took up the position of Naval Liaison Officer with the Senate. In 1974 (according to other sources, in 1973) he graduated from the National War College in Washington. Retired in 1981. He has several military awards: the Order of the Bronze Star, the Cross for Flying military merits", Order "For Military Merit", Order " Purple Heart", Order of the Silver Star.
After a short stint working for his father-in-law, beer baron James Hensley, McCain began political career. In 1982, as a member of the Republican Party, he was elected from Arizona to the House of Representatives, and then, in 1986, to the Senate. A few years later, McCain's political career nearly came to an ignominious end when he became one of the "Keating Five," a group of senators who tried to illegally lobby the interests of Arizona financial magnate Charles Keating. The Senate investigation was limited to convicting McCain of “poor foresight.”
In 1996, McCain participated in the presidential campaign of his friend, Republican candidate Bob Dole, and two years later decided to try his own own strength in the presidential race. In 2000, he entered the Republican primary but lost to Texas Governor George W. Bush. McCain managed to win a decisive victory in the first round of the primaries in the state of New Hampshire, but the senator was unable to continue the election fight with the Bush team. He was hit by a wave of damaging rumors: it was about McCain himself being allegedly mentally ill, and his black adopted daughter allegedly being his native child from a prostitute. Presumably, the source of such rumors were strategists who worked for McCain’s opponent, in particular the “architect” of Bush’s victories, Karl Rove. Even his military background, which he used as his main trump card throughout his political career, did not save the senator from defeat.
Another factor that scared Republican voters away from McCain was his persistent desire for independence from the party line and the choice of political moves that are unconventional for Republicans. The senator has long been disliked by pro-Republican lobbyists. He became known as an advocate for election law reform, pushing for greater transparency in the flow of funding to candidates. various groups influence. In 2002, he and Democratic Senator Russ Feingold pushed for legislation to limit donations to political parties from corporations, trade unions and law firms. In 2005, McCain initiated judicial trial against renowned lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Abramoff admitted at trial to trying to bribe officials, prompting a new campaign to curb lobbying practices.
During the 2004 election, McCain reportedly supported the incumbent's candidacy through the efforts of Rove and McCain's top aide, John Weaver. Bush's opponent, Democratic Senator John Kerry, made it clear that he would not mind seeing McCain as his vice president, but McCain remained party loyal.
The Arizona senator has been known as a leading hawk since the Kosovo conflict, when he chided the Bill Clinton administration for not taking strong enough action against the Serbian government. McCain not only opposed the withdrawal American forces from Iraq, but also called for an increase in the contingent in this country. At the same time, McCain criticized the administration's policies regarding prisoners suspected of terrorist activities. In October 2005, he introduced a bill banning the practice of torture in American prisons. The document was carried out in a spirit traditional not for Republicans, but for Democrats. Vice President Dick Cheney and the presidential adviser tried to reason with the senator. national security Stephen Hadley, but McCain remained adamant. In December 2005, his bill was passed by Congress.
As the 2008 presidential election approached, McCain emerged as a potential Republican favorite. In June 2006, in terms of popularity ratings, he left behind the likely Democratic candidate, Senator Hillary Clinton: 46-47 percent of respondents were ready to vote for McCain, and 40-42 percent for Clinton. Facing another Democrat, former Vice President Albert Gore, McCain's lead could be even greater: 51 percent to 33 percent.
McCain, with his controversial reputation among party members, had to appear in a new capacity: he declared himself as a staunch conservative, began to make speeches of praise for Bush, and established relationships with some of his former rival's influential advisers and sponsors. McCain tried to draw attention to his strong sides, from the point of view of party discipline: he voted for a ban on abortion, against control over small arms, for use death penalty, supported the missile defense program. He endorsed the Bush administration's tax cuts, which he opposed in 2001 and 2002. In addition, McCain tried to enlist the support of religious conservatives with whom he previously did not get along, in particular the famous televangelist Jerry Falwell. However, observers note that it will not be easy to overcome the accumulated contradictions between McCain and his party - he is one of the few Republican senators who voted against the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and for federal funding of the stem cell research program.
In light of McCain's possible victory in 2008, his attitude towards Russia is especially interesting: the senator has gained a reputation as one of the main "Russophobes" in the United States. He criticized the political course of the Russian leadership and the leadership of Russia's ally Belarus, as well as Bush's "pro-Russian" position. McCain argued that Russia, a country with very little "glimpse of democracy" and cooperating with Iran, should not be allowed into the club of leading developed countries, the G8. In 2006, the senator called on Bush to boycott the G8 summit in St. Petersburg. McCain is known as a defender of anti-Russian regimes in the region former USSR. In 2005, together with Hillary Clinton, he nominated Viktor Yushchenko and Mikheil Saakashvili for the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2006, McCain assured the Georgian leadership that the United States would certainly protect this Caucasian country from Moscow’s imperial ambitions.
Since 2005, McCain has chaired the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and is also a member of the Armed Services, Commerce, Science and Transportation committees. It was assumed that if the Republicans won the midterm elections in November 2006, McCain could head the Armed Services Committee in January 2007, but the victory went to the Democratic Party - the Democrats won a majority in both houses of Congress. Shortly after the election, it became known that an exploratory committee had been created to prepare for McCain's participation in the 2008 presidential race - thus the first step was taken towards the official nomination of the senator for president.
In 2006, McCain was ranked tenth on the list of richest US senators, with a net worth of $29 million. His main source of income is a beer company owned by his wife, Cindy Hensley McCain. McCain co-authored several books with his assistant Mark Salter. One of them, the autobiography Faith of My Fathers, was published before the presidential election in 1999 and became a bestseller.
John McCain is married for the second time. He has seven children: four sons and three daughters. Moreover, two of the sons are the children of his first wife, adopted by him, and one of the daughters is the notorious black orphan from Bangladesh. The senator has four grandchildren. One of McCain's sons, Jim, is serving in the Corps. Marine Corps USA and could become one of the American troops in Iraq. The senator is worried about his son, but does not intend to change his attitude towards the war.
Full name: John Sidney McCain III. US Senator from Arizona, the only Republican presidential candidate who lost the election on November 4, 2008. to his Democratic rival Barack Obama. He was nominated for the presidency earlier, in 2000, but then lost in the primaries to George Bush. A veteran of Vietnam, where he spent several years as a prisoner of war, and an active supporter of the military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. John McCain, an opponent of the policies of the current Russian leadership, put forward the idea of excluding Russia from the G8, proposing to include India and Brazil there instead.
Biography
John Sidney McCain was born on August 29, 1936. at the US Air Force base, which was located in Panama - in an area leased at that time by the United States. His father (also John McCain) was then a naval officer. Little John spent his childhood at various military bases, where the McCain family moved after the father of the family. As a result of frequent movements, John managed to study in about two dozen different schools, not excelling academically, but distinguished himself in the field of wrestling.
After graduating from school (1954), J. McCain followed in the footsteps of his father (and grandfather-admiral) and entered the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. During his training, he could not boast of discipline and received at least 100 reprimands annually. The future senator graduated from college in 1958. with 894th result out of 899 graduates. After the academy, J. McCain went to flight school, and, having completed his training in 1960, began serving as a pilot on aircraft carriers in the Caribbean.
The career of the pilot John McCain was accompanied by aircraft accidents in which he miraculously managed to stay alive. While still in flight school, his engine failed during a flight and the plane crashed to the ground while landing. Then, while serving in Spain, John McCain inadvertently hit power lines with his fighter, after which he was transferred to an instructor position at an air base in Mississippi. However, this did not save the future senator from another aviation incident: in 1965. During the flight, the engine of his plane caught fire, and John McCain had to urgently eject (the car, of course, crashed). This did not discourage him from flying further, and he asked to be transferred to a combat position. The pilot’s desire was satisfied at the end of 1966. he was transferred to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal. True, aviation accidents continued to haunt him there: in 1967. During a fire on an aircraft carrier, an unguided shell hit the fighter in which John McCain was preparing to take off. According to established tradition, John McCain managed to survive, but this time he was wounded in the legs and chest.
Having recovered from his injury, John McCain continues to fly sorties - the American military is in full swing in Vietnam military operation, and the future senator, as part of his squadron, bombs targets in North Vietnam. In October 1967, during the execution of the next combat mission, J. McCain crashes his last plane in his career - he is shot down by Vietnamese air defenses. The pilot himself managed to eject and fell into the lake, Once again demonstrating its survivability and unsinkability. From there, with numerous injuries and fractures, Vietnamese soldiers caught him and sent him to die in a Hanoi prison without providing any medical assistance.
However, John McCain was lucky again - the Vietnamese command established that they had captured the son of a high-ranking American officer(J. McCain's father had by that time become an admiral in the US Navy), and he was provided with medical care, which allowed J. McCain to survive. Then followed long years captivity, during which he was repeatedly tortured and turned completely gray. After 5.5 years of imprisonment, J. McCain was released in 1973. and returned to the USA to be with his family. After completing a year-long rehabilitation course, in 1974 he returns to military service, but realizes that due to his injuries he will not reach the rank of admiral (as his grandfather and father managed) and eventually retires to the reserve with the rank of captain 1st rank in 1981.
Shortly before leaving the service, in April 1980, John McCain divorced his first wife Carol (née Shepp). He unofficially separated from her long ago, shortly after his return from captivity - partly due to a car accident in which Carol was involved in 1969. with serious consequences for your appearance. A month after the divorce, he marries his daughter famous businessman James Willis Hensley - Cindy Lou. With the financial support of her father, he begins a political career, and already in 1982. Elected member of the US House of Representatives from Arizona.
In 1986 from the same state of Arizona, J. McCain won elections to the US Senate, and has since firmly established himself in it (re-elected in 1992, 1998, 2004). During his senatorial service, he served on the Senate Armed Services, Commerce, and Indian Affairs committees. From the very beginning, he established himself as an individualist politician, often going “against the grain” and protesting against decisions made by his “native” Republican Party. Thus, back in the House of Representatives, he opposed the introduction of a peacekeeping contingent American troops to Lebanon in the early 80s (supported by the party), he was also against the tax cuts in the early 2000s proposed by the George W. Bush administration. J. McCain also proposed increasing taxes on cigarettes so that these funds would be used to finance anti-tobacco campaigns - however, this initiative found support in the camp of Democratic rivals, but did not meet with enthusiasm among fellow party members.
In 2000 John McCain decides to try his hand at a presidential campaign for the first time. He managed to provide serious competition to George Bush during the “primaries”, winning in a number of states, but in the end, George McCain lost to his rival.
However, the political capital and fame acquired during the first campaign were not in vain: 8 years later, John McCain again appeared in the primaries as a contender for his candidacy in the presidential election. This time, the initiative turned out to be more successful: he defeated his rivals without much difficulty and ahead of schedule became a single candidate from the Republican Party (unlike the Democrats, where the intrigue around the candidacy - Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama? - persisted almost until the end of the "primaries" ). Already March 5, 2008 his candidacy was supported by George Bush, who said that the country “needs a president” like John McCain. However, on November 4, 2008 American voters chose to vote not for his candidacy, but for B. Obama's candidacy.
As a person with a military background, John McCain advocates strengthening the American armed forces and is a supporter of the deployment of US missile defense (ABM) in Europe. He also advocates bringing the military campaign in Iraq to a victorious end, with an estimated withdrawal of American troops from there by 2013. TO Russian leadership the militant senator-candidate is very critical, and has repeatedly stated that Russia is not even close to democratic or economically developed country, and therefore should not be included in the G8. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko periodically receives criticism from J. McCain for retreating from democracy, but President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili and President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko were awarded a loyal attitude - he even nominated them for Nobel Prize world in 2005
John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936 at the American Air Force Base Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone.
McCain's father, John Sidney "Jack" McCain Jr., was a U.S. naval officer who served in World War II. John McCain's grandfather, John S. McCain, was one of the founders of the US Navy's carrier strategy.
John McCain followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1958, becoming a carrier-based aviation pilot. Subsequently, for a year and a half, he underwent training on the Douglas A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft at the bases naval aviation in Florida and Texas. In 1960, McCain graduated from flight school and became a naval attack pilot.
Since 1960 he served on the aircraft carriers Intrepid and Enterprise in the Caribbean. Served on the Enterprise during Cuban missile crisis and the naval blockade of Cuba in October 1962.
In December 1965, McCain had an accident: the engine caught fire during the flight, John successfully ejected, but the plane crashed. After this incident, McCain asked his superiors to transfer him from an instructor position to combat service. And at the end of 1966 he was transferred to the aircraft carrier Forrestal.
In the spring of 1967, Forrestal took part in Operation Rolling Thunder, a massive bombing campaign against North Vietnam. On October 26, McCain, part of a squadron of 20 aircraft, flew to bomb a power plant in the center of Hanoi and was shot down by a Soviet anti-aircraft missile. The pilot ejected but was captured by Vietnamese soldiers. McCain spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and was released in 1973 under the terms of the Paris Agreement.
After returning from captivity, McCain remained in military service for some time. However, realizing that the consequences of wounds and injuries would not allow him to achieve the rank of admiral, he left active service in 1981 with the rank of captain 1st rank. During his service he was awarded with medals Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Honor, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
After his resignation, McCain became involved in political life USA and in November 1982 he was elected to the US House of Representatives from the first congressional district of Arizona as a Republican. He was re-elected to this post three times - in 1992, 1998 and 2004.
In 2000, McCain participated in the Republican presidential primary, becoming the most serious competitor to George W. Bush. He managed to win in New Hampshire, Arizona, Michigan and the New England states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont. The liberal part of the Republicans came out on his side, and conservative Protestant figures actively acted against him. During the election campaign, “dirty technologies” were used against McCain, targeting the conservative part of Republican voters. Thus, a rumor was spread that McCain had an illegitimate daughter from a relationship with an African-American woman. This rumor was related to the fact that he had adopted a girl from Bangladesh, but in the time remaining before the primaries, McCain did not have time to tell voters the truth. As a result, he lost, receiving 42 percent of the vote to Bush's 53 percent.
During the 2004 campaign, McCain was seen by Democratic challenger John Kerry's team as a possible vice presidential candidate who could attract liberal Republican votes. However, McCain refused this offer, remaining loyal to the party.
Contender for participation in the 2008 presidential elections as a candidate from the Republican Party.
Based on open sources
John Sidney McCain III(eng. John Sidney McCain III, born August 29, 1936 at the US Air Force Base "Coco Solo") - American Republican politician, US Senator from Arizona since 1987. Republican candidate in the 2008 US Presidential elections, where he lost to Democrat Barack Obama.
McCain's grandfather and father were admirals Navy USA. John McCain followed in their footsteps and graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1958, becoming a carrier-based aviation pilot. Veteran of the Vietnam War. He was shot down by a Soviet missile over Hanoi in 1967, was held captive by the Vietnamese for five and a half years, and was released in 1973 under the terms of the Paris Agreement.
In 1981, McCain retired from military service, and in 1982 he was elected to the US House of Representatives from the Republican Party. In 1986, he was elected senator from Arizona, and was re-elected four times - in 1992, 1998, 2004 and 2010. In 2000, he tried to run for president of the United States from the Republican Party, but lost to George W. Bush in the party elections. In 2008 he was a candidate for US Presidential nomination from the Republicans ( official support McCain was favored by then-incumbent President George W. Bush, but lost the election to Democratic candidate Barack Obama.
Early years and military career
Family
John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936 at the US Air Force base "Coco Solo" near the city of Colon in Panama (at that time the US leased Panama Canal Zone). McCain's father, John Sidney "Jack" McCain Jr. (1911-1981), was a U.S. naval officer who served in World War II as a submarine officer and completed his service as a four-star admiral. Awarded Silver and Bronze Stars. Mother - Roberta McCain, née Wright (born 1912). John McCain's grandfather, John S. McCain, also held the rank of four-star admiral and was one of the founders of carrier strategy Navy USA, participated in battles in the Pacific theater of World War II.
As a child, John traveled a lot with his parents due to his father's frequent transfers on business (New London, Connecticut; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and other military bases in the Pacific). At the end of World War II, the McCain family moved to Virginia, where John entered St. Stephen's School in Alexandria, studying there until 1949. In 1951-1954, McCain attended a private Episcopal school, where he achieved particular success in wrestling. Due to his father's frequent moves to total McCain studied around 20 various schools. In his childhood, he was distinguished by his energetic character, quick temper and aggressiveness, and the desire to win in competition with his peers.
Since childhood, McCain belonged to the Episcopal Church in the United States, but in 2007 he switched to the Baptists (Phoenix Baptist Church in Arizona, part of the Southern Baptist Convention - the conservative largest Protestant denomination in the United States), to which his second wife belongs.
Education, beginning of military service and first marriage
Following in his father's footsteps, after graduating from high school, McCain entered the Naval Academy in Annapolis and was graduated in 1958. John received at least 100 reprimands annually and was often subject to penalties for violations of discipline and failure to comply with military regulations, from unclean boots to inappropriate remarks to his superiors. At the same time, with a height of 1 meter 70 cm and a weight of 58 kg, he distinguished himself as a capable lightweight boxer. McCain received good grades only in those subjects that interested him: history, English literature And public administration. However, out of 899 graduates from the class of 1958, John McCain ranked 894th.
In 1958-1960, he trained for a year and a half on the Douglas A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida and Corpus Christi in Texas. During this time, he earned a reputation as a “party guy,” drove a Chevrolet Corvette, dated a stripper nicknamed “Maria the Flame of Florida,” and, as McCain himself later noted, “wasted his youth and health.” John was an aerial swashbuckler who rarely sat down for a flight manual. During training in Texas, the engine on McCain's plane failed and the plane crashed to the ground while landing. The pilot escaped with minor bruises. In 1960, McCain graduated from flight school and became a naval attack pilot.
American Senator John McCain, as a person, has become a kind of cliché in public politics, causing a programmed attitude and misunderstanding among ordinary citizens. But clever man nevertheless, he will think, analyze and understand that the significance of a politician of such magnitude should not be underestimated. But it would be more correct to think about what exactly they are showing us and why. After all, it is bright, unusual and unpredictable behavior that attracts great attention, and also allows you to “break through walls” that you can’t break through with composure and restraint. But it is not so easy to understand such an abundance of available sources. The sites simply provide any information for every taste and color with a bang. They do not disdain even such unconfirmed announcements as “Senator McCain is dead.”
But let’s try to understand everything in order and approach the question: who is he, this emotional and not always tactful senator, with journalistic impartiality and meticulousness to detail.
Senator John McCain: biography
The name of John McCain is no longer known to the first generation of Americans, although previously it was more associated with The two previous generations of John McCains were famous for their successful military careers. Both the current senator's father and grandfather rose to the ranks of four-star admirals in the US Army. But with such high political attributes, as US Senator John McCain, this name appears in history for the first time. But that's a little later. And first, on August 29, 1936, little Johnny Jr. was born at a US Air Force base in the Panama Canal Zone.
The manifestation of young Johnny's extraordinary heredity was not long in coming. Although in a strange way it demonstrated itself not in the boy’s abilities, but in his difficult character and precisely in the absolute lack of discipline inherent in military personnel. But the desire to be a leader, to crave constant victories, to be in the center of attention and success forced the athletic boy to seek self-realization in sports. For a guy who is self-centered, aggressive and wants to dominate his peers the best view wrestling became a sport. But even such opportunities could not satisfy the internal needs of a real fighter, so his further path Johnny did not associate himself with sports.
Military family
The family and everyday life of the military admiral - Johnny's father - already speaks for itself. Constant moving, a narrow and specific circle of friends, imprints of position and army discipline, military camps and the absolute absence of a quiet family life could not but influence the formation of the child’s personality. Psychologists believe that certain features of the formation of a child’s psyche most clearly influence decision-making, setting priorities, and the manifestation of characteristics in the character traits and behavior of an adult. And the picture of the boy’s family life does not seem to be the most calm and optimistic. And how has Senator McCain dealt with this throughout his life? His biography without it early period would not be complete.
However, to say that the characteristics of the experiences gained in childhood will exclusively influence the entire adult life person will also be very far from the truth. After all, an adult is capable and simply obliged to work on himself, to engage in self-education. All this allows us not only to overcome biological and acquired in childhood negative manifestations, and even turn them to your advantage and turn them into advantages on the way to achieving your goals. And for a person like Senator McCain, fortunately, this feature is already more mature age has become quite common. Therefore, the explosiveness and aggression present in the character of such a popular senator was the cause of considerable troubles in his youth, but today they have acquired bright, memorable features of a politician, and undoubtedly lead to success.
Beginning of a pilot's career
But in early years Johnny not only showed no hope for a good future, but also brought a lot of grief, worries, and often created the need to involve military connections and the authority of his father and grandfather, so as not to lose the chance to receive a decent education. Therefore, he graduated from the Maritime Academy with great difficulty. The young man falls under the most prestigious distribution. He becomes an officer and pilot of military aircraft on an aircraft carrier. Further training of pilots of this category should last another two and a half years. And if US Senator McCain left details about countless childhood adventures with his family and loved ones, then many unflattering facts are known from the subsequent period of his life. For example, sinking a military plane into the sea is not a joke. But it’s also quite easy to get off - it’s also talent, or rather, the family support of the father. This fact was the reason for John’s transfer to Europe, to summer school to become an attack pilot, but did not ruin the young man’s career. And this is not the pilot’s only mistake. After three more such incidents (and each time with a successful ejection), McCain decides to ask to go to Vietnam.
This and similar widely known stories about McCain testify mainly to one thing - the young man’s turbulent youth high position was carried out according to the principle “you need to try everything” and don’t worry about anything. You can, of course, say that this is a waste of health and youth. But is it in vain? After all, in fact, this is a kind of youthful experience that allows a person to grow up and tame himself. Only some people have enough modest and less abundant adventures, while for others the whole world is not enough. And we should not forget that it was impossible to do without women’s participation.
McCain's first marriage
Indulging in broad pleasures in the arms of female representatives, without even disdaining a certain type of occupation, the young officer nevertheless tried to settle down. At 28, he met Carol Shepp, a beautiful Philadelphia model, and a year later they married. For Carol, this was already the case, and from her first marriage to John’s classmate, she had two sons, whom the future Senator McCain adopted. A year later, the newlyweds had a daughter, Sydney. But by the age of thirty, the reckless driver, having acquired the status of a loving husband and father of the family, still did not want to cool down. Therefore, the very next year, 1967, Johnny took part as a pilot on an aircraft carrier.
Vietnam War
Again, this was not without incident. Well-wishers attribute the blame to Johnny, although official data does not confirm this. But it is worth noting that the fire on the aircraft carrier, the death of 21 combat aircraft, as well as 134 crew members did not affect the future senator. However, war cannot but take and destroy lives, even of such extraordinary personalities as American Senator McCain. His plane was shot down over Hanoi, and the pilot himself was sent to prison for five years.
But the lucky star over John, or rather, the admiral’s father again became the reason for a special attitude towards his son, even from the enemy. But whether you should be happy or upset about this, judge for yourself. Having learned that the captured pilot was the son of a US Air Force admiral, the Vietnamese forces decided to take advantage of this in their political game. No matter what anyone says, the fact that John tried to say goodbye to life in his cell, and also turned gray prematurely, speaks of one thing: this experience was not easy for him. There is evidence that the treatment of such a valuable prisoner was not the worst, and without physical violence or atrocities. But the biggest shocks for a person can be provoked by absolutely nothing physical influence and not even so much by mental violence (although it is difficult to imagine captivity that can avoid both the first and second), but by some kind of internal overcoming.
Return from captivity
Upon returning home five and a half years later, McCain received a disappointing medical diagnosis. After an unfortunate crash in Vietnam, serious injuries to the arm and leg cannot be completely cured. Doctors predicted that future Senator John McCain would never be able to fly again. The biography of the military pilot has come to an end, you can be sure. But such a verdict only made young McCain want to once again demonstrate his rebellious character and strength of character. He still independently lifted the plane into the sky and again caused its crash, once again successfully ejecting. This fact did not entail any special consequences, but I still had to give up the position of pilot.
Senator's second marriage
Returning from captivity, John was unable to resume his relationship with his wife, but he sincerely felt guilty. No matter how strange it may sound, for such an aggressive and restless person, admitting his guilt looks like heroic deed. Not everyone can say to themselves, as Senator McCain later wrote, that such a step was caused own selfishness, as well as immaturity in understanding the situation. The very admission of one's mistakes already characterizes a person from the best side. And for a man like John, such recognition speaks volumes about personal growth, internal activity and desire to move forward and improve oneself.
So, in 1980, the McCains officially divorced, but John continued to support his ex-wife in her long recovery after the car accident, and also left her both houses. But, obviously, there was another reason for this, since a month later John married a teacher from Arizona, Cindy Lou Hensley. Although it should be clarified that the new relatives were very wealthy businessmen. Over the course of five years, the couple had a daughter and two sons, who in the future continued the military traditions of the McCain family. A strikingly characterizing fact was the McCains’ desire to adopt a seriously ill newborn child from Bangladesh in the early nineties. There is no doubt that the initiative belonged mainly to the wife. But it is also worth noting that (at that time Senator) John McCain never stood aside on issues related to children.
Achievements of Officer John McCain
After Vietnam, McCain was given the position of liaison officer for the Navy and the Senate. He served here until his full retirement in 1981. Despite all the losses and troubles of his youth, Senator McCain has an impressive list of military awards: the Bronze Star and Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Order of Merit, and the Purple Heart. It is worth noting that McCain is among the ten richest senators, although this is not so much his merit as his wife’s substantial dowry. Cindy inherited her father's beer company.
The senator’s achievements also include writing several books, albeit in co-authorship with his assistant, Mark Salter. Agree that having such a temperament, writing a book is a true achievement, even if it is co-authored with an assistant. In addition, McCain's autobiography, "The Faith of My Fathers," became a real bestseller.
Beginning of a political career
After his resignation, John was able to devote himself to his father-in-law’s beer business for a short time, but thanks to the latter’s support, he entered the political arena. Just a year later, in 1982, as a member of the Republican Party, McCain entered the House of Representatives. And in 1986, already as a senator from Arizona, John McCain achieved real political heights. But even here, the inexhaustible energy of an already middle-aged, but incredibly active man did not allow him to sit still. By 2000, McCain took part in the presidential election race. And this is where all the methods of election campaigns found something to profit from and something to rummage through. It is enough to remember how turbulent the senator’s youth was. But this can discourage few people nowadays. Therefore, gradually many facts acquired a new interpretation and even the form of accusation. Not only were the war years raised, but also personal, family life. Journalists were able to twist even the adoption of a black girl so much in an unpleasant way, despite the fact that this may hurt the child’s psyche. Therefore, all this could certainly affect the election results.
Politics, like war, still changes people, even those as strong as Senator McCain. A photo of a young serviceman, full of optimism and heroism, next to a photo from captivity, as well as photographs of a politician, demonstrates an uncommented difference, taking into account age characteristics. This cannot fail to impress and simply makes you think about how the weight of years falls on the almost imperceptible tension of the lips, how the traumas suffered in life put gray hair on the hair, how the very position and forced behavior are obligatory, reflected on the face and facial expressions.
Political achievements of Senator John McCain
As a senator, McCain earned the respect, approval and support of Americans (and others). He supported the argumentative As an experienced military man, he supported the missile defense program and also opposed gun control. As a far-sighted politician, he advocated the use of the death penalty and also approved tax cuts, although not immediately. As a thoughtful man, Senator John McCain could afford to go against party priorities, for example, by voting for constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage (contrary to the views of most Republicans). He also supported a stem cell research program, and federal funds were allocated for it. Here we can also mention the senator’s reformist desires regarding electoral legislation.
Having lost the last presidential election to Barack Obama, John McCain chose not to tempt fate any longer and remain a senator for as long as fate destined for him. It is unknown for what reason, but in the summer of 2015, news spread across the Internet that Senator McCain had died. But everything became clear quite quickly; the fact was not confirmed. True articles have appeared that all this is disinformation. Although the noise, especially in in social networks, that's done enough. The discussions did not subside even after the truth was found out.
And in conclusion...
You can find quite a lot of interesting and intriguing facts about Senator John McCain. This is because a person with such a bright personality, active life, and extraordinary behavior simply cannot help but attract attention and provoke heated discussions (not to say gossip). This is how journalists, political games and simply curious citizens are. But it’s hard not to agree that it is precisely with such personal qualities man is directly born for the type of activity that we call politics. After all, this activity requires talent, courage and endurance. It's amazing that a man with such unusual biography, like Senator McCain, at almost 80 years old, still at the pinnacle of his fame and career, able to bear the weight of power and responsibility. And whatever McCain’s speeches, positions and preferences, his very life, personality and, moreover, achievements simply make one amazed and cause bewilderment. But giving facts a meaning with a plus or minus sign is already personal choice every person, and each of us has the right to this.