Top 10 Things To Know About John McCain
For this list, we're taking a look at the achievements, controversies, victories, and losses that defined John McCain's life, from his time serving the United States Navy, to his years in office, to the battle with brain cancer that claimed his life on August 25, 2018.
#10: Military Awards & Honors
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Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, John McCain became the third person in his family to graduate from the United States Naval Academy in 1958. Although McCain gained a reputation as a “rule breaker” while at the academy, he went on to have an enduring military career that lasted until 1981.McCain’s dedicated service earned him several military decorations and awards over the years. For demonstrating “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity” during his time as a prisoner of war, he received a Silver Star. His actions in Vietnam also resulted in two Purple Hearts, two Legion of Merit awards, three Bronze Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and a Prisoner of War Medal.
#9: Life in Senate
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After retiring from the Navy, McCain moved to Arizona and began a new career in politics. This Republican was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1982 and only five years later became the U.S. Senator from Arizona. McCain ran for reelection five times over the next three decades, always walking away victorious by a significant margin. Although McCain was praised by many for some of his bolder actions as senator, there were instances when his judgment was called into question. Nowhere was this more apparent than during the Keating Five scandal in which McCain and five other senators faced corruption allegations. Nevertheless, McCain would eventually overcome this hurdle with greater political aspirations.
#8: He Ran for President Twice
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With nearly two decades of political experience under his belt, McCain announced his candidacy for President of the United States on September 27, 1999. McCain gained support and media attention through his Straight Talk Express bus campaign, but his loss during the South Carolina primary largely derailed his chances of scoring the Republican nomination. Upon withdrawing, he endorsed former opponent and eventual winner George W. Bush. This didn’t stop McCain from launching another presidential campaign on April 25, 2007. His 2008 campaign proved more successful, with McCain securing the GOP nomination. Although he’d ultimately lose this historic election to Democratic nominee Barack Obama, McCain delivered a respectful concession speech and wished the president-elect goodwill.
#7: His Personal Life
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While at the Naval Academy, McCain met his future wife Carol Shepp, who was initially married to McCain’s classmate, Alasdair E. Swanson. Following her divorce, McCain married Shepp in 1965, adopting the two children from her previous marriage and welcoming their daughter Sidney into the world one year later. McCain was separated from his family for an extended period upon being captured in Vietnam. Although he was eventually reunited with them, his marriage to Shepp never recovered. A year after entering a relationship with heiress Cindy Lou Hensley, McCain’s first marriage officially ended. Over time, the couple had a daughter and two sons, as well as a fourth child they adopted from Dhaka.
#6: His Complicated Record
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The Keating Five scandal wasn’t the only concerning moment in McCain’s career. He actually voted against establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983, although McCain did express regret while visiting Memphis in 2008. Some critics claimed that McCain was a warmonger, as he pushed to take military action in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Kosovo, Mali, Nigeria, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. There was also an instance when a supporter claimed that Obama was “an Arab,” to which McCain replied, “He's a decent family man.” While McCain was applauded for defending Obama, some questioned his choice of words, as being “a decent family man” isn’t really the opposite of being “Arab.”
#5: He Supported Releasing the CIA Torture Report
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While not everyone agreed with his interventionist foreign policy, McCain was notably against using torture as an interrogation technique, having been subjected to such atrocities in Vietnam. McCain demonstrated his strong stance on anti-torture in 2014 when he supported releasing a report detailing the CIA’s brutal detention tactics following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Although many Republicans were against sharing this report, McCain drew from his own experiences during a passionate Senate speech, stating that these practices “not only failed their purpose—to secure actionable intelligence to prevent further attacks on the U.S. and our allies—but actually damaged our security interests, as well as our reputation as a force for good in the world.”
#4: He Was a Harsh Critic of Donald Trump
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Although they were affiliated with the same political party, McCain was one of the most high-profile Republicans who wasn’t afraid to speak out against Trump during his presidential campaign. In 2016, McCain called Trump’s comments on national security “uninformed” and “dangerous.” While McCain would later show his support for the GOP nominee, he also allegedly described a room full of Trump supporters as “crazies.” Trump infamously retaliated by criticizing McCain for getting captured in Vietnam. The tension between these two Republicans would persist even after McCain’s death, as Trump reportedly rejected a White House statement regarding the late Senator. The fact that McCain supposedly didn’t want Trump to attend his funeral is also quite telling.
#3: He Was Known as a Maverick
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Between McCain’s stances on torture and Trump, you can see why he earned a reputation as a political maverick. While McCain occasionally supported opinions and ideals that didn’t generally align with his party, he was still widely known for his conservative views. Because of this, it was debated whether or not McCain’s maverick status was justified, especially after Sarah Palin overused the word during the 2008 vice presidential debate. Speaking of the Alaska Governor, McCain’s decision to have Palin as his running mate was highly contested due to her lack of experience. Although they didn’t win, it’s been argued that Palin’s unlikely political career paved the way for Donald Trump to run for president.
#2: He Helped Save Obamacare
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McCain and Obama didn’t always see eye to eye, particularly when it came to healthcare. In 2017, McCain encouraged Congress to replace Obama's Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. Just a month following this statement, McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. Less than two weeks after McCain received brain surgery, he returned to the Senate where a vote to repeal Obamacare would soon take place. McCain surprised many when he rejected the repeal with the final vote coming in at 49–51 in favor of Obamacare. Of all the decisions McCain made throughout his political career, this is the one that people typically point to when describing him as a maverick.
#1: He Was a Vietnam Prisoner of War
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During his 23rd bombing mission on October 26, 1967, McCain’s aircraft was shot down over Hanoi, Vietnam. Upon ejecting from his A-4E Skyhawk, he suffered arm and leg fractures while almost drowning in Trúc Bạch Lake. When McCain was found by the North Vietnamese, he was taken to Hỏa Lò Prison and endured severe torture with little medical care. McCain remained a prisoner of war for five and a half years, although he was offered early release due to his father’s commander status. McCain refused to accept, however, unless the soldiers captured before him were released too. On March 14, 1973, McCain was finally freed and returned home, where he was hailed as a patriot.
