Place of birth, education. He was born at Coco Solo Air Force Base in the Panama Canal area. Her father and grandfather were admirals in the United States Navy.
In 1958 he graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis (Maryland). In 1958-1960. qualified as a Navy pilot. In 1974 he graduated from the National War College in Washington.
Army career. Starting in 1960, he served as a pilot on aircraft carriers, was an instructor at the Meridian Naval Base in Mississippi, then again as a pilot on an aircraft carrier. In the spring of 1967 he became a member of the Vietnam War. In October of the same year, during a sortie, McCain's plane was shot down over Hanoi. The pilot was wounded and taken prisoner, in which he spent five and a half years and thanks to which (and also the fact that his father commanded American troops during the Vietnam campaign) became known in his homeland. In March 1973, with the end of the war, he was released.
After graduating from the National War College in 1974, he commanded a training squadron, was a naval liaison officer for the US Senate (McCain later called the experience gained then "a real entrance to the world of politics").
Politician career. After retiring in 1981, McCain worked briefly for his second father-in-law's beer trading company. And a year later, again, not without the participation of his father-in-law, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the US Congress from Arizona from the Republican Party.
In November 1986, he was elected Senator from Arizona, after which he won the same post three more times - in 1992, 1998, 2004 and 2010. In the Senate, he was a member of the Indian Affairs, Armed Services, Commerce, Science, and Transportation committees. Since 2015, he has been chair of the US Senate Armed Services Committee.
By the late 1990s, McCain had gained significant political clout, especially among American conservatives. He has been sidelined by many of the corruption scandals that have rocked Washington in recent years. During his work as a senator, he became the author of many important bills.
In 2000, he made his first attempt to compete for the presidency of the United States, but lost to his fellow party member in the primaries. But in 2008, he managed to become the main candidate from the Republicans. This time, Bush Jr. officially supported McCain, but he got the post of the 44th President of the United States.
Support for Ukraine. After the forceful dispersal of the Euromaidan in Kyiv, McCain arrived in Ukraine and on December 14, 2013, after a meeting with the head of the Foreign Ministry, he visited a tent city. The next day, McCain, along with Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, appeared on stage in front of the protesters with words of support for peaceful protests.
McCain is a sharp critic of the Russian Federation, in one of his statements he called Russia "a gas station that pretends to be a country." In January 2015, he called on US President Barack Obama to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons to counter the aggressor in the Donbass.
Regalia. Captain 1st rank. He has a number of military awards - "Bronze Star", "Silver Star", "Purple Heart", "For Military Merit", the cross "For Outstanding Flying Merit".
Family bonds. In 1965-1980. He was married to fashion model Carol Shepp. McCain adopted two of her sons from her first marriage, and in 1966 the couple had a daughter.
Since 1980 he has been married to teacher Cindy Lou Hensley. From his second marriage, McCain had a daughter and two sons. Another girl (an orphan from Bangladesh) at the age of three months, the couple took into their family in 1991, and in 1993 they adopted them.
State. In 2006, McCain was ranked the 10th richest US senator. Experts estimated the state of the politician at $ 29 million. The main source of income was the beer company inherited by McCain's second wife from his father.
Death. On August 24, 2018, McCain announced his intention to stop treatment for the tumor. On August 25, 2018, not having lived 4 days before his 82nd birthday, John McCain died.
On September 2, 2018, McCain was buried in the city of Annapolis in the United States on the territory of the Naval Academy, where he studied, and the farewell ceremony was also held there. McCain was seen off with military honors and with the participation of aviation.
1. Family, early years and military career
2. Participation in the Vietnam War and captivity
3. Political career.Congressman and
4. McCain and the issue of campaign finance
Other aspects of activity in the US Senate
5. 2000 presidential candidate
6. Election campaign-2008
7. Political views
8. McCain and Russia
9. Hobbies of John Sidney McCain.
John McCain III- senior senator United States from Arizona since 1987. Member of the Republican political party since 1982. The main candidate for the Republican presidential elections USA 2008, where he was defeated by Democrat Barack Obama.
Name at birth: McCain III
Occupation: American, Republican Senator
Birthplace: Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone
Father: John S. McCain Jr.
Mother: Roberta Wright McCain
Spouse: Carol Shepp (div. 1980)
Cindy Lou Hensley (Women 1980)
Children: Douglas (born 1959, adopted 1966), Andrew (born 1962, adopted 1966), Sydney (born 1966), Megan (born 1984), John Sidney IV "Jack" (born 1986), James "Jimmy" (born 1988), Bridget (born 1991, adopted 1993)
Awards and titles
silver star
"Legion of Honor"
bronze star
Medal "Purple Heart"
Distinguished Service Cross
POW medal
National Defense Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Order of Victory named after St. George (Georgia, 2006)
Family, early years and military career
John McCain the third was born on August 29, 1936 at the air force base USA"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 US naval officer who fought in World War II. wars(as a submarine officer), who completed his service with the rank of four-star admiral. Awarded with Silver and Bronze Stars. Mother - Roberta McCain, nee WRIGHT(born in 1912). McCain III's grandfather, John S. McCain, also held the rank of four-star admiral, was one of the founders of the carrier-based strategy of the US Navy, participated in battles in the Pacific theater fighting 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, state Hawaii, 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, McCain attended about 20 different schools in total. In childhood, he was distinguished by an energetic character, irascibility and aggressiveness, the desire to win in competition with peers.
From childhood, McCain belonged to the Episcopal Church of the United States, but in 2007 he switched to the Baptists (the Phoenix Baptist Church in Arizona, which is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest conservative Protestant denomination in the United States), to which his second wife belongs.
Following in his father's footsteps, after leaving school, McCain entered the Naval Academy in Annapolis, from which he graduated in 1958. John received at least 100 reprimands annually and was often reprimanded for violation of discipline and non-compliance with military regulations, from unpolished boots to inappropriate remarks about bosses. 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 got good marks only in those subjects that interested him: history, English literature and public administration. Nevertheless, out of 899 graduates of 1958, John Sidney McCain scored 894th.
In 1958-1960, he trained for a year and a half on the Douglas A-1 Skyrader attack aircraft at the Pensacola Naval Aviation Base in Florida and Corpus Christi in Texas. During this time, he earned a reputation as a "party person", 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 air scorcher and rarely sat up to read the flight manual. While training in Texas, the engine on McCain's plane failed and the plane crashed to the ground on landing. The pilot escaped with minor injuries. In 1960, McCain graduated from flying school and became a ground attack pilot in the Naval Aviation.
From 1960 he served on the aircraft carriers Intrepid and Enterprise in the Caribbean. He served on the Enterprise during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the naval blockade of Cuba in October 1962. While serving in Spain, McCain inadvertently hit power lines in flight, and this incident caused him to be transferred to Meridian Naval Base in Mississippi, where he became an instructor.
In 1964, he met Philadelphia model Carol Shepp, whom he married on July 3, 1965. McCain adopted two of her sons from her first marriage (with classmate John) - Doug (3 years old) and Andy (5 years old). In September 1966 their daughter Sydney was born.
In December 1965, McCain had another accident. During the flight, the engine caught fire, John successfully ejected, but the plane crashed. McCain asked his superiors to transfer him from an instructor position to combat service. At the end of 1966 he was transferred to the aircraft carrier Forrestal. McCain continued his military service in the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft. By March 1967, his father had already become Commander-in-Chief of the US Naval Forces in Europe and was serving in London.
Participation in the Vietnam War and captivity
In the spring of 1967, Forrestal was transferred to the Pacific Ocean to participate in Operation Rolling Thunder. McCain, like his colleagues, expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the list of targets was limited, so that they had to be hit many times, with no guarantee that these targets were significant for winning the war. At the same time, American pilots had to overcome the air defense system created with the participation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ().
On July 29, 1967, McCain nearly died in a Forrestal fire. An unguided rocket accidentally fired hit his plane, which was preparing to take off from the deck. He managed to escape by jumping onto the deck. The ensuing fire killed 134 and injured 62 US Navy sailors. More than 20 aircraft were irretrievably lost. McCain was hit by shrapnel in the legs and chest. After the Forrestal was sent for repairs, on September 30, 1967, McCain was transferred to the aircraft carrier Oriskany in the 163rd assault squadron. In total, until the end of October 1967, he made 22 sorties, including targets in the Haiphong and Hanoi regions.
On October 26, 1967, McCain, as part of a group of 20 aircraft, flew to bomb a power plant in the center of Hanoi and was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile (later former Soviet officer Yuri Trushechkin announced his participation in his downing). The pilot ejected and landed in the lake, nearly drowning; he broke both arms and a leg and was severely beaten by Vietnamese soldiers: his shoulder was shattered and he was wounded twice. In this state, McCain was placed in the main prison of Hanoi - they refused to send him to the hospital, believing that he would die anyway.
During interrogation, in accordance with the American military regulations, he gave only brief information about himself - by the name of the Vietnamese established that they had captured the son of a high-ranking American officer. Only after that he was provided with medical assistance, and his captivity was officially announced. He spent six weeks in the hospital, this time a French television journalist was admitted to him, he was visited by prominent Vietnamese figures who considered McCain a representative of the American military-political elite. In December 1967, having lost 26 kg and turned gray (he later received the nickname "White Tornado"), McCain was transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Hanoi, where his comrades took care of him.
In March 1968 he was placed in solitary confinement.
In July 1968, his father became Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Fleet and, by extension, Commander of the US Navy in the Vietnam War. Then, for propaganda purposes, the North Vietnamese authorities offered to release McCain before his comrades, but he said that he would only accept if the American military personnel who had been captured before him were also released. Vietnamese officials informed the American representative at the Paris peace talks, Averell Harriman, about McCain's refusal to release him.
In August 1968, McCain was subjected to constant beatings (every two hours) in an effort to break his will. At the same time, he was ill with dysentery, and the guards prevented him from committing suicide. After four days of such "interrogations", he wrote a short "confession" of his criminal activities against the Vietnamese people - while using uncharacteristic communist jargon to show that this document was obtained through torture. New fractures received these days have led to the fact that McCain has lost the ability to raise his hands above his head. He later recalled: “I learned what we all learned there: each person has his own limit. I have achieved mine." However, his mistreatment did not stop there - he continued to be beaten (two or three times a week) for refusing to sign a new "confession". He recalled that every morning the warden came to him and demanded that the prisoner bow to him, and in response to refusal, stabbed him in the temple. In addition, they tried to force McCain to give out military information - after another beating, he announced that he agreed to give the names of his squadron mates, after which he listed the list of Green Bay Packers football players to the Vietnamese. In the same period he refused on principle to meet with American anti-war activists who visited Hanoi, in order to prevent him from being used for propaganda purposes against his country.
In the summer of 1969, one of the Americans released from captivity reported the torture to which he was subjected. Thereafter, the treatment of prisoners of war improved. In October 1969, McCain was transferred to the Hoalo Prison, known ironically to American pilots as the Hanoi Hilton. There, he continued to refuse to meet with American anti-war activists and journalists who sympathized with North Vietnam.
The prisoner of war was offered early release, but he refused. Under torture, McCain signed a confession that 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 from torture, McCain tried to commit suicide, but the guards interrupted this attempt. One of the consequences of McCain's captivity was his premature gray hair - later, because of it, he, rapidly involved in the political life of the United States, received the nickname White tornado.
In total, McCain spent 1967 days (5 and a half years) in captivity and was released on March 15, 1973 after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords between the United States and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
After repatriation from captivity, McCain remained in military service. A photograph of him meeting with President Richard Nixon on September 14, 1973 at a reception at the White House became widely known (McCain was still on crutches at the time).
In 1973-1974, he attended the National War College (Washington, DC) and underwent a course of very debilitating and painful physical therapy, after which he was again able to do without crutches and restore his pilot's qualifications. In late 1974 he was assigned to a training squadron stationed at Cecil Field Naval Air Station near Jacksonville. state Florida, and then became its commander. Improvement in the combat readiness of this unit was associated with his organizational skills. In 1977, McCain became a naval liaison officer for the American US Senate- he later called this experience "a real entrance to the world of politics." In 1981, realizing that the consequences of injuries and injuries would not allow him to reach the admiral rank (like his grandfather and father), he left active service with the rank of captain of the 1st rank. During his military service, he was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Honor, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Soon after repatriation McCain from captivity, he broke up with his wife, who back in 1969 got into a severe car accident, after which she largely lost her attractiveness. McCain took responsibility for the downfall of his first marriage; he later wrote about his own selfishness and immaturity at the time and how he could not avoid confessing his guilt by referring to his Vietnamese captivity. On April 2, 1980, the couple officially divorced; at the same time, McCain left his former wife at home in Virginia and Florida, and also continued to finance her treatment.
Already on May 17, 1980, he entered into a new marriage with Cindy Lou Hensley, a teacher from Phoenix, Arizona and the daughter of a local big businessman James Willis Hensley (his wife inherited a huge beer company). In 1984 they had a daughter, Megan, in 1986, a son, John Sidney IV (“Jack”), like his father, who was educated at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, in 1988, a son, James, who entered the Marine Corps in 2006 and at the end 2007 sent to serve in Iraq. In 1991, the couple took into the family a three-month-old girl from Bangladesh, who was in Mother Teresa's shelter and needed treatment in the United States - she was named Bridget. After going through all the formalities, she was adopted in 1993.
By return in the United States, McCain took up the position of liaison officer for the Navy with chamber of the us congress. In 1974 (according to other sources, in 1973) he graduated from the National Military College in Washington. He retired in 1981. Has several military awards: Order of the Bronze Star, Cross for Flying Combat Merit, Order of Military Merit, Order of the Purple Heart, Order of the Silver Star.
Political career. congressman and senator
congressman After a brief stint in his father-in-law's organization, "beer baron" James Hensley, McCain embarked on a political career. With the active support of his father-in-law, McCain joined the political life of the United States and in November 1982 he was elected a member of the US House of Representatives from the first congressional district of Arizona as a Republican. Two years later, he was easily re-elected for another two-year term. McCain generally supported the political and economic course president Ronald Wilson Reagan. However, he voted against the presence of US Marines, who were part of the multinational force, in Lebanon, as he saw no prospects for a US military presence in that country. This vote, which ran counter to the interests of the republican administration, is associated with the beginning of the folding reputation McCain as an individualist politician. A month after that vote, US Marines suffered heavy casualties in the bombing of the Beirut barracks, proving McCain right. A few years later, McCain's political career almost ended ingloriously: he became one of the Keating Five, a group of senators who tried to illegally lobby the interests of the Arizona financial tycoon Charles Keating. The Senate investigation was limited to convicting McCain of "short-sightedness."
During his tenure in the House of Representatives, McCain specialized in Indian affairs and was involved in the passage of the Indian Economic Development Act, signed in 1985. In the same year, he visited Vietnam for the first time since captivity with the legendary journalist Walter Cronkite.
Senator. In November 1986, McCain was elected US Senator from Arizona, replacing the former Republican nominee for the post. president in 1964 by Barry Goldwater. In these elections, he received 60% of the votes. Officially, his term of office began in January 1987. He was re-elected to the US Senate in November 1992 (56%), November 1998 (69%) and November 2004 (77%, and even the majority of Arizona Democratic voters voted for McCain this time).
Since 1987, McCain has served on the House Armed Services, Commerce, and Indian Affairs committees. From 1995-1997 and 2005-2007 he was Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, from 1997-2001 and 2003-2005 he was Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee. trade. Since January 2007 - Senior Minority Representative on the Armed Services Committee.
Since 1993, McCain has been chairman of the board of directors of the International Republican Institute.
At the beginning of his tenure in the US Senate, McCain was involved in a high-profile political scandal related to the activities of the banker Charles Keating (Charles Keating, en), who was one of his political sponsors in 1982-1987 (in total, Keating financially supported the election campaigns of five US senators - Keating Five, en). In addition, McCain and his family made at least nine trips at Keating's expense - he later returned their cost, which was more than $ 13 thousand. When Keating began to have financial problems, McCain repeatedly met with financial regulators (overseeing US savings banks) in order to to help Keating. Support from McCain, like other senators, did not lead to any results, except for moral damage to them (later financial organization Keatinga went bankrupt, he himself spent five years in prison, although he was able to pay off most of the victims). Although McCain was not charged with illegal actions, the House Ethics Committee reprimanded him in connection with this story; he himself admitted the fallacy of his conduct in this matter.
After the Keating affair, McCain began to actively criticize the impact of big money on the American economy. politics. By 1994, he, along with Senator Ross Feingold (D-Wisconsin), developed a bill to limit political campaign contributions to corporations and other organizations, in part to avoid a repeat of situations like the Keating case. The McCain-Feingold bill met with strong opposition from prominent figures in both leading political parties United States, but met with support in the media and society. In 1995 the first version of this law was introduced to the US Senate, but failed the following year, the same thing happened again in 1998 and 1999. Law McCain-Feingold was passed only in 2002 (it became known as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act) after the controversial Enron case, which raised public attention to the problem of corruption. The legislation is considered McCain's major accomplishment during his senatorial career; he also raised his profile as a "political maverick".
McCain III was very fond of the song Take a Chance on Me by ABBA. He promised that in case of victory, Take a chance on me would sound in all elevators of the US Presidential Residence (White House). He is also known to listen to the song at high volume before important public performances. He even approached the members of Abba for permission to use the song as their official campaign anthem, but the group asked for too much money. Maybe Abba just didn't want their music to be associated with the Republicans.
Other aspects of activity in the US Senate
In the early 1990s, McCain, along with another Vietnam veteran, Senator John Kerry, worked on the problem of American servicemen missing in Vietnam, in connection with which he repeatedly visited this country. McCain's activities contributed to the normalization of US-Vietnamese relations. In the same period his relationship with Kerry improved - previously McCain perceived him sharply negatively due to Kerry's participation in the anti-war movement after repatriation from Vietnam.
As chairman of the committee for trade McCain advocated increasing taxes on cigarettes to fund anti-tobacco campaigns, reduce the number of teen smokers, increase health research, and offset the health care costs associated with the effects of smoking. At the same time, he received the support of the Democratic administration of Bill Clinton, but broke up with the majority of senators from his own political party As a result, his initiative was not implemented.
He is a supporter of the liberalization of immigration legislation(with some restrictions) and action to prevent global warming - in these matters, his position diverges from the point of view of the conservative majority of the Republican electorate. Unlike most of his political party colleagues, he voted in the US Senate against a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and in favor of federal financing stem cell research programs. At the same time, his position on a number of other iconic issues - such as abortion, the death penalty, welfare issues - is distinctly conservative.
McCain and Russia
In the light of McCain's possible victory in 2008, his attitude towards the Russian Federation is especially interesting: he won reputation one of the main "Russophobes" of the United States. He criticized the political course of the Russian leadership and the leadership of the allied Russian Federation of Belarus, as well as Bush's "pro-Russian" position. McCain argued that the Russian Federation - country, in which "glimpses of people's power" are extremely weak and which cooperates with Iran - should not be allowed into the club of leading developed countries, the "Big Eight". In 2006, the senator urged Bush to boycott the G8 summit in St. Petersburg. McCain is known as a defender of anti-Russian regimes in the former USSR. In 2005, together with Hillary Clinton, he nominated Viktor Yushchenko and Mikhail Saakashvili for the Nobel Prize. prizes peace. In 2006, McCain assured the Georgian leadership that the United States would certainly protect this Caucasian country from Moscow's imperial ambitions.
John Sidney McCain is known for his extremely negative attitude towards the policies of the second Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2003, he stated that "American foreign policy must reflect the sobering conclusion that a Russian government that does not share our most basic values cannot be a friend or partner and risks, by its own conduct, placing itself in the ranks of an enemy." In his opinion, "a creeping coup against the forces popular government and market capitalism in the Russian Federation threatens the foundations of US-Russian relations and creates the specter of a new era of “cold peace” between Washington and Moscow.” Playing on George W. Bush's famous remark about "Putin's soul", after meeting with the Russian president in Slovenia, McCain said: "When I looked into Putin's eyes, I saw three letters: KGB."
In 2005, McCain and Senator Joseph Lieberman submitted a draft resolution to the US Senate demanding that the Russian Federation be suspended from the G8. In the same year, he became one of the initiators of the adoption by the US House of Congress of a resolution accusing Russian authorities that the trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev was "politically motivated." The demand to exclude the Russian Federation from the G8 McCain expressed in the future:
Today we see the Russian Federation led by a cabal of former spies. They try to intimidate their democratic neighbors like Georgia, they try to play on addiction Europe from Russian black gold and gas. We need to reconsider the Western view of the revanchist Russian Federation. The first step is to expand the G8 to include market-leading people's power— Brazil and India, and exclude the Russian Federation.
McCain's point of view on the processes taking place in the post-Soviet space is also directly opposite to the position of the Kremlin. So, he actively criticizes the activities of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, in connection with which in 2004 he was banned from entering this country, according to McCain himself, his supporters and part of the media hostile to the current Belarusian leadership. Belarusian authorities they argue that this step was a symmetrical response (not only in relation to McCain, but also to a number of other American officials) to similar US measures against the President of the Republic of Belarus and other representatives of the leadership of Belarus. In 2005, McCain, along with Senator Hillary Clinton, nominated Mikheil Saakashvili and Viktor Yushchenko for the Nobel Peace Prize. The application said: "Awarding these two people with the Nobel Peace Prize will not only celebrate their historic role in Georgia and Ukraine, but will also give hope and inspiration to all those who seek freedom in other countries where it does not exist."
John Sidney McCain III is
In 2007, McCain was a supporter of a bill to support Georgia's and Ukraine's efforts to join NATO.
On August 26, 2008, McCain stated: "After Russia illegally recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Western countries should think about the independence of the North Caucasus and Chechnya, which was subjected to bloody violence by the Russian Federation."
In October 2008, McCain's headquarters sent a request for financial support (amount to choose from: from a few dollars to 2000) of his election campaign to the Permanent Mission of Russia to the UN. In response to this, the Russian Permanent Mission issued a press release on 18 October stating: “We have received a letter from Senator McCain III requesting a financial contribution to his presidential campaign. In this regard, we would like to reiterate that neither Russian officials, nor the Russian Permanent Mission to the UN, nor the Russian government finances political activities in foreign states.” According to representatives of McCain's campaign headquarters, we are talking about a simple computer glitch.
In 2006, McCain ranked tenth on the list of the richest US senators, his fortune was 29 million. dollars. The main source of his income is beer firm owned by his wife Cindy Hensley McCain. McCain has co-authored several books with his assistant Mark Salter. One of them, the autobiography Faith of My Fathers, was published before the 1999 presidential election and became a bestseller.
McCain III is married for the second time. He has seven children: four sons and three daughters. At the same time, 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 US Marine Corps and could become one of the US troops in Iraq. The senator worries about his son, but does not intend to change his attitude towards the war.
Interests of John Sidney McCain
In his youth, McCain performed in the ring - he boxed well in lightweight. Among his hobbies were fishing, American football, basketball and baseball. In his circle of friends, John became famous as "a virtuoso in cooking barbecue."
McCain loves animals very much. He has an English spaniel named Sam, two turtles - Cuff and Link, an Oreo cat, a ferret, three parrots and aquarium fish.
From food, he prefers chocolate ice cream and pizza.
McCain has always been interested in cars: as a trainee he drove a Chevrolet Corvette, and now he owns an executive Cadillac.
Music and films. McCain prefers rock and roll. Of all the representatives of this trend, he singles out Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry and Roy Orbison. Favorite actors are Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe, and favorite director is Clint Eastwood. Favorite films are Viva Zapata!, Letters from Iwo Jima and Only Girls in Jazz.
Of the TV shows, McCain likes only Seinfeld, a comedy series that ran from 1989 to 1998, and 24, a thriller series that premiered in 2001.
Books. McCain's favorite book is Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls. The current presidential candidate is also known as a writer: he has already published four books - "The Faith of My Fathers" (1999), memoirs "It's Worth the Fight" (2002), "Why Courage Matters" (2004) and "Character is Destiny" (2005). McCain is currently working on a book on Afghanistan.
Wikipedia
US presidential candidate John Sidney McCain III- John McCain was born on August 29, 1936 in the Panama Canal Zone, which at that time was controlled by the United States. In 1958, he graduated from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis (Maryland) and entered the service in the naval aviation. Served in... Encyclopedia of newsmakers
John Sidney McCain- Republican John McCain is declared the winner of the Washington state midterm elections on February 10. US Senator John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936 at the American naval base Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone ... Encyclopedia of newsmakers Wikipedia
McCain
McCain, John- John McCain John McCain Birth name: John Sidney McCain Occupation: American ... Wikipedia
MOSCOW, July 20 - RIA Novosti. US Senator John McCain has been diagnosed with brain cancer. Doctors have already done surgery to remove the tumor, and he is now at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.
Political scientist: McCain is considered an extraordinary politician in the USUS Senator John McCain vowed to return to work after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor. Political scientist-Americanist Viktor Olevich on the air of radio Sputnik noted the specific position of the senator in foreign and domestic policy of the United States.The 80-year-old senator and his family are "exploring options for further treatment," doctors said. McCain himself promised to return to work after he recovers from the operation.
“Yes, I will have to stay at home a little longer, undergo treatment. I will be back,” the politician told his friend and Senate colleague Lindsey Graham.
"Let's pray. God knows how this will end, not me. But I know one thing: this disease has not yet faced such a serious rival," Graham added in an interview with the Associated Press.
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in turn, McCain "an unusually strong" person.
What is John McCain known for?
John McCain has been a member of the Senate for over 30 years and is considered one of the most respected American politicians.
McCain was born on August 29, 1936 in a military family. His grandfather and father were four-star admirals in the US Navy. The future senator himself graduated from the US Naval Academy, becoming a carrier-based pilot.
In 1967, during the Vietnam War, McCain's plane was shot down by a Soviet missile over Hanoi, and the pilot himself was taken prisoner. He was released only five and a half years later, when Vietnam and the United States signed the Paris Peace Accords.
McCain left the military in 1981 with the rank of captain first, after which he joined the Republican Party and entered politics. In 1986, he was elected Senator from the State of Arizona, a post he still holds today.
In 2008, McCain won the Republican primaries and fought for the presidency of the United States. Then Barack Obama won the election, who received the votes of 338 out of 538 electors. At the same time, McCain lost even in several traditionally Republican states, experts attributed this to his tough immigration program.
In 2015, John McCain chaired the House Armed Services Committee.
Anti-Russian position
The Republican senator is also known for his tough anti-Russian stance. So, in May, he said that Russia threatens world security more than the "Islamic state"*.
"I think IS* can do terrible things, and I'm really worried about what's happening to the Muslim faith, I'm worried about a lot of things about it. But it's the Russians who are trying to destroy the foundations of democracy, in other words, to change the results of the American elections. I haven't seen evidence that they succeeded, but they tried and still try to change the outcome of the elections," the senator said at the time, adding that he did not see evidence of "Russian interference" in the American electoral process.
“I consider Vladimir Putin, who split Ukraine, a sovereign state that puts pressure on the Baltic countries, I consider the Russians the most serious challenge that we have,” McCain added.
Despite McCain's tough stance, President Vladimir Putin said he was sympathetic to the senator.
"In fact, I even like him a little. Yes, yes, yes, I'm not kidding now, I like him for his patriotism and consistency in protecting the interests of his country," the president told filmmaker Oliver Stone during the filming of the documentary "Interview with Putin".
At the same time, the Russian leader noted that politicians like McCain "are still living in the old world and do not want to look into the future."
*Terrorist organization banned in Russia.
US 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 a smart person will still think, analyze and understand that the significance of a politician of such magnitude should not be underestimated. And it would be more correct to think about what exactly they show us and why. After all, it is bright, unusual and unpredictable behavior that attracts a lot of attention, and also allows you to "break through walls" through which composure and restraint cannot break through. But it is not so easy to understand such an abundance of available sources. Sites just with a bang give out any information for every taste and color. They do not disdain even such unconfirmed announcements as "Senator McCain is dead."
But let's try to sort everything out in order and approach the question: who is he, this emotional and not always tactful senator, with journalistic impartiality and meticulousness to details.
Senator John McCain: biography
The name of John McCain is no longer known to the first generation of Americans, although earlier it was more associated with the two previous generations of John McCain were famous for a successful military career. Both the father and grandfather of the current senator 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 this is a little later. And first, at the US Air Force base in the Panama Canal zone, on August 29, 1936, little Johnny Jr. was born.
The manifestation of the extraordinary heredity of young Johnny was not long in coming. Although in a strange way he showed himself not in the abilities of the boy, but in his difficult character and just in the absolute absence of discipline inherent in the military. But the desire to be a leader, to crave constant victories, to be in the spotlight and success made the athletic boy seek self-realization in sports. For a self-centered, aggressive and dominating guy, wrestling has become the best sport. But even such opportunities could not satisfy the inner needs of a real fighter, so Johnny did not connect his further path with sports.
military family
The family and everyday life of the military admiral - Johnny's father, already speak for themselves a lot. Constant moving, a narrow and definite circle of contacts, imprints of position and army discipline, military camps and the absolute absence of a quiet family life could not but affect the formation of the child's personality. Psychologists believe that certain features of the formation of the child's psyche most clearly affect decision-making, prioritization, manifestations of features in the character traits and behavior of an adult. And the picture of the boy's family life is not the most calm and optimistic. And how does Senator McCain cope with this all his life? His biography without this early period would not be complete.
However, to say that the features of the experience gained in childhood will exclusively influence the entire adult life of a 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 not only to overcome the negative manifestations of biological and acquired in childhood, but even turn them to your advantage and melt them into pluses on the way to achieving your goals. And for a man like Senator McCain, fortunately, this feature has already become quite inherent in a more mature age. Therefore, the explosiveness and aggression that are in the character of such a popular senator, in his youth were the cause of considerable troubles, but today they have acquired vivid, memorable features of a politician, and undoubtedly lead to success.
The beginning of a pilot's career
But in his youth, Johnny not only did not show hope for a good future, but also brought a lot of grief, worries, and often created the need to connect military ties and the authority of his father and grandfather, so as not to lose the chance to get a decent education. Therefore, he graduated from the Naval 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 the details of the 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 aircraft into the sea is no joke. But it’s also quite easy to get off - also a talent, more precisely, the father’s family support. This fact was the reason for the transfer of John to Europe, to a summer school for an attack pilot, but did not break the young man's career. And this is not the only oversight of the pilot. After three more such incidents (and each time with a successful ejection), McCain decides to ask for Vietnam.
This and similar well-known stories about McCain testify mainly to one thing - the turbulent youth of a young man of high position was carried out according to the principle "you need to try everything" and do not worry about anything. Of course, you can say that this is a waste of health and young years. 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. Modest and less plentiful adventures are enough for some people only, and not enough for others and the whole world. And do not forget that it was impossible to do without female participation.
McCain's first marriage
Indulging in wide pleasures in the arms of the female representatives, not disdaining at the same time even some kind 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 were married. For Carol, it was already, and from her first marriage to classmate John, she had two sons, whom the future Senator McCain adopted. A year later, the newlyweds had a daughter - Sydney. But the scorcher by the age of thirty, having acquired the status of a loving spouse and father of the family, still did not want to cool down. Therefore, already in the next year, 1967, Johnny took part in as a pilot on an aircraft carrier.
Vietnam War
Again, there were no incidents. Well-wishers attribute the blame to Johnny, although official figures do not support 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 of the future senator were not hooked. However, the war cannot but take and break the lives of even such extraordinary personalities as US Senator McCain. His plane was shot down over Hanoi, and the pilot himself ended up in a POW prison for five years.
But the lucky star above John, or rather, the father-admiral again became the reason for a special attitude towards his son, even from the enemy. But whether it is worth rejoicing at this or upset, judge for yourself. Upon learning that the captured pilot was the son of a US Air Force admiral, the Vietnamese forces decided to use this in their political game. Whoever and whatever tells, and the fact that John tried to say goodbye to life in the cell, and also turned gray prematurely, says one thing that this experience was not easy for him. There is evidence that such a valuable prisoner was treated not the worst, and without physical violence or atrocities. But after all, the biggest shocks for a person can be provoked by absolutely not physical influence and not even so much by mental violence (although it is difficult to imagine a captivity that can avoid both the first and second), but by some internal overcoming.
Return from captivity
Upon returning to his homeland five and a half years later, McCain was given 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 a military pilot on this, you can be sure, has come to an end. But such a sentence aroused in the young McCain only a desire to once again show his rebellious temper and firmness of character. He still independently lifted the plane into the sky and again caused its crash, once again successfully catapulting. This fact did not entail any special consequences, but the position of the pilot still had to be abandoned.
Senator's second marriage
Returning from captivity, John could not renew his relationship with his wife, but sincerely felt guilty. No matter how strange it may sound, but for such an aggressive and restless person, admitting one's guilt looks like a heroic act. Not everyone will be able to say for himself, as Senator McCain later wrote, that such a step was caused by his own selfishness, as well as immaturity in understanding the situation. The very recognition of one's mistakes already characterizes a person from the best side. And for a person like John, such recognition speaks of personal growth, inner activity and the 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 treatment after a car accident, and also left her both houses. But, obviously, there was another reason for this, since a month later John got married to a teacher from Arizona - Cindy Lou Hensley. Although it should be clarified that the new relatives were very wealthy businessmen. For five years, the couple had a daughter and two sons, who in the future continued the military traditions of the McCain family. A vividly characterizing fact was the desire of the McCains to adopt a seriously ill newborn child from Bangladesh in the early nineties. Undoubtedly, the initiative belonged mainly to the wife. But it is also worth noting that (already at that time Senator) John McCain never stood aside in matters relating to children.
Achievements of Officer John McCain
After Vietnam, McCain got the position of Naval Liaison Officer with 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 orders, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Order of Military Merit, and the Purple Heart. It is worth noting that McCain is in the top ten richest senators, although this is not so much his merit as a solid dowry of his wife. Cindy inherited her father's beer company.
Also, the achievements of the senator include the writing of several books, although in collaboration 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.
The 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 support of the latter, 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 the state of Arizona, John McCain achieved real political heights. But even here the inexhaustible energy of an already middle-aged, but unprecedentedly active person did not allow him to sit still. By 2000, McCain is running for president. And here all the methods of pre-election campaigns have found something to profit from and what to rummage through. Suffice it to recall what a stormy youth the senator had. But this can hardly discourage anyone in our time. Therefore, gradually many facts acquired a new interpretation and even the form of an accusation. Not only the war years were raised, but also personal, family life. Even the adoption of a black girl was twisted by journalists in such an unpleasant way, despite the fact that it can hurt the child's psyche. Therefore, for sure, all this could affect the results of the elections.
Politics, like war, still changes people, even people as strong as Senator McCain. A photo of a young soldier, full of optimism and heroism, next to a photo from captivity, as well as pictures of a politician, demonstrates an uncommented difference, given age characteristics. This cannot fail to impress and simply makes you think how the weight of the years falls on the almost imperceptible tension of the lips, how the life traumas suffered put gray hair on the hair, how the very position and forced behavior oblige, displayed on the face and facial expressions.
Political Achievements of Senator John McCain
As a senator, McCain has earned the respect, approval and support of Americans (and not only). He supported the argument. As a seasoned military man, he supported the missile defense program and also spoke out against gun control. As a forward-thinking politician, he advocated the use of the death penalty and also approved tax cuts, although not immediately. As a thinking person, Senator John McCain could afford to go against partisan priorities, for example, by voting for constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage (contrary to the opinion of most Republicans). He also supported the stem cell research program, and federal funds were allocated for it. Here one can also mention the reformist desires of the senator regarding the electoral legislation.
After losing the last presidential election to Barack Obama, John McCain chose not to tempt fate any more and remain a senator for as long as he was destined by fate. It is not known for what reason, but in the summer of 2015 the news spread around the Internet that Senator McCain had died. But everything quickly became clear, the fact was not confirmed. Truthful articles have appeared that all this is disinformation. Although the noise, especially in social networks, it has done a lot. The discussions did not subside even after finding out the truth.
And in conclusion...
There are quite a few interesting and intriguing facts about Senator John McCain. This is because a person with such a bright personality, active life, as well as extraordinary behavior simply cannot but draw attention to himself and provoke heated discussions (not to say gossip). Such are journalists, political games and just curious citizens. But it is difficult to disagree that it is with such personal qualities that a person is directly born for that type of activity that we call politics. After all, this occupation requires talent, courage and endurance. It is surprising that a man with such an unusual biography as Senator McCain, in his almost 80 years, is still at the top of his fame and career, being able to bear the burden of power and responsibility. And whatever the speeches, position and preferences of McCain, his very life, personality, and even more so, his achievements simply make one marvel and bewilder. But to attach importance to the facts with a plus or minus sign is already the personal choice of each person, and each of us has the right to do so.
Early years and military career
Family
John Sidney McCain the third was born on August 29 at the US Air Force Base "Coco Solo" near the city of Colon in Panama (at that time the US leased the Panama Canal Zone). McCain's father, John Sidney "Jack" McCain, Jr. (-), was a US Naval officer who served in World War II (as a submarine officer) and completed his service with the rank of four-star admiral. Awarded with Silver and Bronze Stars. Mother - Roberta McCain, nee Wright (born in). John McCain's grandfather, John S. McCain, also held the rank of four-star admiral, was one of the founders of the carrier-based strategy of the US Navy, and participated in battles in the Pacific theater of World War II.
As a child, John traveled a lot with his parents due to the frequent transfers of his father on business (New London, Connecticut; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 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 the city of Alexandria, having studied there until.V - McCain attended a private Episcopal school, where he achieved particular success in wrestling... Due to his father's frequent moves, in total, McCain studied at about 20 different schools. In childhood, he was distinguished by an energetic character, irascibility and aggressiveness, the desire to win in competition with peers.
From childhood, McCain belonged to the Episcopal Church of the United States, but moved to the Baptists (the Baptist Church of Phoenix in Arizona, which is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, which adheres to the conservative views of the largest Protestant denomination in the United States), to which his second wife belongs.
Education, early military service, and first marriage
Following in his father's footsteps, after leaving school, McCain entered the Naval Academy in Annapolis, was released in 1958. Every year, John received at least 100 reprimands and was frequently reprimanded for breach of discipline and failure to comply with military regulations, from unpolished boots to inappropriate remarks about 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 only got good grades in the subjects that interested him: history, English literature, and public administration. Nevertheless, out of 899 graduates in 1958, John McCain scored 894th.
McCain (bottom right) with the pilots of his squadron
Involvement in the Vietnam War
Captivity
The Vietnamese pull the downed McCain from the lake in the center of Hanoi
During the interrogation, in accordance with the American military regulations, he gave only brief information about himself - by the name of the Vietnamese established that they had captured the son of a high-ranking American officer. After that, he was given medical assistance, and his capture was officially announced. He spent six weeks in the hospital, during this period a French television journalist was admitted to him, he was visited by prominent Vietnamese figures who considered McCain a representative of the American military-political elite. In December 1967, having lost 26 kg and turned gray (he later received the nickname "White Tornado"), McCain was transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Hanoi, where his comrades took care of him.
Political career
congressman
With the active support of his father-in-law, McCain got involved in the political life of the United States and already in November was elected a member of the US House of Representatives from the first constituency of Arizona as a Republican. Two years later, he was easily re-elected for another two-year term. McCain generally supported the political and economic course of President Ronald Reagan. However, he voted against the presence of US Marines in Lebanon, who were part of the multinational force, as he saw no prospects for a US military presence in that country. This vote, which went against the interests of the Republican administration, is associated with the beginning of McCain's reputation as an individualist politician. A month after this vote, American Marines suffered significant casualties in the bombing of the Beirut barracks, proving McCain right.
During his tenure in the House of Representatives, McCain specialized in Indian issues and participated in the passage of the Indian Economic Development Act, signed in. That same year, he visited Vietnam for the first time since his captivity, along with the legendary journalist Walter Cronkite.
Senator
Since 1987, McCain has served on the Senate Armed Services, Commerce, and Indian Affairs committees. In - and -2007 he was chairman of the Indian affairs committee, in 1997- and -2005 - chairman of the trade committee. Since January 2007 - Senior Minority Representative on the Armed Services Committee.
McCain and the Campaign Finance Problem
At the beginning of his tenure in the Senate, McCain was involved in a high-profile political scandal related to the activities of the banker Charles Keating, who was one of his political sponsors in 1982-1987 (in total, Keating financially supported the election campaigns of five US senators - the Keating Five , ). In addition, McCain and his family made at least nine trips at Keating's expense - he later returned their cost, which was more than $ 13 thousand. When Keating began to have financial problems, McCain repeatedly met with financial regulators (overseeing US savings banks) in order to to help Keating. Support from McCain, like other senators, did not lead to any results, except for moral damage to them (later Keating's financial company went bankrupt, he himself spent five years in prison, although he was able to pay off most of the victims). Although McCain was not accused of illegal actions, the Senate ethics committee reprimanded him in connection with this story; he himself admitted the fallacy of his conduct in this matter.
After the Keating affair, McCain began to actively criticize the influence of big money on American politics. By 1994, he, along with Senator Russell Finegold (D-Wisconsin), drafted a bill to limit political campaign contributions to corporations and other organizations - including in order to avoid a repeat of situations like the Keating case. The McCain-Feingold bill met with strong opposition from prominent figures in both major US parties, but met with support in the media and the public. In 1995, the first version of this legislation was introduced in the Senate, but failed the following year, the same thing happened again in 1998 and 1999. The McCain-Feingold Act was passed only in (it became known as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act) after the scandalous case of Enron, increased public attention to the problem of corruption. The legislation is considered McCain's major accomplishment during his senatorial career; he also raised his profile as a "political maverick".
John McCain was very fond of the song "Take a chance on me" by ABBA. He promised that if he won, "Take a chance on me" would sound in all the elevators of the White House. He is also known to listen to the song at high volume before important public performances. He even approached ABBA members for permission to use the song as their official campaign anthem, but the group asked for too much money. It's possible that ABBA just didn't want their music to be associated with the Republicans.
Other aspects of activity in the Senate
In the early 1990s, McCain, along with another Vietnam veteran, Senator John Kerry, worked on the problem of American servicemen missing in Vietnam, in connection with which he repeatedly visited the country again. McCain's activities contributed to the normalization of US-Vietnamese relations. During the same period, his relationship with Kerry improved - McCain previously perceived him sharply negatively due to Kerry's participation in the anti-war movement after returning from Vietnam.
As chairman of the trade committee, McCain advocated increasing taxes on cigarettes to fund anti-tobacco campaigns, reduce the number of teenage smokers, increase health research, and offset the health care costs associated with the effects of smoking. At the same time, he received the support of the Democratic administration of Bill Clinton, but broke up with the majority of senators from his own party - as a result, his initiative was not implemented.
Fidel Castro spoke very harshly about McCain in a number of articles specially dedicated to him under the general title "Republican Candidate", where, in particular, he refuted McCain's claims that Cubans tortured American prisoners of war in Vietnam.
One of his pre-election proposals, McCain announced the need to create a "new UN, without Russia and China", in his opinion, it is necessary to create a new organization that would determine the policy of the "democratic part of the world community" - it could be the "League of Democracies", uniting in within its framework "more than a hundred democracies" .
Political views
McCain is in favor of strengthening the US military potential, increasing the size of the US military and for the deployment of a missile defense system (ABM). In his view, "effective missile defense is critical as an insurance against potential threats posed by possible strategic rivals such as Russia and China."
He is a supporter of the liberalization of immigration laws (with some restrictions) and action to prevent global warming - in these matters, his position diverges from the point of view of the conservative majority of the Republican electorate. Unlike most party colleagues, he voted in the Senate against a constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage, and in favor of federal funding for a stem cell research program. At the same time, his position on a number of other iconic issues - such as abortion, the death penalty, welfare issues - is distinctly conservative.
McCain and V. V. Putin's trolling
John McCain is known for his extremely negative attitude towards the strengthening, in his opinion, of the authoritarian regime in Russia and the policies of the second Russian President Vladimir Putin; according to the Russian newspaper Izvestia, McCain is sometimes referred to as the "chief
