John McCain

John McCain: A Profile

John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and military officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He was the Republican Party's nominee for president of the United States in the 2008 election, which he lost to Barack Obama.

McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, where his father was a United States Navy officer. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1958 and served as a naval aviator during the Vietnam War. He was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 and spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war.

After his release from captivity, McCain served in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1987. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1986 and was reelected five times. During his time in the Senate, he was a leading voice on national security and defense issues. He also played a key role in the passage of the McCain-Feingold Act, which reformed campaign finance laws.

In 2008, McCain was the Republican Party's nominee for president of the United States. He chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. McCain and Palin lost the election to Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

McCain continued to serve in the Senate after the 2008 election. He was a strong critic of President Obama's foreign policy, and he played a leading role in the Senate's investigation of the 2012 Benghazi attack.

McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer in July 2017. He died at his home in Arizona on August 25, 2018, at the age of 81.

McCain was a controversial figure, but he was also a respected and admired politician. He was known for his integrity, his courage, and his commitment to public service. He will be remembered as one of the most influential politicians of his generation.

Legacy

McCain's legacy is complex and multifaceted. He was a war hero, a politician, and a family man. He was also a man of contradictions, capable of both great courage and great stubbornness.

McCain's most enduring legacy may be his commitment to public service. He served his country for over 40 years, first as a naval aviator and then as a politician. He was a strong advocate for the military and for veterans, and he was a leading voice on national security and defense issues.

McCain was also a man of principle. He stood up for what he believed in, even when it was unpopular. He was a strong critic of President Obama's foreign policy, and he played a leading role in the Senate's investigation of the 2012 Benghazi attack.

McCain was a controversial figure, but he was also a respected and admired politician. He was known for his integrity, his courage, and his commitment to public service. He will be remembered as one of the most influential politicians of his generation.