John McCain

Brief history

McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone[?], the son and grandson of prominent Navy admirals. He followed in their footsteps and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1958. He was shot down over Vietnam in 1967, and was held as a prisoner of war in Hanoi for five and a half years. He was released from captivity in 1973 and retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain in 1981.

McCain was elected as an Arizona congressman to the United States House of Representatives in 1982. In 1985, after two terms in the House he was elected to the United States Senate where he is currently serving his third term. In 1997, Time magazine named him as one of the "25 Most Influential People in America." In the 2000 presidential election, McCain ran for but lost the Republican presidential nomination to George W. Bush. McCain put up a strong challenge Bush, who was the favorite, managing to win the GOP primaries in New Hampshire, Michigan, Arizona, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont.

Political views

McCain is considered to be one of the more liberal members of the Republican Party. Though conservative on social issues such as abortion, his opinions on fiscal matters are often closer in line with the views of the Democrats. Because he often breaks party lines in the Senate, he is often called a "maverick senator."

One of McCain's main passions in his political career has been the topic of campaign finance reform. Strongly opposed to what he sees as the destructive influence of soft money in elections, the Senator has repeatedly tried to pass legislation that would place a limit on the amount of cash allowed to be contributed to candidates. In 2002 McCain was able to pass a key campaign finance reform bill, known as the McCain-Fiengold bill[?], though its success is yet to be determined.

Military awards

Silver Star -- Bronze Star[?] -- Legion of Merit -- Purple Heart -- Distinguished Flying Cross

External links

• John McCain's Senate website (http://www.senate.gov/~mccain/)