John McCain - biography, photo, personal life of the politician. Senator John McCain: biography

Early years and military career

Family

John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29 at Coco Solo Air Force Base near the city of Colon in Panama (then the US-leased Panama Canal Zone). McCain's father, John Sidney "Jack" McCain Jr. (-), 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 in). John McCain's grandfather, John S. McCain, also held the rank of four-star admiral, was one of the founders of the US Navy's aircraft carrier strategy, and 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 Ocean. 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, studying there until. In - McCain attended a private Episcopal school, where he achieved particular success in wrestling. Due to his father's frequent moves, McCain studied in a total of about 20 different 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 of the USA, but switched to the Baptists (Phoenix Baptist Church in Arizona, part of the Southern Baptist Convention - the conservative largest Protestant denomination in the USA), 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 attended 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.

McCain (bottom right) with the pilots of his squadron

Participation in the Vietnam War

Captivity

Vietnamese pull downed McCain from a lake in central Hanoi

During interrogation, in accordance with American military regulations, he gave only brief information about himself - by his last name, the Vietnamese established that they had captured the son of a high-ranking American officer. After this, he was provided with medical assistance, and his capture was officially announced. He spent six weeks in the hospital, during which time a French television journalist was allowed to see him, and he was visited by prominent Vietnamese figures who considered McCain to be a representative of the American military-political elite. In December 1967, having lost 26 kg and turning gray (he later received the nickname “White Tornado”), McCain was transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Hanoi, where he was cared for by his fellow prisoners.

Political career

Congressman

With the active support of his father-in-law, McCain became involved in political life USA 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 to a new two-year term. McCain generally supported the political and economic course President Ronald Reagan. However, he voted against the presence of American Marines in Lebanon as part of the multinational force, since he did not see prospects for a US military presence in this country. This vote, which ran counter to 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 Beirut barracks bombing, which proved McCain right.

During his time in the House of Representatives, McCain specialized in Indian issues and helped lead the economic development Indian Territories, signed in . That same year, he visited Vietnam for the first time since captivity, along with legendary journalist Walter Cronkite.

Senator

Since 1987, McCain has served on the Senate Affairs Committees. armed forces, Commerce and Indian Affairs. In - and -2007 he was chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, in 1997- and -2005 - chairman of the Commerce Committee. Since January 2007, he has been the senior minority representative on the Armed Services Committee.

McCain and the problem of campaign finance

At the beginning of his tenure in the Senate, McCain became involved in a high-profile political scandal associated with the activities of banker Charles Keating, who was one of his political sponsors from 1982-1987 (in total, Keating financially supported the election campaigns of five US senators - Keating Five , ). In addition, McCain and his family made at least nine trips at Keating's expense - he later returned their cost, which amounted to more than $13 thousand. When Keating began to suffer financial difficulties, McCain met repeatedly with financial regulators (overseeing US savings banks) in order to provide assistance to Keating. Support from McCain, like other senators, did not lead to any results other than moral damage for them (later finance company Keating 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 error of his behavior in this matter.

After the Keating affair, McCain began to actively criticize the influence of big money on American politics. By 1994, he and Senator Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) drafted legislation to limit political campaign contributions from corporations and other organizations, in part to avoid a repeat of Keating-type situations. The McCain-Feingold bill faced strong opposition from prominent figures in both major US parties, but received support in the media and society. In 1995, the first version of this law was introduced in the Senate, but failed the following year, the same was repeated in 1998 and 1999. The McCain-Feingold Act was passed only in (it became known as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act) after the scandalous Enron case. increased public attention to the problem of corruption. This legislation is considered McCain's main achievement during his senatorial career; it also increased his fame as a "political maverick".

John McCain really loved the song “Take a chance on me” by ABBA. He promised that if he wins, “Take a chance on me” will be played in all the elevators of the White House. It is also known that before important public speaking he listens to this song at high volume. He even approached the members of ABBA for permission to use the song as the official election anthem, but the group asked for too high a sum. It's possible that ABBA simply didn't want their music to be associated with Republicans.

Other aspects of activity in the Senate

In the early 1990s, McCain, together with another Vietnam War veteran, Senator John Kerry, dealt with the issue of American servicemen missing in action in Vietnam, and therefore again visited this country several times. McCain's activities contributed to the normalization of US-Vietnamese relations. During the same period, his relationship with Kerry improved - McCain had previously perceived him sharply negatively due to Kerry’s participation in the anti-war movement after returning from Vietnam.

As chairman of the Commerce Committee, McCain advocated increasing cigarette taxes to fund anti-tobacco campaigns, reduce the number of teen smokers, increase health research and offset health care costs associated with the consequences of smoking. At the same time, he received the support of the Democratic administration of Bill Clinton, but disagreed 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 the Cubans tortured American prisoners of war in Vietnam.

One of his election proposals, McCain stated 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 within its framework there are “more than a hundred democratic states”.

Political Views

McCain advocates strengthening the US military potential, increasing the size of the US armed forces and deploying a missile defense system (ABM). In his opinion, "effective missile defense is critical as a hedge against potential threats emanating from possible strategic rivals such as Russia and China."

He is a proponent of liberalizing immigration laws (with some restrictions) and action to prevent global warming - on these issues his position diverges from that of the conservative majority of the Republican electorate. Unlike most of his party colleagues, he voted in the Senate against a constitutional amendment banning 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 significant issues - such as abortion, the death penalty, social security issues - is distinctly conservative.

McCain and trolling V.V. Putin

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 called the “chief

John Sidney McCain III(eng. John Sidney McCain III) - American politician, Republican, Vietnam War veteran, Senator from Arizona since 1987. Since 2015 - Chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee. John McCain died on August 26, 2018 at the age of 81.

Origin, Early Life and Education of John McCain

John McCain was born on August 29, 1936. John McCain's Wikipedia biography states that he was born at Coco Solo Air Force Base near Colon, Panama (then the US-leased Panama Canal Zone).

His father and grandfather were admirals in the US Navy. John became a carrier-based aviation pilot after graduating from the US Naval Academy (1958).

John's father John Sidney ("Jack") McCain Jr. (1911−1981) was a participant in World War II (fought as a submarine officer). He completed his service with the rank of four-star admiral.

Mother Roberta McCain, née Wright, was born in 1912.

Grandfather John S. McCain also rose to the rank of four-star admiral. He was one of the founders of the US Navy's carrier strategy.

After the war, the McCains settled in Virginia. John Sidney McCain, the third, entered St. Stephen's School in Alexandria, where he studied until 1949. Due to his father's frequent moves, McCain attended approximately 20 different schools in total.

After high school, John McCain entered the Naval Academy in Annapolis, from which he graduated in 1958.

At the academy, John practiced lightweight boxing (John McCain's height was 1 m 70 cm, his weight was 58 kg at that time). John McCain was a bad student. McCain was the third, despite his admiral relatives, to graduate from the academy, showing 894th result among 899 graduates.

The politician’s biography on the “Know Everything” website notes that McCain was only interested in classes in government, history and English literature, and that he often violated the rules and often spoke unflatteringly about his superiors. John McCain received at least a hundred reprimands every year.

John McCain's military career

After graduating from the Naval Academy, John McCain III trained for a year and a half on the Douglas A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft. As always, no matter what John did, he showed his aggressive, uncontrollable character. During a training flight in Texas, the engine on McCain's plane failed, but the pilot escaped with bruises during the flight. emergency landing.

In biographies, McCain himself admitted that he was a playmaker during this period. It is noted that he was more interested in strippers than in studies and airplanes, and did not really think about a career.

John McCain served on the USS Intrepid and USS Enterprise since 1960. Cuban missile crisis in October 1962. While serving in Spain, he inadvertently caught power lines in flight. As punishment, McCain was transferred to Naval Station Meridian in Mississippi, where he became an instructor.

Subsequently, John McCain continued to risk his health. In November 1965, his engine stalled again and John successfully ejected.

Having such a relative as the Commander-in-Chief of the US Navy in Europe (John McCain Sr.), pilot McCain asked to be transferred to combat duty and soon found himself in the Vietnam War.

John McCain's involvement in the Vietnam War

According to Wikipedia, the first air raid in Vietnam as part of the Rolling Thunder program was carried out on March 2, 1965. Throughout the year, the US Air Force bombed the railways and highways of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, civilian objects, and purposefully destroyed the crops on which they were dropped chemical substances.

McCain was sent to Vietnam. John often flew to the Haiphong and Hanoi areas on military missions

In Vietnam, not only the health, but also the life of John McCain was in constant danger. One day, on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal, where McCain served, a fire broke out due to a spontaneously launched Zuni missile. Bombs suspended from the planes began to explode. The disaster killed 134 and injured 161 US Navy sailors. More than 20 planes were also completely destroyed. McCain was hit in the legs and chest by shrapnel.

In late October 1967, John McCain flew to bomb a power plant in central Hanoi and was shot down by a Soviet anti-aircraft missile. John managed to eject, but broke both his arms and leg. In addition, the Vietnamese, who hated the American aggressors, brutally beat the uninvited guest: his shoulder was crushed and he was wounded twice. In this condition, John McCain was placed in Hanoi's main prison.

John spent six weeks in the hospital. In December 1967, McCain, who had lost 50 pounds and turned gray (later nicknamed "White Tornado"), was transferred to a prison camp in Hanoi, where he was cared for by fellow prisoners.

Given the situation of McCain's father, the North Vietnamese authorities offered to release John McCain early. However, he refused the offer to be released before his comrades.

McCain spent 5 and a half years in captivity and was released on March 15, 1973, after the Paris Peace Accords were signed between the United States and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

In 1973-1974, John McCain attended the National War College (Washington, D.C.) and underwent very grueling and painful physical therapy, after which he was again able to do without crutches and regain his pilot qualifications. But while still on crutches, John met with President Richard Nixon - a souvenir famous photo.

In 1977, McCain became a naval liaison officer for the US Senate. Realizing that with his health he would not be able to achieve the rank of admiral like his father and grandfather, McCain resigned with the rank of captain 1st rank.

It is curious that US President Donald Trump said in 2015 that he does not consider John McCain, who served as a carrier-based aviation pilot during the Vietnam War and spent more than five years in captivity, to be a hero. The billionaire believes that anyone who was captured by the Vietnamese cannot be a hero.

Political career John McCain

Already in November 1982, John McCain was elected to the US House of Representatives from the first congressional district of Arizona as a Republican.

He specialized in Indian issues and helped lead the Indian Territory Economic Development Act, signed into law in 1985.

In November 1986, McCain was elected US Senator from Arizona, succeeding Barry Goldwater. If in the first elections John McCain received 60% of the vote, then later (in 2004) he managed to get 77%, and he was also re-elected in 2010.

In 2000, McCain participated in the presidential primary from Republican Party, becoming the most serious competitor of George W. Bush, but lost to him after using “dirty” political technologies.

John McCain continued to be active political activity. On February 28, 2007, McCain announced the start of his new 2008 presidential election campaign, becoming one of the most familiar candidates to American voters. McCain was nominated by the Republicans as a candidate for the presidency of the United States, but lost the election to Barack Obama.

John McCain's political views

John McCain was one of Russia's harshest critics. Over the last 20 years of his career, he received the image of “America’s main Russophobe” for his extremely negative attitude towards the strengthening, in his opinion, of the authoritarian regime in Russia and the policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Regarding the events in Georgia in 2008, McCain said: “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 at the hands of Russia.” John McCain also actively criticized the activities of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, and therefore in 2004 he was banned from entering this country. McCain also called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban a neo-fascist dictator for his friendship with Russia.

McCain's anti-Russian sentiments became especially aggravated after the coup in Ukraine, to which John himself had a hand; his photo in Kyiv overlooking the Maidan and the photo in which the senator instructed the leaders of the Ukrainian opposition became very famous.

In July 2014, John McCain, on MSNBC, promised Russia “hell of retribution” if it turns out that the Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down by the people’s republic militias or by Russia itself.

After the US government introduced sanctions against Russia in 2014, McCain constantly demanded their tightening and expansion. When the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a response list of US officials and members of the US Congress who were denied entry into Russian Federation, McCain tried to joke that his “Siberian vacation was cancelled.” In response to this, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is prone to humor, advised McCain not to renounce going to Siberia.

Despite his love for Ukraine, John McCain did not accept the offer of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to join the created Council of Reforms of Ukraine, where the Ukrainian authorities sent the senator without waiting for his consent.

In 2015, McCain called on President Barack Obama to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons. According to John McCain, the United States is simply obliged to provide Kyiv with weapons so that the Ukrainians can “defend themselves.” “We will live with eternal shame because we did not give the Ukrainians weapons to defend themselves,” McCain was quoted as saying by the media.

Senator McCain has a pathological hatred of Russia. His speeches at Euromaidan, in the Senate, in Congress testified eloquently to this. McCain has repeatedly stated that he will never stop “efforts to support the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea.”

John McCain’s phrase became very famous: “Russia is a gas station pretending to be a country.”

John McCain was a supporter of arms supplies Syrian opposition. It is known that the senator repeatedly met with representatives of anti-government forces in Syria.

“Just imagine: the presidential administration warned Russia not to send troops to Syria. Russia did it anyway. The administration then attempted to close the air corridor from Russia to Syria. She failed. “Putin definitely needs to be stopped,” McCain lamented, calling the events in Syria “another humiliating failure of the United States” and specifically of the Barack Obama administration.

In January 2017, John McCain noted that Russia, by taking away the role of the main player in Middle East politics from the United States, had humiliated them. McCain also proposed dealing with Russia “as Ronald Reagan did,” who was head of the White House from 1981 to 1989: “establish peace through force.”

US President Donald Trump publicly criticizes McCain. The media reported Donald Trump's statement that Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham were working hard to unleash a Third World War. world war. Trump then noted that because of people like McCain, the United States is bogged down in conflicts. This was said after John McCain appealed to US President Donald Trump with a request to ensure the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine.

In May 2017, McCain said that Putin is a “bandit and a murderer” and Sergei Lavrov is his “minion and puppet” who should not be allowed into the Oval Office of the White House. Kremlin representative

American Republican politician, senator from Arizona since 1987. Previously, from 1983 to 1987, member of the House of Representatives. Vietnam War veteran with military decorations. 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 Panama Canal Zone. 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. In 1958 he graduated from the US Naval Academy 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, North Vietnamese air defenses shot down McCain's plane 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 - subsequently, because of it, he, rapidly becoming involved in the political life of the United States, received the nickname 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 Distinguished Flying Cross, the Order of Merit, the Order of the Purple Heart, and the Order of the Silver Star.

After a brief stint working for his father-in-law, beer baron James Hensley, McCain began his 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 hand 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. A wave of damaging rumors hit him: it was about McCain himself being allegedly mentally ill, and his black adopted daughter allegedly being his own 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 channeled to candidates by various pressure groups. 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 legal proceedings against the famous lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Abramoff admitted to bribery attempts in court officials, and this has inspired a new campaign to limit the practice of lobbying.

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 of American forces from Iraq, but also called for an increase in troops 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 National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley tried to reason with the senator, 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 gun control, for the use of 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, "Big Eight". 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 to receive Nobel Prize peace. 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 US Marine Corps and may 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.

Early years and military career

Family

John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29 at Coco Solo Air Force Base near the city of Colon in Panama (then the US-leased Panama Canal Zone). McCain's father, John Sidney "Jack" McCain Jr. (-), 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 in). John McCain's grandfather, John S. McCain, also held the rank of four-star admiral, was one of the founders of the US Navy's aircraft carrier strategy, and 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 Ocean. 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, studying there until. In - McCain attended a private Episcopal school, where he achieved particular success in wrestling. Due to his father's frequent moves, McCain studied in a total of about 20 different 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 of the USA, but switched to the Baptists (Phoenix Baptist Church in Arizona, part of the Southern Baptist Convention - the conservative largest Protestant denomination in the USA), 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 attended 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 government. However, out of 899 graduates from the class of 1958, John McCain ranked 894th.

McCain (bottom right) with the pilots of his squadron

Participation in the Vietnam War

Captivity

Vietnamese pull downed McCain from a lake in central Hanoi

During interrogation, in accordance with American military regulations, he gave only brief information about himself - by his last name, the Vietnamese established that they had captured the son of a high-ranking American officer. After this, he was provided with medical assistance, and his capture was officially announced. He spent six weeks in the hospital, during which time a French television journalist was allowed to see him, and he was visited by prominent Vietnamese figures who considered McCain to be a representative of the American military-political elite. In December 1967, having lost 26 kg and turning gray (he later received the nickname “White Tornado”), McCain was transferred to a prisoner of war camp in Hanoi, where he was cared for by his fellow prisoners.

Political career

Congressman

With the active support of his father-in-law, McCain became involved in US political life and in November 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 to a new two-year term. McCain generally supported the political and economic policies of President Ronald Reagan. However, he voted against the presence of American Marines in Lebanon as part of the multinational force, since he did not see prospects for a US military presence in this country. This vote, which ran counter to 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 Beirut barracks bombing, which proved McCain right.

During his time in the House of Representatives, McCain specialized in Indian issues and helped pass the Indian Territory Economic Development Act, signed into law. That same year, he visited Vietnam for the first time since captivity, along with 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 Commerce Committee. Since January 2007, he has been the senior minority representative on the Armed Services Committee.

McCain and the problem of campaign finance

At the beginning of his tenure in the Senate, McCain became involved in a high-profile political scandal associated with the activities of banker Charles Keating, who was one of his political sponsors from 1982-1987 (in total, Keating financially supported the election campaigns of five US senators - Keating Five , ). In addition, McCain and his family made at least nine trips at Keating's expense - he later returned their cost, which amounted to 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 assist Keating. Support from McCain, like other senators, did not lead to any results other than moral damage for 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 error of his behavior in this matter.

After the Keating affair, McCain began to actively criticize the influence of big money on American politics. By 1994, he and Senator Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) drafted legislation to limit political campaign contributions from corporations and other organizations, in part to avoid a repeat of Keating-type situations. The McCain-Feingold bill faced strong opposition from prominent figures in both major US parties, but received support in the media and society. In 1995, the first version of this law was introduced in the Senate, but failed the following year, the same was repeated in 1998 and 1999. The McCain-Feingold Act was passed only in (it became known as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act) after the scandalous Enron case. increased public attention to the problem of corruption. This legislation is considered McCain's main achievement during his senatorial career; it also increased his fame as a "political maverick".

John McCain really loved the song “Take a chance on me” by ABBA. He promised that if he wins, “Take a chance on me” will be played in all the elevators of the White House. He is also known to listen to this song at high volume before important public appearances. He even approached the members of ABBA for permission to use the song as the official election anthem, but the group asked for too high a sum. It's possible that ABBA simply didn't want their music to be associated with Republicans.

Other aspects of activity in the Senate

In the early 1990s, McCain, together with another Vietnam War veteran, Senator John Kerry, dealt with the issue of American servicemen missing in action in Vietnam, and therefore again visited this country several times. McCain's activities contributed to the normalization of US-Vietnamese relations. During the same period, his relationship with Kerry improved - McCain had previously perceived him sharply negatively due to Kerry’s participation in the anti-war movement after returning from Vietnam.

As chairman of the Commerce Committee, McCain advocated increasing cigarette taxes to fund anti-tobacco campaigns, reduce the number of teen smokers, increase health research and offset health care costs associated with the consequences of smoking. At the same time, he received the support of the Democratic administration of Bill Clinton, but disagreed 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 the Cubans tortured American prisoners of war in Vietnam.

One of his election proposals, McCain stated 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 within its framework there are “more than a hundred democratic states”.

Political Views

McCain advocates strengthening the US military potential, increasing the size of the US armed forces and deploying a missile defense system (ABM). In his opinion, "effective missile defense is critical as a hedge against potential threats emanating from possible strategic rivals such as Russia and China."

He is a proponent of liberalizing immigration laws (with some restrictions) and action to prevent global warming - on these issues his position diverges from that of the conservative majority of the Republican electorate. Unlike most of his party colleagues, he voted in the Senate against a constitutional amendment banning 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 significant issues - such as abortion, the death penalty, social security issues - is distinctly conservative.

McCain and trolling V.V. Putin

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 called the “chief

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 an intelligent person will still think about it, analyze it 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 a lot of attention, and also allows you to “break through walls” that you cannot 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 Johnny did not connect his future path 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 would not be complete without this early period.

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 makes it possible 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 his youth, 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 stories widely known about McCain testify mainly to one thing - the turbulent youth of a young man of high position was spent on the principle of “you need to try everything” and not 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 his son’s special treatment 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 brutality. But the greatest shocks for a person can be provoked not at all by 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 a heroic act. Not everyone can say to themselves, as Senator McCain later wrote, that such a step was caused by their own selfishness, as well as an immature understanding of the situation. The very admission of one's mistakes already characterizes a person with 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, although co-authored 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 for a short time beer business father-in-law, 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 even able to twist the adoption of a black girl in such an unpleasant way, despite the fact that it could 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 elections 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 is amazing that a man with such an unusual biography as Senator McCain, at almost 80 years old, is still at the peak of his fame and career, being 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 to give facts a meaning with a plus or minus sign is the personal choice of each person, and each of us has the right to this.