CAMPAIGN to DEFEND AMERICA 2008 Presidential Campaign
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CAMPAIGN TO DEFEND AMERICA 2008 Presidential Campaign John McCain 2008 Initial Submission: 11/13/07 Updated: 2/08/08 NOTE: This document is constantly being updated based on continuing research, news and developing themes. An updated version of this document is available every Friday. What follows should be considered a draft and a constant work in progress. Biography Short Bio: John Sidney McCain III was born August 29, 1936 while his father was serving as an active duty naval officer in the Panama Canal Zone. His Grandfather was also a Naval officer. Religion: Episcopalian. Education: U.S. Naval Academy, B.S., 1958; National War College, 1974 Family: Senator McCain has seven children and four grandchildren, and currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife Cindy. McCain has married twice. Married Cindy Hensley (May 17, 1980 - present); Carol Shepp (1965- 1980, divorced); Children: Bridget, 1991 (adopted from Bangladesh, 1992); Jimmy, 1988; Jack, 1986; Meghan, 1984; Sidney, 1966; Adopted sons from Carol’s previous marriage: Andy, 1962, and Doug, 1959. Cindy’s (his second wife) formal education includes an undergraduate degree in Education and a Master’s in Special Education from the University of Southern California. As a student, Cindy participated in pilot programs testing Movement Therapy, which is now a widely accepted standard for working with severely disabled children. After receiving her degrees from USC, she began her teaching career at Agua Fria High School in Arizona where she continued her work with disabled children. Cindy McCain continues to be an advocate for kids. Early Career: John attended college at the United States Naval Academy, and launched a 22-year career as a naval aviator upon his graduation. In 1958 McCain graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned as a naval officer. In 1965 McCain married Carol Shepp, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and adopted her two sons, Doug and Andy. Their third child, Sidney was born a year later in 1966. In 1967 McCain was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy. He continued the McCain tradition of service to country passed down to him from his father and grandfather when he asked to serve in the Vietnam War. In Vietnam, McCain had numerous near-death experiences. On July 29 1967, a missile accidentally fired from a nearby plane struck the fuel tanks on John’s plane and created a deadly inferno aboard the ship. John barely escaped the fiery disaster that killed 134 men, injured hundreds more and destroyed 20 planes. Instead of taking the option to return home after the Forrestal disaster, Senator McCain volunteered for more combat duty - a fateful decision that stopped the clock on his life and separated him from his family, and country, for five and a half years. During his 23rd bombing mission on October 26, 1967, a missile struck John’s plane and forced him to eject, knocking him unconscious and breaking both his arms and his leg. John was then taken as a prisoner of war into the now infamous “Hanoi Hilton,” where he was denied necessary medical treatment and often beaten by the North Vietnamese. John spent much of his time as a prisoner of war in solitary confinement, aided by his faith and the friendships of his fellow POWs. After the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, John McCain and nearly 600 fellow POWs were released from the Hanoi Hilton, ending the longest wartime incarceration in U.S. history. In 1979, McCain was promoted to Captain in the US Navy. In 1980, John McCain marries his wife, Cindy Hensley of Phoenix, Arizona. Senator McCain’s last Navy duty assignment was to serve as the naval liaison to the United States Senate. John retired from the Navy in 1981. His naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Congressman and Senator: McCain was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1986, after serving two terms in the U.S. House. He has fought to reduce spending and the influence of ‘special interests’ on lawmaking. John McCain was presented with the “Taxpayer’s Hero Award” in 1997, 1998, and 1999 by The Council for Citizens against Government Waste (amongst other taxpayer awards). John McCain was awarded the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 1999. Also in 1999, McCain published a best-selling book Faith of My Fathers is published. In 2000 McCain ran for President. In 2002, together with Russ Feingold, McCain helped pass landmark legislation for campaign finance reform, which reformed the influence of money in political campaigns. Also in 2002 McCain published another book and hosted SNL. In 2004 McCain published another book, Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life. In 2004, McCain was re-elected to his fourth term in the United States Senate with over 77 per cent of the vote. In 2005 McCain received numerous taxpayer awards and another “Eisenhower institute award.” The following is a biographical article on John McCain by the Financial Times: Early years: John McCain, 71, was born on a US military base in Panama. Both his father and grandfather were celebrated navy admirals -- the latter commanded the US aircraft carrier fleet in the Pacific during world war two -- and there was never much doubt that he would follow in their footsteps. McCain spent his childhood bouncing from one naval base to another with his family before enrolling at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. He was a lacklustre student with a rebellious streak that often landed him in trouble. He also led a colourful social life, including a period dating a Brazilian exotic dancer. After graduating fifth from bottom of his class, McCain opted to become a naval airman. He survived a crash into the Gulf of Mexico while training in Texas -- the first of several near-death experiences over the course of his flying career. Career: McCain’s first brush with momentous international events came when he took part in the US naval blockade of Cuba during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Five years later he was sent to Vietnam and nearly died when a stray rocket struck his aircraft as it prepared for takeoff from an aircraft carrier. McCain escaped the wreckage but 132 sailors died in the ensuing fire. He cheated death again when he was shot down on a bombing mission over Hanoi. He parachuted into a lake with a broken arm and leg and nearly drowned before locals saved him. The next five years were spent as a prisoner of war – including two years in solitary confinement and periods of torture. As the son of a senior US commander, his capture was front-page news in the US. The North Vietnamese offered to release him but McCain refused to leave before prisoners who had been there longer. He was freed after the Paris Peace Accords in 1973 and was greeted in the US as a hero. After a period of recuperation he became a navy squadron commander and later the chief navy liaison officer to the Senate. This latter position gave him a taste for politics and, after settling in Arizona with his second wife, Cindy, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and the Senate five years later. His Senate career got off to a rocky start when he became embroiled in an ethics scandal surrounding a bankrupt financial company he had lobbied for. McCain admitted an error of judgment and has since earned a reputation for campaigning against government corruption and waste. He ran for president in 2000 but narrowly lost the Republican nomination to George W. Bush. Ill-feeling between McCain and Bush lingered for years and there was speculation that he would join the Democratic presidential ticket as John Kerry’s running mate in 2004. The rumours proved unfounded and McCain later became a staunch supporter of two controversial Bush administration policies -- the troop ”surge” in Iraq and reform of US immigration laws. Policies: McCain’s campaign rests on two main pillars: his support for the war on terror and his promise to tackle wasteful government spending. McCain has vowed to stay on the offensive against terrorists, describing Islamic extremism as an “existential” threat to US civilisation. His support for offering illegal immigrants a path to citizenship has alienated many conservatives -- prompting him to put greater emphasis on the need for tighter border security. On social issues, he has sought to shed his moderate image and woo Christian conservatives by stressing his longstanding opposition to abortion. Campaign: Eight years ago, McCain was the plucky underdog who put up a valiant but ultimately futile fight against George W. Bush for the Republican nomination. In 2008, McCain was determined that he would be the bid- budget frontrunner with establishment backing. But the strategy backfired when his unpopular positions on immigration and Iraq caused a slump in fundraising. It was only after resuming the role of straight-talking underdog that McCain’s fortunes improved. Declining violence in Iraq also helped revive his campaign by vindicating his support for the “surge”. Character: McCain is known as a political maverick who puts principle ahead of political calculation and party loyalty. He has a sharp sense of humour but off-colour jokes sometimes land him in trouble. His volatile temper is also legendary on Capitol Hill. Approaching his 72nd birthday, he would be the oldest first-term president ever inaugurated. Supporters point to his 95 year-old mother as evidence of good genes. He has seven children from two marriages, including an adopted daughter from a Bangladeshi orphanage.