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March 28, 2024

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John McCain

John McCain warms up the crowd of disabled veterans Saturday, Aug. 9, 2008, at Bally's. The veterans also heard from Sen. Barack Obama, by videotape.

Photo by Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

John McCain warms up the crowd of disabled veterans Saturday, Aug. 9, 2008, at Bally's. The veterans also heard from Sen. Barack Obama, by videotape.

Biographical information | Issues | Latest campaign news


U.S. Sen John McCain of Arizona has a maverick style that got him in trouble a year ago with the Republican leadership and he nearly fell into the obscurity of second-tier candidates for president behind fellow Republicans Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney. But McCain's "Straight Talk Express" campaign seemed to be the GOP answer to the public clamor for change.

After wrapping up the GOP nomination fairly early, McCain, ever the maverick, picked a somewhat political unknown for his vice presidential running mate — Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin. Palin became an immediate GOP rock star, then faltered in an interview with CBS anchor Katy Couric that left some wondering if she was up for the job. Palin rebounded during the vice presidential debate with Democrat Joe Biden.

NEVADA CAUCUS — Although McCain is a senator from neighboring Arizona, his support of establishing the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste in Nevada and his support of a national ban on college sports betting didn't win him much support among Nevada Republicans.

During the Jan. 19 Nevada caucus, McCain finished in third place behind Mitt Romney and Ron Paul, with only 13 percent of the votes. (See stories, videos and blogs.)

WINNING THE WEST — After the grueling primary battle, a team of Sun journalists took a "Winning the West" road trip in August through the Southwest on the way to the Democratic and Republican national conventions. (See stories, videos, photos and blogs.)

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION — Packaging McCain the maverick with Palin the everymom reformer, Republicans hit the campaign trail claiming the theme of change as their own.

As the campaign entered into its final weeks, McCain's theme continues to be that while Obama talks about change, only McCain and Palin have the experience needed to conduct real reform and change in Washington, D.C.

Archive highlights

John McCain - bio information

Sun, Sep 28, 2008

Biographical and background information on John McCain.

John McCain on the issues

Mon, Oct 6, 2008

The following are John McCain's positions on selected issues.

All stories

Clinton makes his case for Obama

Mon, Oct 20, 2008

As Bill Clinton traveled the talk-show circuit last month in advance of his charitable foundation’s annual meeting, the former president’s passion for philanthropy was much more evident than his passion ...

Vegas papers split over presidential endorsement

Sun, Oct 19, 2008

Republican presidential candidate John McCain picked up an endorsement Sunday from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, while Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama gained the endorsement of the Las Vegas Sun.

Voters bring passion to polls

Sun, Oct 19, 2008

Nevada voters passionate enough to cast ballots on the first day of voting said in overwhelming numbers Saturday that they favored Democrat Barack Obama, according to interviews at voting sites ...

‘Terrorist’ ad called reckless

Sat, Oct 18, 2008

A Nevada Republican Party mail piece that accuses Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama of having “close ties to (a) domestic terrorist” is reckless and inflammatory, historians say, because it ...

Hawaii governor says nation wouldn’t be safe under Obama

Thu, Oct 16, 2008

Echoing the theme of recent John McCain campaign ads that claim Barack Obama associates with terrorists, Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle told a small Henderson audience that in this presidential election ...

Political miracle links McCain, Virgin of Guadalupe

Thu, Oct 16, 2008

Sen. John McCain’s earthly profile dominates the foreground; the Virgin of Guadalupe’s luminous visage nearly floats in the background.

McCain, Obama get tough, personal in final debate

Wed, Oct 15, 2008

John McCain told Barack Obama to his face Wednesday night, "You didn't tell the American people the truth" about a key campaign pledge as the two presidential rivals slung accusations ...

Presidential campaigns will deploy armies of poll watchers

Wed, Oct 15, 2008

A legion of attorneys and other campaign volunteers will descend on Nevada over the next three weeks to monitor the battleground state’s election, causing the state’s chief elections officer to ...

McCain more erratic than presidential

Sun, Oct 12, 2008

“It’s embarrassing,” an Italian foreign correspondent relented after diplomacy was pushed aside at the vice presidential debate. Not surprisingly, he was — along with others who nodded in agreement — ...

Senate Democrat still crossing his fingers

Thu, Oct 9, 2008

As slim as Republican Sen. John Ensign’s chances are of stopping Senate losses this fall as head of his party’s election committee, his counterpart, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, ...

McCain’s absence vexes Nevada backers

Thu, Oct 9, 2008

Conservative activists, operatives and officeholders are anxious about John McCain’s Nevada campaign, fearing the Arizona senator lacks the ground operation and commitment to win Nevada.

Claim Palin was union member hard to pin down

Tue, Oct 7, 2008

When Sen. John McCain introduced Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate in August, he described her as a former union member, someone who “understands the problems, the hopes ...

John McCain on the issues

Mon, Oct 6, 2008

The following are John McCain's positions on selected issues.

Why no principled conservative would seriously contend that Palin belongs on the ticket

Sun, Oct 5, 2008

After all the post-debate chatter about Sarah Palin’s resurrection (I bet a lot of folks were saying “Jesus” during her performance) and about her potential 2012 presidential candidacy (paging Mitt ...

Poll: Obama has 4-point edge in Nevada

Fri, Oct 3, 2008

A new poll released today shows Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama ahead of Republican Sen. John McCain by four points in Nevada.

Videos

Presidential Candidates on Health Care
Presidential Candidates on Health Care
With the latest scandal or character attack dominating most of today's political headlines, many voters ...
John McCain speaks in Vegas
John McCain speaks in Vegas
Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, speaks to members of the Disabled American ...
Reality Check: John McCain's
Reality Check: John McCain's "Love" campaign ad
Jon takes a look at John McCain's most recent campaign ad titled "Love."
Calming the Waters, seg. 2
Calming the Waters, seg. 2
Did Republican presidential nominee John McCain win over voters with the help of his vice ...