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April 30, 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

Ensign energizes first, pleads second

Fri, Sep 5, 2008

One sure way to whip the crowd to a roar at the Republican National Convention is this: Talk about freedom, throw in Ronald Reagan and invoke impassioned responses to yes-no ...

Attacks on media may fail

Fri, Sep 5, 2008

The image was arresting: Delegates to the Republican National Convention, fingers jabbing toward the crowd of assembled journalists as Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin hurled invective at the press corps: “I’ve ...

Heller: ‘Western’ ticket good for my bid

Fri, Sep 5, 2008

Republican Rep. Dean Heller said Thursday his party’s nomination of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for vice president this week completes what he sees as a “Western” ticket that will help ...

Palin energizes skeptical base

Thu, Sep 4, 2008

For months the presidential election has been all about Barack Obama. The causes: intense media and public interest in the freshman senator from Illinois, and a strategy by the campaign ...

Black, proud of Obama, but voting her conscience — for McCain

Thu, Sep 4, 2008

Thirty-six. That’s how many black delegates are reportedly at the Republican National Convention this week.

State's delegation ecstatic over Palin

Wed, Sep 3, 2008

The Sun interviewed nine Nevadans at the convention. They were enthusiastic about Sarah Palin, the surprise vice president pick of Sen. John McCain, and eager to recount details they find ...

Local supporters of Paul remain steadfast and fervent

Wed, Sep 3, 2008

A dentist who didn’t know the definition of a convention delegate 15 months ago spends his summer vacation trying to get Nevada’s delegates for presidential hopeful Ron Paul seated at ...

Slap on state party smarts in a state McCain needs

Fri, Aug 29, 2008

With Republicans descending on St. Paul, Minn., to nominate Ariz. Sen. John McCain, his organization must be wondering what kind of support he’ll find in Nevada now that the national ...

Romney risks upstaging McCain

Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Stumping in Henderson for the former rival he handily beat in Nevada’s caucus, Mitt Romney eagerly played attack dog Wednesday for Republican nominee-in-waiting Sen. John McCain.

How one die-hard Clinton supporter is swept from acceptance to conviction

Wed, Aug 27, 2008

Anne Zarate listened to Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night, and remembered how angry she was as a Clinton delegate to the Nevada Democratic Party’s state convention in May.

What Mailer teaches us about politics

Sun, Aug 24, 2008

In early pages of the political convention classic “Miami and the Siege of Chicago,” Norman Mailer warns against trying to interview politicians.

If she’s a flip-flopper on drilling, so is McCain

Wed, Aug 20, 2008

Republican Rep. Jon Porter has taken to calling his Democratic challenger, Dina Titus, a “flip-flopper” on the issue of offshore oil drilling, which both candidates support.

McCain’s attacks on rival fall flat with vets group

Sun, Aug 10, 2008

Sen. John McCain, speaking to disabled veterans Saturday in Las Vegas, attacked his Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, for his foreign policy record, while also proposing a program that would ...

Obama builds booming Nevada force

Sun, Aug 10, 2008

The campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama is building an organizational juggernaut here. With fewer than 90 days before the election, the upstarts are building on the impressive ...

Buried but embarrassing news: GOP unable to host convention

Sun, Aug 3, 2008

Amid all the other mishaps and scandals that have sullied the Republican brand recently, the state party’s canceling of its convention may seem insignificant.

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 ...