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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

McCain to Trump: Waterboarding won't be reinstated

Sat, Nov 19, 2016

A leading Republican voice on national security matters said Saturday he doesn't care what President-elect Donald Trump says, the United States will not reinstate waterboarding ...

Fake flier promotes Palin speech at UNR; ticket-seekers directed to phone-sex service

Thu, Apr 24, 2014

The flier includes a 1-800 number to call for tickets, but the number actually is a telephone sex line for women that opens with, "Hello, ladies …

Sarah Palin to speak next month at Las Vegas fundraiser

Thu, Mar 21, 2013

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will be the keynote speaker next month in Las Vegas at a fundraiser for the Women’s Resource Medical Centers of Southern Nevada.

One-time star Palin no longer the face of change for GOP

Sun, Mar 17, 2013

In January 2009, Sarah Palin had the world on a string. Every sentence she uttered was news. Four years later, Palin is without a clear option for elected office — ...

GOP senators sound alarm on defense cuts

Tue, Aug 14, 2012

Three Republican senators are attempting to accomplish what a “supercommittee” of 12 legislators could not: bring both parties together for a budget compromise that would dodge mandatory cuts set to ...

John McCain thinking Yucca Mountain in Las Vegas visit?

Mon, Nov 1, 2010

Sen. John McCain isn’t the first Arizona Republican to cross into the Silver State to stump for Sharron Angle. But for McCain, the swing may not have just been about ...

John McCain headlines boisterous rally for Sharron Angle in Las Vegas

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

Supporters crowded into a ballroom at the Orleans on Friday night to watch Sharron Angle be feted by the biggest Republican booster yet to visit Nevada on her behalf — ...

Sarah Palin delivers message to Republicans: 'Man up'

Tue, Oct 19, 2010

Midway through her speech at a Tea Party Express rally Monday, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said her goal is not to see Republicans in general win this crucial midterm ...

Excerpt from Sarah Palin's address

Sun, Mar 28, 2010

This is the groundswell of Americans who don’t like the ‘cap and tax, socialized medicine, personality as foreign policy’ agenda of those who are running Washington today.

Tea Party draws faithful, but important work awaits

Sun, Mar 28, 2010

The Tea Party activists are committed. They endured traffic and a cold, stinging wind that whipped up a sheen of dust and pollen. They traveled from as far as Washington ...

McCain, Reid find political currency in mutual attacks

Sun, Feb 14, 2010

Tonight is the final performance of “The Rivalry,” a play that takes audiences at the historic Ford’s Theater on an itinerant journey through the Lincoln-Douglas senatorial debates that defined national ...

When in doubt, whip Las Vegas

Fri, Mar 6, 2009

Railing this week against “pork barrel corruption” in the $410 billion omnibus spending bill, Arizona Republican John McCain called the more than 8,500 earmarks in it an “outrageous insult to ...

What Guantanamo, Yucca have in common: NIMBY issues

Tue, Jan 27, 2009

President Barack Obama with the stroke of a pen last week began the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, but he opened a new debate: where to put the ...

McCain got majority of votes from Boulder City

Thu, Nov 20, 2008

While Nevada's five electoral votes went to Democrat Barack Obama this year, Boulder City voted for the Republican candidate in the presidential election, just as it did four years ago, ...

How Obama won Nevada

Wed, Nov 5, 2008

A year and a half in the making, the Obama organization had become a machine. The Las Vegas Sun was given access to Obama meetings over the months, while conducting ...

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 ...