by John McCain
Bennet, Michael, 230
Berezovsky, Boris, 250
Berlin Wall, 245, 311
Biden, Beau, 346
Biden, Joe, 57–58, 64, 269–70, 278, 279, 345–46, 361, 365
bin Laden, Osama, 70, 97, 98–99
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, 203
bipartisanship
and Armed Services Committee, 349, 357, 358; defense authorization bills and, 349; ethics reform and, 221–22; and formula for success in Congress, 205; and health care debate, 359, 364; immigration and, 219, 223, 230–32; and McCain reputation, 342; McCain views about, 201, 355, 357, 362–63; and Obama, 325; See also compromise; specific person or legislation
Birmingham News, 40
black sites, 76, 86–87
Blair, Tony, 105, 106
Bloomberg, Mike, 49, 50
Boehner, John, 63, 231, 285, 347
Border Patrol, 213, 225
border security, 217, 218, 219, 225, 231. See also border wall; fences
border wall, 213, 217
Bosnia, 173
Bouazizi, Mohamed, 151, 152
Boumediene v. Bush (2008), 96
Boxer, Barbara, 195
Bradbury, Steven, 93, 95–96
brain cancer
of Biden (Beau), 346; of Kennedy (Ted), 5, 229, 344; of McCain, 339–40, 342–46, 363, 364, 378–79
breaches: and torture debate, 94–97
Breitbart, 45
Bremer, Paul, 109, 113, 116
Brennan, John, 100–101, 102
Brose, Chris, 173, 176, 177, 178–79, 186, 236, 282
Browder, Bill, 270–72, 275
Brownback, Sam, 218
Bulgaria, 247
Burma, 314–18
Burns, Bill, 167
Bush, Barbara, 6, 7
Bush, George H.W., 1, 2, 6, 7–8
Bush, George W.
and campaign finance reform, 203, 204; elections of 2000 and, 31, 199; elections of 2008 and, 37–38, 48; endorsement of McCain by, 37–38; and financial crisis, 48, 62, 63; freedom agenda of, 255; and Georgia, 263, 266; and Hurricane Katrina, 37; immigration reform and, 218–19, 225, 228; and Iraq, 15, 16, 37, 108, 122, 123, 127, 218; and McCain brain cancer, 345; McCain relationship with, 200; McCain views about, 200, 321–22; and 9/11, 69; Putin and, 252, 258; and Rumsfeld resignation, 121; and Russian-U.S. relations, 252, 255–56, 258, 266, 269; taxes and, 200, 348; and torture debate, 74, 76, 80, 84, 92, 96–97, 98, 99, 322
Bybee, Jay, 77, 87
California
elections of 2008 in, 36; and immigration, 215
Callahan, Billy, 12
Cameron, David, 188
Camp David Accords, 166
campaign finance reform, 199, 200, 203–4, 232, 347, 362
Campaign Reform Act (2002), 203
Canal Hotel (Iraq): bombing at, 109
Cardin, Ben, 271–72, 327
Carter, Jimmy, 199, 321
Casey, George, 115, 116, 117, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124
Central Intelligence Agency. See CIA
change
and American exceptionalism, 330–34; in Arizona, 378; elections of 2008 and, 28, 37–38, 43, 49, 56, 61; and incremental reform, 369; McCain views about, 369; of rules and practices of politics, 361
character
and human rights, 309; of immigrants, 217; McCain views about, 379; of nations, 309; and politics, 360–61; of Russia, 310; of Trump, 329; Trump views about, 325
Charter 08 (political manifesto), 335
Charter 77 (political manifesto), 335
Chechnya, 246, 251, 253
Chemical Weapons Convention, 189
Cheney, Richard “Dick,” 7, 83, 91–92, 98, 102, 114–15
Chernomyrdin, Viktor, 245
Chiarelli, Peter, 122, 123, 124
China, 181, 301, 332, 334–38
Christian, Mike, 148–49
Churchill, Winston, 19, 334
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)
and Belhaj-McCain meeting, 76; and Benghazi attack, 178; computer hacking by, 101; Feinstein Committee report about, 99–104; Inspector General report about, 82–83; interrogations and EITs by, 73, 74, 76, 79–80, 81–83, 87, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96–98, 99–104, 176; McCain views about, 97; as misleading government officials, 98–104; and 9/11, 69; and taping of interrogations, 73, 74, 80, 82, 97, 99
Citizens United decision, 200, 361
Clark, Wesley, 247
Clinton, Bill, 195, 228, 229, 345
Clinton, Hillary
Afghanistan trip of, 118–19; and Benghazi attack, 178–79; Burma visit by, 315; elections of 2008 and, 13, 28, 29, 37, 38, 42, 53, 225, 228, 229; elections of 2016 and, 236, 274, 300; and immigration, 225; and Iraq, 129, 134, 136; and Kennedy (Ted) endorsement of Obama, 228, 229; and Libya, 172, 174, 178–79; McCain views about, 117–18; and McCain’s brain cancer, 345;
and Russian interference in elections, 236, 274, 300; and Russian-U.S. relations, 270, 273, 274; and selection of Palin for vice president, 53; and vodka-drinking competition, 117–18
Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), Iraq, 109, 111, 112, 114, 116
Cold War, 260, 302, 305, 311, 313–14
Collins, Susan, 99, 105, 117–18, 122, 170, 347, 365, 367
color revolutions, 254, 255
Comey, James “Jim,” 238–39, 343
Commerce Committee, Senate, 224
Commission on Presidential Debates, 43
Common Article 3 (Geneva Conventions), 77, 93, 94–95, 96–97. See also breaches
compromise
and formula for success in Congress, 204–5; and health care debate, 348, 354, 358–59; and immigration reform, 219–20, 223, 224; importance of, 201; McCain as champion of, 359–60; McCain views about, 200–201, 204–5, 351–52, 354; See also specific legislation
Congress, U.S.
and Belarus, 333; and Benghazi attack, 179; and Burma, 315; conspiracy theories and, 240; and Egypt, 161, 163; formula for success in, 204–5; friendships in, 205, 342, 348, 349, 351, 361; gridlock in, 224, 348, 359–60, 362; and Iraq, 127, 128–29; and Libya uprisings, 157, 172, 176; McCain first elected to, 4; media influence on, 353; and Steele dossier, 241; and Syria, 181–82, 185–86, 188, 189; torture debate and, 84–86, 87, 91–97, 100, 101, 102, 103; and Uzbekistan, 319; See also House of Representatives, U.S.; Senate, U.S.; specific person, committee or legislation
conspiracy theories
involving McCain, 239, 240; McCain views about, 239–41; and Russian interference in elections, 300; and Steele dossier, 237, 238–39, 240, 241
Coons, Chris, 232, 342–43
Cornyn, John, 225, 367
Counterinsurgency (Army Field Manual), 115
Craner, Bob, 5
Cretz, Gene, 175, 176
crime: and immigration, 212, 217
Crimea, 243, 265, 268, 284, 290, 295
criminal background checks, 220, 226
Crist, Charlie, 36
Croatia, 247, 269
Crocker, Ryan, 18, 127, 128–29, 131
Cuba, 332
Culvahouse, A.B., 49, 54–55
Czech Republic, 247, 269, 295, 335
Darby, Joseph, 84
Daschle, Tom, 199–200, 203
Davis, Fred, 46–47
Davis, Rick, 21, 28, 46–47, 51, 52, 54–55
Day, Bud, 5, 25
debates: elections of 2008 and, 43, 44, 57–58, 60, 62, 63–64
Declaration of Independence, 309
defense authorization bills, 349, 357, 358, 368–69
Defense Department, U.S., 87, 91
Democratic National Committee: hijacking of emails of, 236
Democratic Party
and McCain as switching parties, 199–200, 201; trial lawyers lobby and, 201–2; See also bipartisanship; specific person or topic
Dempsey, Martin, 163, 189
Detainee Treatment Act (2005), 91–93, 94, 314
Devlin, Peter, 121
discharge petition, 232
Diss
enters’ March (Russia, 2007), 291
Dixon, “Al the Pal,” 195
Djukanovic, Milo, 297
Doherty, Glen, 178
Dole, Bob, 2–3, 54
Donilon, Tom, 136
Dorgan, Byron, 227
Dream Act, 226
Dreamers, 217–18, 226, 231
drugs: and immigration, 216–17
Ducey, Doug, 364, 365, 366, 367
Dunford, Joe, 145
Durbin, Dick, 230
Duterte, Rodrigo, 326
economy
elections of 2008 and, 32–33, 34, 35, 61–64; and financial crisis, 61–64; and immigration, 213–14, 217, 231; of Russia, 288, 295; and U.S. role in world, 302
Edwards, John, 201, 203
Egypt
and American exceptionalism, 329; anti-Semitism in, 165, 166; Arab Spring in, 138, 152, 153, 158–69; assault on American humanitarians in, 162–65; change in, 332; and Congress, 161; constitution for, 165, 166; elections in, 159, 160, 161, 165; Feingold resolution about, 159; government in, 158; McCain trips to, 154, 158, 160–61, 165–66; and media, 168; and Muslim Brotherhood, 160, 161, 163, 164, 165, 166–67, 168; and Palestinians, 159–60; role of religion in, 164; and Russia, 190; and Sisi-Graham-McCain Four Seasons Hotel meeting, 168–69
82nd Airborne Division, U.S., 87–88, 90
88 Generation, 315–16, 318
800th Military Police Brigade, 84
EITs. See enhanced interrogation techniques
Elders, Joycelyn, 195–96, 197
elections of 1964, 43
elections of 1980, 199
elections of 1996, 54
elections of 2000
and campaign finance reform, 203; Lieberman and, 51; McCain candidacy in, 14, 17, 18, 26, 27, 29, 31–32, 33, 35, 45, 199, 203, 247; Straight Talk Express motto for, 31–32
elections of 2006, 15, 17, 121, 224
elections of 2008
ads for, 46–48; biography tour during, 38; “Black Belt” tour during, 38–40; change message and, 28, 37–38, 43, 49, 56, 61; debates for, 43, 44, 57–58, 60, 62, 63–64; endorsements of McCain in, 36, 37–38; funding for, 13–14, 18, 20, 22, 24, 31, 35, 43, 44, 57, 61, 65; general campaign during, 37–42, 60–66, 230; Kennedy (Ted) endorsement of Obama in, 228; McCain acceptance speech for, 58–60; McCain announcement of candidacy for, 13, 256; McCain as primary candidate in, 228–29; McCain as Republican nominee in, 267; McCain campaign strategy for, 43–44; McCain concerns about, 17–18, 20, 21–22; McCain concession speech and, 11, 66–67; McCain favorite memories of, 29, 40; McCain imperatives for, 42–43; McCain reactions to losing, 11–13, 66–67, 200; McCain reasons for candidacy in, 52, 59–60; and McCain trip to Iraq, 18–20; McCain views about, 58, 66–67; media and, 18, 21, 22–23, 24, 25–26, 27, 33, 37, 39, 41, 42, 44–45, 46, 47, 48, 56, 57, 64, 65; “No Surrender Tour” in, 25–26; Obama acceptance of nomination for, 56; Obama-McCain comparison during, 28, 42–43, 47; Obama-McCain relationship and, 222; Republican convention for, 52, 58–59; Republican divisiveness during, 51–52; Republican primaries for, 13–30, 31–37, 228–29; and Russia-U.S. relations, 256, 268; and Russian criticisms of McCain, 256; staff for, 18, 20, 21; vice presidential selection for, 49–58; White House meeting during, 62–63
elections of 2012, 37, 215, 230
elections of 2016
conspiracy theories and, 240; immigration and, 215, 216; Republican primaries in, 358; Russian interference in, 236, 237–38, 240, 265, 274, 275, 287, 295, 296, 299, 300; and Russian-U.S. relations, 267; Western nations concerns about, 235
enhanced interrogation techniques (EIT)
and accuracy/reliability of information, 80, 81, 82, 91, 92, 98–100, 103; CIA and, 73, 76, 79–80, 81–83, 87, 91, 92, 93, 95, 96–98, 99–104; congressional briefings about, 101; and human rights organizations, 73; and McCain apology to Belhaj, 75–76; as prosecutable war crimes, 95–96; public support for, 104; secret authorization for, 83; and torture debate, 70, 73, 76, 79–80, 81–83, 87, 91, 92, 93–104
Ennahda Party (Tunisia), 154, 155–56
Enron scandal, 203
Episcopal High School (Alexandria, Virginia)
McCain as student at, 371; McCain biographical speech (2008) at, 38
Estonia, 243–44, 247–48
ethics reform: Obama-McCain letters about, 221–22
Europe: anti-Americanism in, 303–4
European Union, 157, 270, 277–78, 282–83, 285, 290, 295, 296
Facebook, 151, 154, 155
Fallujah (Iraq): battle of, 116
family reunification policy, 226, 227
Fannie Mae, 48, 61
Faulkner, William, 305
FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), 79, 238, 241
Federal Security Service (FSB), Russian, 245, 246
Feingold, Russ, 117, 159, 203, 204, 232, 361
Feinstein, Dianne, 99, 101, 102, 103
fences: and immigration, 213, 217, 219, 225, 230
Finance Committee, Senate, 275
financial crisis, 48, 61–64
Fischer, Joschka, 303–4
Fishback, Ian, 87–91
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 90
Flake, Jeff, 230
Flecker, James Elroy, 319
Fletcher family: McCain visit with, 40
Florida: elections of 2008 in, 21, 33, 34, 35–36, 60
Flynn, Mike, 287
Fontaine, Richard, 86, 88, 92, 93, 94, 95, 118–19, 123, 259
For Whom the Bell Tolls (Hemingway), 308, 380
Ford, Gerald, 321
Foreign Affairs magazine, 122
foreign policy, U.S.
as transactional, 338; Western nations concerns about, 235; See also Foreign Relations Committee, Senate; specific person or nation
Foreign Relations Committee, Senate, 160–61, 189, 274–75, 279
Four Seasons Hotel (Washington, D.C.), Sisi-Graham-McCain meeting at, 168–69
Fourth of July, 19–20, 43, 340, 341, 376
France, 172, 173, 295, 303, 308
Freddie Mac, 61
Free Syrian Army (FSA), 180–81, 183, 184, 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 239
Freedom Award: for Nemtsov, 293
Freedom Caucus, 231–32
Freedom House, 162, 331
friendships
and death of friends, 4-5; importance of, 205; and partisanship, 361; in Senate, 205, 342, 348, 349, 351, 361
G-8 summits: suspension of Russian participation in, 252, 267–68, 285
Game of Thrones (film), 244
Gang of Eight immigration bill, 230–32
Gant, Jim, 147
Gates, Robert “Bob,” 121, 142, 258, 270
Gee’s Bend, Alabama, 40
Geneva Conventions, 77, 84, 86, 87, 88, 93, 94, 96, 97
Georgia
and change, 332; McCain advice to Saakashvili about, 268–69; McCain trips to, 248–50, 262; and NATO, 263, 264; Rose Revolution in, 249, 253, 261, 262; and Russia, 249–50, 251, 261–69, 288; Western reactions to events in, 266; See also Abkhazia; South Ossetia
Gephardt, Dick, 204
Germany, 303, 310
gerrymandering, 206, 361–62
Ghana: Nixon visit to, 313
Ghannouchi, Mohamed, 154
Giuliani, Rudy, 34, 36
Global Magnitsky Act (2016), 275, 285, 327
globalization: and U.S. role in world, 302
“The Golden Road to Samarkand” (Flecker), 319
Goldsmith, Jack, 87
Goldwater, Barry, 43, 377
Golin, Mihail, 208
Gorbachev, Mikhail, 258, 311
Gore, Al, 198
Gorka, Sebastian, 327
Gorsuch, Neil, 348, 353
Goss, Porter, 91, 100, 102
government
McCain beliefs about, 200–201; McCain pet peeves about, 200; need for reform of, 200
Graham, Lindsey
and Afghanistan, 117, 142–43, 147; Clinton (Hillary)-McCain vodka-drinking competition and
, 118; Comey testimony and, 343; and Egypt, 166, 168–69; elections of 2008 and, 25, 51, 52, 66, 228; health care debate and, 365, 366, 367; and “hideaway office” comment to Kennedy (Ted), 229; immigration reform and, 218, 225, 227, 230; and Iraq, 18, 19–20, 21, 38, 108, 117, 122, 124, 129, 132–33, 134, 135, 136, 137; Kyrgyzstan trip of, 340, 341; and Libya, 170, 176; and McCain concerns about 2008 elections, 18, 20; and Obama-Rice-McCain meeting about Syria, 188–89; personality of, 340, 341; and Russian-U.S. relations, 258, 259; Sisi-McCain Four Seasons meeting with, 168–69; and Syria, 184, 188–89; torture debate and, 91, 94; as travel buddy of McCain, 340; and Ukraine, 287; and Uzbekistan, 319
Gramm, Phil, 196, 365, 366, 367
Great Britain. See United Kingdom
Green Movement (Iran), 322–24
Guantanamo Bay, 80, 86–87, 93
The Guardian: Belarus story in, 334
guest worker program, 219, 226
Gusinsky, Vladimir, 250
Hadley, Steve, 92, 93, 95, 96
Hagel, Chuck, 105, 218
Haley, Nikki, 191
Hamas, 182
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, 93
Hamilton, Lee, 127
Harman, Jane, 258
Harper family, 375, 376
Hart, Phil, 2–3
Hashemi, Tariq al-, 138
Hastert, Denny, 204, 224
Hatch, Orrin, 367
Havel, Václav, 248, 335
Hayden, Michael, 83, 93, 94, 100, 101, 102
health care debate
and bipartisanship, 359, 364; and compromise, 348, 354, 358–59; elections of 2008 and, 228; and Kennedy (Ted), 202, 228, 229; and McCain brain cancer, 345; McCain views about, 353–55; McCain votes in, 350, 354, 364, 365, 366–68, 369; and media, 366; and regular order, 348, 354; and Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, 346–50, 353–54, 357–58, 364–69; and “skinny repeal,” 347, 349, 365, 366, 367; See also Medicare; Obamacare
Health Committee, Senate, 347, 348, 354, 364
Helgerson, John, 82, 83
Hemingway, Ernest, 308, 380
Hermitage Capital (hedge fund), 270, 271
Hezbollah, 181, 182, 184, 185, 187, 328
Hickey, Jim, 287
Hill, Chris, 131–32
Hilton, Paris, 47
Hispanics
and immigration, 211, 215–18; in Iraq War, 19–20
Hofstadter, Richard, 240
Holder, Eric, 98
House of Representatives, U.S.
and Kyrgyzstan trip, 340–41; Senate relations with, 340–41; See also Congress, U.S.; specific person or legislation
Htay Kywe, 316
Huckabee, Mike, 27, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37