by John McCain
and Afghanistan, 130, 141–42, 143, 144, 145; American exceptionalism and, 324–25; approach to world leadership of, 192; and Arab Spring in Middle East, 153; bipartisanship and, 325; and Burma, 315; conspiracy theories about, 240; Democratic convention speech (2004) of, 220; elections of 2008 and, 11, 13, 28, 37, 38, 41–49, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 62–65, 66, 67, 222, 225, 228, 229, 267; elections of 2012 and, 230; ethics reform and, 221–22; and financial crisis, 62–64; goal of, 324–25; Graham-Rice-McCain meeting about Syria and, 188–89; health care and, 202, 228, 348, 369; human rights and, 322; immigration and, 220, 222–23, 225, 227–28, 230; and Iran, 323, 324; and Iraq, 129, 130–31, 132, 133, 134, 136–37, 139, 141; and Kennedy (Ted), 222–23, 227–28; “leading from behind” phrase of, 173, 324; and Libya, 169, 172–73, 174, 176, 324; McCain compared with, 28, 42–43, 47; McCain conversations/meetings with, 192, 369; McCain defense of, 64–65; McCain letter exchange with, 221–22; McCain relationship with, 59, 221–22, 369; McCain views about, 130, 192, 220–21, 222, 322, 324–25; and McCain’s brain cancer, 345; media and, 37, 42, 45; overseas trip (2008) of, 45–46; and Russian-U.S. relations, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 272, 273, 274, 275, 287, 292, 300; and Savchenko case, 289; State of the Union address (2013) of, 146; and Syria, 180, 182, 183–84, 186, 188–90, 191, 324; torture debate and, 97–98, 99, 102; and Ukraine, 284–85, 300, 324; and U.S. role in world, 325
Obamacare
McCain views about, 353–54, 369; passage of, 202, 348; Republican efforts to repeal and replace, 346–50, 353–54, 357–58, 364–69; “skinny repeal” of, 347, 349, 365, 366, 367
Odierno, Ray, 123, 124, 125, 127, 130, 131, 135
Office of Legal Counsel. See Justice Department, U.S.
official statements, 312–13
oligarchs
in Russia, 250, 296; in Ukraine, 280, 281, 283; See also specific person
101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army, 119
Open Russia, 250, 251
Operation Enduring Freedom, 105
Orange Revolution, 253, 277
Other Russia, 254
Oxford, Mississippi: Obama-McCain debate in, 63
Padilla, Jose, 79, 80
Pakistan
and Afghanistan War, 105, 143; McCain trips to, 106, 339
Palestinians: and Egypt, 159–60
Palin, Sarah
and Biden debate, 57–58, 64; and change message, 56; elections of 2008 and, 52–58, 66, 67; family of, 57; and McCain concession speech, 66, 67; professional background of, 53; Secret Service protection for, 12, 57; selection as vice president of, 52–58
Palin, Trig, 57
Pan Am Flight 103: downing of, 171
Panetta, Leon, 100–101, 145–46
Panetta Review, 100–101
Partnership for Peace, 295
patient’s bill of rights, 201–2
Patterson, Anne, 162, 167–68
Paul, Rand, 240, 298, 368–69
Paul, Ron, 37
Paulson, Hank, 62, 63
Pawlenty, Mary, 50
Pawlenty, Tim, 49–50, 55
Pearl, Daniel, 82
Pearl Harbor
bombing of, 4; fiftieth anniversary of, 1, 2–3, 6–8
Pelosi, Nancy, 62
Pence, Mike, 367
Pennsylvania: elections of 2008 in, 41
Pensacola, Florida: McCain biographical speech (2008) in, 38
Perdue, Dave, 341
Perry, Rick, 36
Petraeus, David
and Afghanistan, 145, 146–47; briefing of Iraq senatorial delegation by, 18; and Fourth of July/reenlistment ceremonies, 19, 20; and Iraq, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 115, 119–20, 127, 128, 129, 130; McCain views about, 131
Philippines, 326
Pickering, Tom, 242–43
Pledge of Allegiance story, 148–49
Podesta, John: hijacking of emails of, 236
Poland, 247, 269, 270, 288, 308
politics
and character, 360–61; corruption in, 363; humility in, 363; McCain views about, 360–61, 379; need for change in rules and practices of, 361
Politkovskaya, Anna, 253, 255
Pollack, Ken, 122
Poroshenko, Petro, 280, 285, 286–87
Power, Samantha, 172
Pravda: McCain op-ed in, 276
presidential authority: and torture debate, 77, 89–90
Price, Tom, 365, 366
prisoner(s) of war
in Burma, 314–17; conspiracy theories about, 239; and human rights, 313, 314–17; McCain as, 5, 12, 25, 47, 78, 81, 84, 148–49, 239, 248, 274, 289; and Pledge of Allegiance story, 148–49; in Vietnam, 239, 313; See also torture debate; specific person or war
Purnell, Jon, 319–21
Pussy Riot (punk rock group), 273
Putin, Vladimir
and American exceptionalism, 301–2; authoritarianism and corruption of, 245, 250, 252, 256, 288, 290, 291, 310; and Belarus, 333, 334; and Biden’s NATO-Russia speech, 269; Bush (George W.) and, 252, 258; and characteristics of Russia, 310; Clinton (Hillary) views about, 270; and color revolutions, 254, 255, 257; consolidation of power by, 248, 250, 253, 261; and Crimea, 268, 284, 295; criticisms of McCain by, 241, 274; and dissent/protests in Russia, 273–74, 290–94; and European Union, 295; and Georgia, 250, 263, 264, 266, 267; goals of, 251, 299–300; importance of stopping, 301–2; Khodorkovsky warnings about, 250–51; McCain as hater of, 294–95; McCain views about, 236–37, 241, 244, 247, 252-257, 259–61, 264, 267, 286, 287–88, 292, 293–302; and Montenegro, 296–97; and Munich Security Conference (2007), 256, 257–61; and NATO, 295; Nemtsov and, 290–94; New York Times op-ed by, 246, 276; Obama and, 300; and oligarchs, 250–51; Paul (Rand) as “working for,” 298; personality of, 245, 249, 270; and political assassinations, 293; as prime minister, 261;
professional background of, 245; and Russian interference in 2016 elections, 236, 237; and sanctions on Russia, 272; and Savchenko case, 289; and Schroeder, 303; and Serbia-NATO peacekeeping plans, 246–47; Sharansky-McCain discussion about, 254–55; Shevardnadze concern about, 249; and social media, 301; and Syria, 190, 192, 292, 300; Trump and, 237–38, 300–301, 326; and Ukraine, 277, 278, 283, 284, 285, 286, 290, 292; and U.S.-Russian relations, 257–58, 273; use of force by, 266–67; views about U.S. of, 241, 257–58; wealth of, 236, 288, 291; Western relations with, 252–53, 255–56, 257–61; Yanukovych and, 283, 284
Pyatt, Geoff, 282
Qaddafi, Muammar al-, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 152, 156–57, 158, 170–71, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 322
Qatar, 71, 72, 138, 169
race issues
elections of 2008 and, 39–40, 44, 46–49, 64–65; and human rights, 313–14; and immigration, 211, 214; McCain views about, 67
Radio Free Asia, 316
Rahman, Gul, 81–82
Raines, Franklin, 48
Ramadi (Iraq)
battle for, 116, 121, 126–27; ISIS capture/control of, 139, 140, 190; MacFarland-McCain meeting in, 125–26; violence in, 138
Reagan, Nancy, 36, 44
Reagan, Ronald, 200, 209, 255, 258, 311, 313, 321
realism: and idealism, 310–11
Red Cross, 289
redistricting: McCain views about, 200
reenlistment ceremonies, 147–49, 340. See also Fourth of July
refugees
from Syria, 183, 186, 192, 300; and Trump, 325
regular order
and health care debate, 348, 354; McCain views about, 348–49, 353, 354; need for return to, 348, 353, 354; and Senate rules, 197–98
Reid, Harry, 62, 129, 220, 221, 228, 285
religion: role in public life of, 164
Republican Party
divisions within, 51–52, 347; importance of immigration reform to, 206, 215, 217; and McCain as Reagan Republican, 200; and McCain as switching parties, 199–200, 201; See also specific person, election, or topic
Rice, Susan, 172, 188–89
Risha, Abdul Sattar Abu, 126
Rodriguez, Jose, 80, 97, 99
Rolling Stone: McCrystal comments to, 144–45
Romania, 247, 278
Romney, George, 32
Romney, Mitt
elections of 2008 and, 13, 14, 21, 26–27, 29, 31, 32–33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 225; elections of 2012 and, 37, 215; and immigration, 225; McCain relationship with, 36–37; McCain views about, 26–27, 49; as vice presidential candidate (2008), 49
Roosevelt, Theodore, 67
Rose Revolution, 249, 253, 261, 262
Rosneft (Russian oil company), 251, 285, 303
Ross, Donald, 7
Rubio, Marco, 230
Rumsfeld, Donald
and Fontaine letter, 88; and Iraq, 15, 108, 112, 114–15, 117, 122, 303; resignation of, 121; and torture debate, 84–85, 86–87, 88
Russia
and adoption of Russian children, 275; and American exceptionalism, 310–12, 313, 332; bomb explosions in, 245–46; and change, 332; characteristics of, 310; and collapse of Soviet Union, 241–42, 249, 253, 310; and color revolutions, 253–54, 257; compromising of Trump by, 237–38; corruption in, 250, 252, 269, 271, 310; criticisms of McCain by, 256; détente policy with, 312; dissent/protests in, 254, 255, 273–74, 276, 290–93; economy of, 288, 295; elections in, 242, 243, 245, 253, 255, 273; and European Union, 270, 285; future of, 288, 295; and G-8 summits, 252, 267–68, 285; haters of, 294; Havel-McCain discussion about, 248; and human rights, 272–73, 313; interference in elections by, 236, 237–38, 240, 265, 274, 275, 287, 295, 296, 299, 300; McCain as hater of, 294; McCain criticisms of, 252, 259–61; McCain Senate speech about, 244–45; McCain trips to, 242–43; McCain views about, 244, 267–68, 276, 287–88, 294, 299; and media, 246, 251–52, 253, 255, 256; Middle East military presence of, 190; and NATO, 266, 269, 270; oligarchs in, 250–51, 296; optimism about, 252–53; and Pickering dinner, 242–43; and political assassinations, 246, 251–52, 253, 255, 293; Putin’s long-term goal for, 251; Reagan negotiations with, 311; reset of U.S. relations with, 266, 270, 272, 273, 274; as rival to American power, 267; sanctions on, 236, 266, 269, 272, 274–75, 285, 287–88, 327; and Steele dossier, 237, 238–39; U.S. relations with, 266, 267, 269–70, 272, 273, 274–75; U.S. retaliation against, 236; U.S. Syrian discussions with, 190; and Vietnam prisoners of war, 239; violent incident in, 243; Western relations with, 252–53, 255–56, 257–61, 266; women in, 242; and World War II, 310; See also specific nation
Russia Today, 45, 294
Ryan, Paul, 365–66
Saakashvili, Mikheil “Misha,” 249–50, 261–64, 265, 266–67, 268–69
Sadat, Anwar al-, 190
Sadr, Muqtada al-, 111, 116, 121, 138
Saffron Revolution (Burma), 315–16, 318
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de, 307–8
Saleh, Ali Abdullah, 152
Salim, Abu, 184–85
Salt Pit, 82, 86
Salter, Mark, 22, 28, 54–55, 56, 94, 95, 221, 222, 346, 350
Sanchez, Ricardo, 84, 109, 113, 115
sarin gas, Syrian use of, 187–88, 191
Sarkozy, Nicolas, 266, 270
Saudi Arabia, 152, 317, 328, 329, 332
Savage, Lynne, 23–24
Savchenko, Nadiya, 289–90
Scheunemann, Randy, 259
Schmidt, Steve, 24, 28, 46–47, 52, 54–55, 56
Schroeder, Gerhard, 303
Schumer, Chuck, 230, 357, 364, 365, 366, 368
Schwarzenegger, Arnold, 36, 361
Scowcroft, Brent, 258, 259
Secret Service protection
for McCain, 11, 12, 22; for Palin, 57
Security Conference
Nova Scotia (2016), 235–36; See also Munich Security Conferences
Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate: report of, 99–104
Seleh, Ali Abdullah, 152
Selma, Alabama: McCain 2008 campaign in, 39–40
Senate, U.S.
behavior in, 198; as check on executive powers, 355; gridlock in, 359–60; and hideaway offices of senators, 228; House of Representatives relations with, 340–41; importance of, 355–56; and McCain accomplishments, 342; and McCain as switching parties, 199–200; McCain elections/reelections to, 195; and McCain legislative priorities, 199; McCain reputation/influence in, 14, 199; McCain speech about Russia to, 244–45; McCain tribute to, 350–57; McCain views about, 233, 349, 350–57; and Montenegro issues, 298; relationships in, 205, 341–42, 348, 349, 351, 361; responsibilities of, 352, 355–56; rules/procedures of, 197–98, 219, 340, 359; snobbery in, 340; See also regular order; specific person, committee, or topic
September 11, 2001
attack on, 69–70, 79; elections of 2008 and, 60; McCain reactions to, 69
September 11, 2012, Benghazi attack on, 178–79
Serbia, 246–47, 296, 297, 332
service to country: McCain views about, 6
Sessions, Jeff, 164
Sevastopol: McCain trip to, 243
Sharansky, Natan, 254–55, 289, 312–13
Shater, Khairat el-, 164, 165
Shays, Chris, 204
Shevardnadze, Eduard, 248–49, 261, 262
Shevchenko, Taras, 282
Shuman, Ned, 5
Singapore: McCain trip to, 342–43
Sisi, Abdel Fattah el-, 162, 166, 167, 168–69
60 Minutes (CBS-TV), 83
Slim, Carlos, 377
Slocombe, Walt, 109
Slovakia, 247
Slovenia, 247, 252
Smith, Lance, 85, 86
Smith, Sean, 178
social media
and Arab Spring in Tunisia, 154–55; and conspiracy theories, 240; and Putin, 301; See also Facebook
Soufan, Ali, 79, 80
South Africa, 321, 332
South Carolina
elections of 2000 in, 14, 33, 35, 247; elections of 2008 in, 21, 29, 31, 33–34, 60, 228; Low country in, 33
South Ossetia (Georgia), 249–50, 262–63, 264–66
Soviet Union. See Russia
Spears, Britney, 47
Specter, Arlen, 218
Stanley, Matthew, 24
START treaty, 270
State Department, U.S., 177, 178, 186, 275, 316, 324, 326, 349
Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), and Iraq, 130–31, 132, 134–35
Steele (Christopher) dossier, 237–39, 240, 241
Stevens, Chris, 169, 171, 173, 176, 177, 178–79, 180
Sununu, John, 319
Supreme Council of Armed Forces, Egyptian, 161, 165
Supreme Court, U.S.
and campaign finance reform, 362; Citizens United decision of, 200, 361; and gerrymandering decisions, 361; Gorsuch appointment to, 348, 353; and torture debate, 93, 96
Suu Kyi, Aung San, 314, 315, 316, 317–18
Swindle, Orson, 25
Syria
al-Nusra in, 185, 187; and al-Qaeda, 182, 183, 186; Arab Spring in, 152–53, 180–93; change in, 332; and chemical weapons, 185, 189, 324; and China, 181; civil war in, 139, 140, 180–93; and Congress, 181–82, 185–86, 188, 189; as example of humanitarian catastrophe, 192–93; and Hamas, 182; and Hezbollah, 181, 182, 184, 185, 187; humanitarian aid for, 184–85; and Iran, 181, 182, 183, 185; and Iraq, 139; ISIS in, 139, 181, 183, 187, 190–91; McCain Senate speeches about, 181–82, 185–86; McCain trips to, 186–87, 191, 239, 240; McCain views about, 322; and media, 189; no-fly zone in, 184, 189; and Obama, 188–89, 192, 324; Obama-Graham-Rice-McCain meeting about, 188–89; Obama-McCain meeting about, 192; Putin op-ed about, 276; refugees from, 183, 186, 192, 300; and Russia, 181, 182, 183, 184, 187, 188, 190–92, 292, 300, 310; sanctions on, 180; and sarin gas attack, 187–88, 191; and U.K., 188; and United Nations, 181, 183, 184, 188, 191; U.S. goal in, 182, 191; U.S. intervention in, 183, 188–90, 191–92, 292, 322
Syrian Emergency Task Force, 186
Taguba, Antonio, 84
Talabani, Jalal, 120, 133, 134
Taliban
and Afghanistan, 105, 106, 107, 110, 141, 142, 143, 144, 146, 147; American fight against, 318; and Libyan exiles, 70; and
torture debate, 76, 77
talk radio, 34–35, 219
Tancredo, Tom, 225
Tantawi, Mohamed Hussein, 158, 161, 162, 163, 166
taxes, 200, 348
Tenet, George, 80, 83, 100, 102
Texas:, immigrants in, 215
Thanksgiving: in Iraq, 131
Thompson, Fred, 5, 27, 29, 31, 33, 105
Thune, John, 122
Tillerson, Rex, 191, 326
tobacco legislation, 224
torture debate
and Abu Ghraib scandal, 83–87, 88; and accuracy/reliability of information, 80, 81, 82, 91, 92, 98–100, 103; Afghanistan and, 81–82, 86, 88, 89; and approved techniques, 77–78, 91–92; Army Field Manual and, 91, 97, 103; and breaches, 94–97; Bush (George W.) and, 322; and CIA Inspector General report, 82–83; and Congress, 84–86, 87, 91–97, 100, 101, 102, 103; elections of 2008 and, 97; FBI and, 79; Feinstein Committee report and, 99–104; Fishback letter and, 87–91; and Iraq, 83–87, 88, 89; and legal rationale for torture, 76–80, 87, 93; and Libya, 71–76; and McCain as torture victim, 75; McCain goals in, 97; media and, 86, 87, 92, 98, 100; and need for clarification of terms, 87–91; and Panetta Review, 100–101; and presidential authority, 77, 89–90; Senate Armed Services Committee investigation and, 84–86; Supreme Court decisions and, 93, 96; and taping of interrogations, 73, 74, 80, 82, 97, 99; and torture memos, 76–80, 87, 93, 95; and truth, 104; values/ideals and, 81, 83, 87–91, 97, 102, 103–4; See also enhanced interrogation techniques (EIT); Geneva Conventions; specific person
Tower, John, 201, 257
Trans-Pacific Partnership, 301
travels
McCain love of, 340–42; value of, 341–42; See also specific trip
Tripoli Military Council, 71, 72
Truman, Harry, 309
Trump, Donald J.
and Afghanistan, 146; America First ideology of, 192; American exceptionalism and, 325–29, 336–37; character of, 329; and China, 301, 336–37; conspiracy theories and, 240; elections of 2016 and, 215, 216, 236, 237–38; health care debate and, 367; human rights and, 326, 327; immigration and, 206, 215, 216; and Iran, 328; as “leader of the free world,” 329; McCain views about, 325–29; and McCain’s brain cancer, 345; media and, 325; personality of, 325–26; and Philippines, 326; Putin and, 237–38, 300–301, 326; refugees and, 325; Russia-U.S. comparison by, 300–301; and Russia-U.S. relations, 287; Russian compromising of, 237–38; and Russian interference in elections, 236, 275; and Saudi Arabia, 328; Sisi meeting with, 168; Steele dossier and, 237, 238–39; and Syria, 191; and torture debate, 103; and Ukraine, 300; and Vietnam, 326; Western nations concerns about, 235