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/* Russia */
*Seipel, Brooke (May 26, 2019). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/445574-democratic-senator-says-mccain-listed-off-names-of-dictators-during-trump-inaugural Democratic senator says McCain listed off names of dictators during Trump inaugural]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
*Caplan, Joshua (May 27, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/05/27/amy-klobuchar-john-mccain-listed-names-of-dictators-during-trumps-inauguration/ Amy Klobuchar: John McCain Listed Names of Dictators During Trump’s Inauguration]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 28, 2019.</ref> as well as for his immigration positions.<ref name="Lee2018"/> He stated in 2018 that he regretted choosing conservative [[Sarah Palin]] as his running mate,<ref>Gstalter, Morgan (May 5, 2018). [https://thehill.com/homenews/news/386392-mccain-i-regret-picking-palin-as-my-vice-presidential-nominee McCain says he regrets picking Palin as running mate]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved May 5, 2018.</ref><ref>Lee, Tony (May 6, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/05/06/mccain-regrets-sarah-palin-vp-pick/ McCain Regrets Sarah Palin VP Pick]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 6, 2018.</ref> and his family even banned her from his funeral despite her continued loyalty toward him.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (August 29, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/29/sarah-palin-loyal-running-mate-excluded-from-john-mccains-funeral/ Sarah Palin, Loyal Running Mate, Excluded from John McCain’s Funeral]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 29, 2018.</ref>
McCain has been the subject of considerable controversy for his role in promoting the [[Steele dossier]] to the FBI.
==Early life==
When news had spread that McCain's campaign bankrupted and "imploded" in the summer of 2007, the Republican nomination began a period of quick shifting; other candidates began to soar in the polls, detracting McCain's support. Rudy Giuliani, who collected a strong following based on his leadership as "America's Mayor", began to court evangelical Christians who felt uneasy about McCain, gaining the endorsement of televangelist Pat Robertson. However, as his less-than-flattering personal life and liberal positions on social issues became apparent, he quickly lost momentum to Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee.<ref>Cook, Charles. "The 2008 Presidential Primaries: What in America's Name Is Going On?" The Washington Quarterly Vol. 31 Issue 3 pp. 193-204.</ref> Fred Thompson, who entered late in the race, quickly withdrew because of lackadaisical popularity and poor fund-raising efforts. Huckabee remained popular in the Southern United States, but failed to win major contests among independents and Democrat voters.
Liberals, Democrats, Progressives, and the [[mainstream media]] painted McCain as a [[racist]] and [[traitor]] based on his record as a POW.<ref>https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2008/oct/14/uselections2008-johnmccain </ref>
Romney had the edge in early races, but couldn't deliver a knockout blow. McCain's poll numbers slowly increased and benefited as the field narrowed. After McCain defeated top contender Mitt Romney by a large margin on Super Tuesday in delegate-rich states like New York, California, and Arizona,<ref>[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18772382 Mitt Romney Drops Out of GOP Presidential Race], [[NPR]], Scott Neuman and Howard Berkes. February 7, 2008.</ref> Mitt Romney withdrew with some protest, leaving McCain the clear front-runner.<ref>Bumiller, Elisabeth, Kirkpatrick, David. "Romney Is Out; McCain Emerges as G.O.P. Choice." Feb. 8, 2008. New York Times.</ref> Although McCain's proportion of the vote was not much higher than Romney's, he won most of the 'winner take all' states giving him a much higher proportion of the delegate count. Without Romney's well-financed opposition, McCain easily clinched the necessary delegate lead of 1,191 in March after a spirited yet short-lived fight from Mike Huckabee.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18739137 Election 2008: Huckabee, Romney Stay in Race for GOP Nomination], [[NPR]], February 6, 2008.</ref>
===Russia===
[[File:John-mccain-sergei-millian-600x395.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Alleged Russian agent [[Sergei Millian]] colluding with Sen. John McCain.]]
Senator McCain strongly criticized [[Russia]]n President [[Vladimir Putin]]. During a primary debate he said, "He bullies his neighbors and he wants to get a control of the energy supply of Western Europe. This is a dangerous person. And he has to understand that there's a cost to some of his actions." In 2005 McCain and [[Connecticut]] senator [[Joe Lieberman]] drafted a resolution banning Russia from attending the Group of 8 (G8) international forum. McCain is also a strong supporter of ballistic national missile defenses.
===Hobbits, Wacko Birds, and more===
On July 27th27, 2011, McCain derided<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/28/nation/la-na-mccain-tea-party-20110728 John McCain derides 'tea party hobbits' in debt ceiling fight], [[Los Angeles Times]]</ref> members of the Tea Party in a speech on the floor of the Senate,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7GfPEtyQsE McCain Floor Speech - Tea Party Hobbits], He said: "The idea seems to be, that if the House GOP refuses to raise the debt ceiling, a default crisis or gradual government shutdown will ensue, and the public will turn en-masse against Barack Obama. The Republican House that failed to raise the debt ceiling would somehow escape all the blame. Then Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced budget amendment and reform entitlements, and the tea party hobbits would return to middle earth having defeated Mordor."</ref> where he stated his disagreement with "tea party hobbits". The following night, he appeared on Hannity's show on Fox, and continued to act indignant about his position.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgnRtPHnOH4 John McCain Defends Trashing Tea Party]</ref>
A month later McCain was asked about his "Lord of the Rings" reference, and he still refused to apologize.<ref>[https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/176055--mccain-not-sorry-for-tea-party-hobbits-comment Sen. McCain won’t apologize for ‘Tea Party hobbits’ comment]</ref>
===IRS Targeting===
On April 9th9, 2015, [[Judicial Watch]] released documents pointing to pressure against Lois Lerner to target [[Tea Party]] groups, seemingly coming from senators [[Carl Levin]] and John McCain.<ref>[http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-irs-documents-reveal-lerner-knew-targeting-criteria-of-nonprofit-groups-might-raise-questions/ Judicial Watch: IRS Documents Reveal Lerner Knew Targeting Criteria of Nonprofit Groups ‘Might Raise Questions’]</ref><ref>[https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2015/04/11/key-mccain-aides-moved-to-silence-tea-party/ Key McCain Aides Moved To Silence Tea Party]</ref> McCain was quick to respond on Twitter, stating that the reports were "false".<ref>[https://pjmedia.com/blog/john-mccain-lashes-out-at-judicial-watch-over-damning-irs-doc-release/ John McCain Lashes Out at Judicial Watch over Damning IRS Doc Release]</ref><ref>[http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2015/04/mccain-counters-reports-of-jws-recent-irs-doc-release/ McCain Counters Reports of JW’s Recent IRS Doc Release]</ref>
==Personal life==
{{2008 presidential candidates}}
{{Republican establishment}}
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[[Category:RINOs]]
[[Category:Globalists]]
[[Category:Establishment]]
