11-06-1999

POLITICS: John McCain Profile

Born: Panama Canal Zone, Aug. 29, 1936


Family: Wife, Cindy; adopted sons by first marriage, Doug, Andrew;
daughter by first marriage, Sydney; daughter by second marriage, Meghan;
sons by second marriage, Jack, Jimmy; adopted daughter by second marriage,
Bridget


Religion: Episcopalian


Education: U.S. Naval Academy, B.S., 1958; National War College,
1973-74


Military Service: U.S. Navy, 1958-81, retiring at rank of captain;
prisoner of war in Vietnam, 1967-73; director of Navy Senate Liaison
Office, 1977-81


Civilian Career: U.S. Representative, Arizona, 1983-86; U.S. Senator,
Arizona, 1987-present


Campaign Headquarters: 735 N. St. Asaph St., Alexandria, VA 22314


Phone: (703) 837-2000, or toll-free (877) 905-7700


Web Site: www.mccain2000.com


Campaign Staff: Manager, Rick Davis; finance director, Carla Eudy;
communications director, Dan Schnur; press secretary, Howard Opinsky;
pollster, Bill McInturff


Key Endorsements: Sens. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., Jon Kyl,
R-Ariz., and Fred D. Thompson, R-Tenn.; Reps. J.D. Hayworth, Jim Kolbe,
Matt Salmon, and John Shadegg, all R-Ariz.; Reps. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.,
and Mark Sanford, R-S.C.; former Sen. Warren Rudman, R-N.H.


KEY PROPOSALS


Campaign Finance Reform: "Until we abolish soft money, Americans will
never have a government that works as hard for them as it does for the
special interests."


McCain has played the gadfly for years on the issue of campaign finance,
teaming with Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis. The most recently defeated
version of their much-battered bill won a majority but failed to achieve
the 60 votes necessary to override the inevitable filibuster. To win the
unprecedented 55 votes, McCain stripped the bill of its controversial
limits on issue ads by independent groups, leaving it it a pure ban on
soft money.


Pork: "If I am President, I will refuse to sign any pork barrel bill
that crosses my desk, and if Congress overrides my veto, I'll make sure
you know who they are--every single one of them."


The second front in McCain's clean-government crusade is his fight against
pork barrel budgeting. For 10 years, McCain has tweaked colleagues with
annual run-downs of "low-priority, unnecessary, or wasteful
spending" in the appropriations bills. He has come down so hard on
ethanol subsidies to grain growers that he originally decided to not even
bother campaigning in the farm state of Iowa. He also bashes the
earmarking of federal money for home-district projects. McCain
co-sponsored a line-item veto measure that was ruled unconstitutional in
1998.


Defense: "As President, I won't ask how much security we can afford.
I'll ask how much security do we need, and I will find the resources to
pay for it."


McCain has criticized Clinton and Congress alike on defense. He attacked
the Administration for spreading the military thin, but supported the use
of ground troops in Kosovo. McCain accuses Congress of diverting scarce
defense dollars to pork--he even voted against the fiscal year 2000
Defense appropriations bill--and not only wants to shut down
government-run military repair depots, but also proposes to scrap
"Buy American" provisions that prevent the Pentagon from buying
cheaper goods abroad. He fought successfully for a large military pay
raise but failed to win approval for a special benefit to get military
families off food stamps.


OTHER ISSUES


Taxes: Would dedicate 23 percent of the non-Social Security budget surplus
to tax relief, primarily by expanding the lowest (15 percent) tax bracket.
Would eliminate the "marriage penalty" tax and cut gift and
estate taxes, but would close "unfair tax loopholes for big
business."


Education: Backs a national test of school vouchers, merit pay for
teachers, enhanced Education Savings Accounts, and cuts in education
bureaucracy. Opposes federally imposed mandates on local schools.


Gun Control: Favors trigger locks and fought successfully in the Senate
for instant background checks on all gun sales, including at gun shows and
pawnshops, but opposes waiting periods.


Abortion: "I oppose abortion except in the case of rape, incest, or
when the life of the mother is in danger," McCain says, and he
opposes "partial-birth" abortion. But he has been criticized for
downplaying the possibility of overturning Roe vs. Wade, and because he
would not make the issue a "litmus test" for judicial
appointments.


MONEY


Total receipts through 3rd quarter     $9,418,884


Total spent			       $7,302,307


Cash-on-hand			       $2,109,434


Contributions below $200	  $1,979,743	   27%


Contributions of $200-$999	  $1,523,465	   21%


Contributions of $1000+ 	  $3,512,095	   48%


PACs				    $266,251	    4%


Candidate self-financing		   0	    0


Other				     $50,537	    1%


Top five states


Arizona 	 $968,631


California	 $689,464


New York	 $561,753


Virginia	 $311,547


Florida 	 $205,859


Top five occupations


Retired individuals		$637,142


Securities and investment	$351,109


Lawyers, law firms		$264,871


Entertainment industry		$176,438


Misc. finance                   $144,299




National Journal