John McCain

==== Political independence ====
McCain developed a reputation for [[US House and Senate career of John McCain (until 2000)#A maverick senator|independence]] during the 1990s.<ref name="wapo070598">{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Balz |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/wh070598.htm |title=McCain Weighs Options Amid Setbacks |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 5, 1998 |access-date=May 10, 2008 |archive-date=April 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415031456/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/wh070598.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> He took pride in challenging party leadership and establishment forces, becoming difficult to categorize politically.<ref name="wapo070598" />

[[File:McCain family at christening of USS John S. McCain (DDG-56).jpg|thumb|alt=White-haired man, elderly white-haired woman, young boy, young girl, short-haired woman holding roses, all in front of sign showing a ship's silhouette|The 1992 christening of {{USS|John S. McCain|DDG-56|6}} at [[Bath Iron Works]], with his mother [[Roberta McCain|Roberta]], son Jack, daughter [[Meghan McCain|Meghan]], and wife [[Cindy McCain|Cindy]]]]

As a member of the 1991–1993 [[Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs]], chaired by fellow Vietnam War veteran and Democrat, [[John Kerry]], McCain investigated the [[Vietnam War POW/MIA issue]], to determine the fate of U.S. service personnel listed as [[missing in action]] during the Vietnam War.<ref name="alex-152">Alexander, ''Man of the People'', pp. 152–54</ref> The committee's unanimous report stated there was "no compelling evidence that proves that any American remains alive in captivity in Southeast Asia."<ref>[https://fas.org/irp/congress/1993_rpt/pow-exec.html Report of the Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010150311/https://fas.org/irp/congress/1993_rpt/pow-exec.html |date=October 10, 2017 }}, [[U.S. Senate]] (January 13, 1993). Retrieved January 3, 2008.</ref> Helped by McCain's efforts, in 1995 the U.S. normalized diplomatic relations with Vietnam.<ref name="time072495">Walsh, James. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080214004519/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983202,00.html "Good Morning, Vietnam"], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' (July 24, 1995). Retrieved January 5, 2008.</ref> McCain was vilified by some POW/MIA activists who, despite the committee's unanimous report, believed large numbers of Americans were still held against their will in Southeast Asia.<ref name="time072495" /><ref name="alex-170">Alexander, ''Man of the People'', pp. 170–71</ref><ref name="bg062103">Farrell, John. [https://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/062103.shtml "At the center of power, seeking the summit"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417020040/http://boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/062103.shtml |date=April 17, 2008 }}, ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' (June 21, 2003). Retrieved January 5, 2008.</ref> From January 1993 until his death, McCain was Chairman of the [[International Republican Institute]], an organization partly funded by the U.S. government that supports the emergence of political democracy worldwide.<ref>McIntire, Mike. [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/us/politics/28IRI.html "Democracy Group Gives Donors Access to McCain"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814202000/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/us/politics/28IRI.html |date=August 14, 2018 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'' (July 28, 2008). Retrieved August 16, 2008.</ref>

In 1993 and 1994, McCain voted to confirm President Clinton's nominees the to [[U.S. Supreme Court]], [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]] and [[Stephen Breyer]], whom he considered qualified. He later explained that "under our Constitution, it is the president's call to make."<ref>Eilperin, Juliet. [http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/05/06/_winstonsalem_ncforeshadowing.html "McCain Sees Roberts, Alito as Examples"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511174630/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/05/06/_winstonsalem_ncforeshadowing.html |date=May 11, 2008}}, The Trail; A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008, via [[washingtonpost.com]] (May 6, 2008). Retrieved July 26, 2008.</ref> McCain had also voted to confirm nominees of presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.&nbsp;W. Bush, including [[Robert Bork]] and [[Clarence Thomas]].<ref name="Curry">Curry, Tom. [https://www.nbcnews.com/id/18337220 "McCain takes grim message to South Carolina"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210002332/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/18337220/ |date=February 10, 2018 }}, [[NBC News]] (April 26, 2007). Retrieved December 27, 2007.</ref>