John McCain

==== Campaign finance reform ====
McCain attacked what he saw as the corrupting influence of large political contributions—from corporations, labor unions, other organizations, and wealthy individuals—and he made this his signature issue.<ref name="az-maverick">Nowicki, Dan and Muller, Bill. [https://www.azcentral.com/news/specials/mccain/articles/0301mccainbio-chapter9.html "John McCain Report: McCain becomes the 'maverick'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123080838/http://www.azcentral.com/news/specials/mccain/articles/0301mccainbio-chapter9.html |date=January 23, 2016 }}, ''[[The Arizona Republic]]'' (March 1, 2007). Retrieved December 19, 2007.</ref> Starting in 1994, he worked with Democratic Wisconsin Senator [[Russ Feingold]] on [[Campaign finance reform in the United States|campaign finance reform]]; their McCain–Feingold bill attempted to put limits on "[[soft money]]".<ref name="az-maverick" /> The efforts of McCain and Feingold were opposed by some of the moneyed interests targeted, by incumbents in both parties, by those who felt spending limits impinged on free political speech and might be unconstitutional as well, and by those who wanted to counterbalance the power of what they saw as [[media bias]].<ref name="az-maverick" /><ref>Timberg, ''American Odyssey'', p. 190</ref> Despite sympathetic coverage in the media, initial versions of the [[McCain–Feingold Act]] were [[Filibuster in the United States Senate|filibustered]] and never came to a vote.<ref name="m-b">Maisel, Louis and Buckley, Kara. ''Parties and Elections in America: The Electoral Process'', pp. 163–66 (Rowman & Littlefield 2004). {{ISBN|0-7425-2670-4}}</ref>

The term "[[wikt:maverick|maverick]] Republican" became a label frequently applied to McCain, and he also used it himself.<ref name="az-maverick" /><ref name=barone>[[Michael Barone (pundit)|Barone, Michael]]; [[Richard E. Cohen|Cohen, Richard E.]] ''[[The Almanac of American Politics]], 2006'', pp. 93–98 (National Journal 2005). {{ISBN|0-89234-112-2}}.</ref><ref>McCain, ''Worth the Fighting For'', p. 327</ref> In 1993, McCain opposed [[Operation Gothic Serpent|military operations in Somalia]].<ref name="Jackson">Jackson, David. [https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-03-25-mccainforce_N.htm "McCain: Life shaped judgment on use of force"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315155706/http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-03-25-mccainforce_N.htm |date=March 15, 2012 }}, ''[[USA Today]]'' (March 25, 2008).</ref> Another target of his was [[pork barrel]] spending by Congress, and he actively supported the [[Line Item Veto Act of 1996]], which gave the president power to veto individual spending items<ref name="az-maverick" /> but was ruled unconstitutional by the [[Supreme Court (United States)|Supreme Court]] in 1998.<ref>''[[Clinton v. City of New York]]'', 524 U.S. 417 (1998)</ref>

In the [[1996 United States presidential election|1996 presidential election]], McCain was again on the short list of possible vice-presidential picks, this time for Republican nominee [[Bob Dole]].<ref name="az-rebound" /><ref name="alex-176">Alexander, ''Man of the People'', pp. 176–80</ref> While Dole instead selected [[Jack Kemp]],  he chose McCain to deliver the nominating speech for him in the presidential roll call vote at the [[1996 Republican National Convention]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Casteel |first1=Chris |title=Dole, Kemp Get Reins From GOP |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1996/08/15/dole-kemp-get-reins-from-gop/62346647007/ |website=The Oklahoman |access-date=April 30, 2023 |date=August 15, 1996 |archive-date=April 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430025022/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1996/08/15/dole-kemp-get-reins-from-gop/62346647007/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The following year, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine named McCain as one of the "25 Most Influential People in America".<ref name="fox-time25">[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,76392,00.html "Bio: Sen. John McCain"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413203916/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C76392%2C00.html |date=April 13, 2008}}, [[Fox News]] (January 23, 2003). Retrieved August 11, 2008.</ref>

In 1997, McCain became chairman of the powerful Senate Commerce Committee; he was criticized for accepting funds from corporations and businesses under the committee's purview, but in response said the small contributions he received were not part of the big-money nature of the campaign finance problem.<ref name="az-maverick" /> McCain took on the [[tobacco industry]] in 1998, proposing legislation that would increase cigarette taxes to fund anti-smoking campaigns, discourage teenage smokers, increase money for health research studies, and help states pay for smoking-related health care costs.<ref name="az-maverick" /><ref name="alex-184">Alexander, ''Man of the People'', pp. 184–87</ref> Supported by the [[Clinton administration]] but opposed by the industry and most Republicans, the bill failed to gain [[cloture]].<ref name="alex-184" />