Trivia

Was the first sitting senator to host Saturday Night Live (1975).

Graduated, in 1958, fifth from the bottom of his class at the United States Naval Academy.

President Donald Trump was forbidden from attending his funeral.

Of the three major U.S. Presidential candidates who chose a female running mate (Walter Mondale and Joe Biden are the other two), McCain is the only one, who didn't previously serve as Vice-President.

As a U.S. Navy pilot, he was captured on 26 October 1967, after his plane was shot down while on a bombing run over Hanoi. He parachuted into a lake, breaking both arms and a leg. He was then imprisoned at the notorious North Vietnamese hell-hole, known as the Hanoi Hilton. He had described his five and a half year imprisonment as a nightmarish time, in which he was beaten and kept in solitary confinement. Twice he tried to hang himself, only to be cut down and assaulted by the guards.

At the time he was shot down, his father Admiral John S. McCain Jr. was Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet.

Technically he should not have been allowed to run for President of the United States in 2008 as he was born in the Panama Canal zone, which was not official US territory until 1937.

He was a major supporter of the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. However in his 2018 memoir he said the conflict had been a mistake.

The first time his appearance as host on Senator John McCain/The White Stripes (2002) aired, it was pre-empted in the Washington D.C./Baltimore metro area due to one of the shooting attacks by the D.C. sniper.

He was a second cousin seven times removed of President George Washington and a ninth cousin of Quincy Jones, both through the Washington line.

He had English, as well as Scottish and Ulster-Scots, ancestry.

He was treated for cancer four times.

Release of his book, "Character is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember" by John with Mark Salter. (2005)

Despite representing Arizona in the US Senate, he came from a prominent military family based on the east coast of the United States. The USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is jointly named after his father - who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War - and his grandfather, admiral John Sidney McCain, who served in World War I and World War II.

In his final years, he was President Donald Trump's most outspoken Republican critic.

Father-in-law of Benjamin Domenech.

Is the first 21st century U.S. Presidential candidate to pass away.

His candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential election was endorsed by several celebrities, including former President George W. Bush, Henry Kissinger, Sylvester Stallone, and former California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

After adopting his first wife Carol's children Doug and Andy, she gave birth to their daughter Sidney in September 1966.

Born to Admiral John S. McCain Jr. and his wife Roberta McCain (born in 1912), he grew up with his older sister Sandy and his younger brother Joe.

Children with second wife, Cindy McCain, Meghan McCain (b. October 23, 1984), John Sidney IV ("Jack") (b. May 2, 1986), James Hensley ("Jimmy") (b. May 21, 1988) and Bridget Leela. (b. July 21, 1991).

Presidential campaign slogan: "Country first".

Favorite book was Ernest Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls". The title of his second memoir, Worth the Fighting For, is a phrase lifted from the novel. He credited the book with influencing much of his philosophy, and called its protagonist Robert Jordan his lifelong ideal of a hero.

Naval honors included Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Diagnosed with brain cancer. (July 2017)

Underwent surgery for a blood clot over the left eye. (July 2017)

Though he died four days shy his 82nd birthday, he was survived by his mother Roberta McCain, who was 106 and attended his funeral service. Roberta McCain died on October 12, 2020 at age 108, 2 years and one month after the death of her son.

Was an excellent wrestler in high school.

One of his favorite movies was Les Sentiers de la gloire (1957). His favorite movie, as stated in his memoir Worth the Fighting For, is Viva Zapata ! (1952). He also ranked Star Wars: Épisode IV - Un nouvel espoir (1977) among his favorites.

Longtime close friend of Joe Biden.

Became the Junior Senator from Arizona on 3 January 1987 (with Senior Senator Dennis DeConcini), then served as Senior Senator from 1995 until his death.

Retired from the Navy as a Captain (1981).

Once joked about Chelsea Clinton at a Republican fundraiser, saying "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.", but later apologized (1998).

Ranking member, U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

Longtime friend of Comedy Central show The Daily Show (1996) and of Jon Stewart.

U.S. Senators William Cohen and Gary Hart were the best men at his second wedding (17 May 1980).

Made the surprise choice of the little-known Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, the first time a female candidate had been on the Republican ticket. The announcement fell on McCain's 72nd birthday and Palin's 20th wedding anniversary (August 29, 2008).

Had his look-alike puppet in the French show Les Guignols de l'info (1988).

Inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame in 2010.

His birthday is Judgement Day from Terminator 2 : Le Jugement dernier (1991), so in the canon, Judgement Day occurred on his 61st birthday.

[7 July 2022] Posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.

Good friends with Massachusetts senator John Kerry.

Quit his two pack a day cigarette habit in 1979.

Friend of Warren Beatty despite their political differences.

Release of his book, "Faith of My Fathers" by John with Mark Salter. (1999)

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona from 1983 to 1987.

His Senate seat was previously held by Barry Goldwater.

Release of his book, "Hard Call: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them" by John with Mark Salter. (2007)

Member, U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee.

Maternal grandfather, Archibald Wright, was an oil wildcatter. He made his fortune and retired by age 40.