john_mccain presidential campaign john_mccain united_states senator arizona launched candidacy presidency united_states presidential election announcing run republican_party nomination september main challenger texas governor political financial support party establishment staged upset win february new_hampshire primary message political reform straight talk appealed moderate republican independent voters press momentum halted bush won south_carolina primary later month contest famous bitter nature underground campaign run won subsequent march super tuesday contests delegates withdrew endorsed bush months later occasional appearances general election leading announcement mentioned possible candidate republican nomination beginning took steps pursue instead concentrating senate election decision general run helped persuade opening later wrote vague running president long time motivation didn decide run president start national crusade political reforms believed run campaign grand act patriotism truth wanted president ambition president years old decision thought shot prize potential weaknesses candidacy included accomplishments appeal party core lack funds fund raising prowess personality temperament potential assets included lot favorable treatment political media featured series support veterans national polls showed low recognition voters asked hypothetical candidate similar military biography numbers improved dramatically announcements initially planned announcing candidacy beginning active campaigning april day day symbolically begin maryland early primary states new_hampshire south_carolina concluding home phoenix arizona big audience marching bands thousands balloons war intervened march nato bombing campaign began voted day favor approval clinton administration action saying atrocities signature carrying atrocities permit genocide mind continue critical hour critical past clinton administration matter days urging use ground troops ruled frequent guest television talk shows discussing conflict win stance drew attention march american soldiers captured yugoslavia day canceled planned stating appropriate time launch political campaign received media praise action continued highly visible spokesman strong action cnn said thirty years washington seen debate dominated individual minority party seen dominated john_mccain april simply issued statement fanfare candidate time celebratory tour planned candidate president formally kick campaign appropriate time wife campaign related appearances spring summer authored best selling family memoir faith fathers published august helped promote new start campaign book garnered largely positive reviews went city book tour september tour success book high sales led themes memoir included talking vietnam prisoner war experience past major campaign finally formally announced candidacy september thousand people new_hampshire saying owe america owed candidate president united_states said staging fight government power special interests return people noble cause freedom created serve originally planned began announcement day visit campaign staff policy team campaign veteran washington political including oriented mindset campaign manager effort overall chief political adviser media adviser chief credited author books campaign press officer general counsel rivalry formed davis campaign headquarters murphy traveled campaign bus davis wanted larger role campaign strategy eventually differences factions escalated attacks press campaign developments crowded field republican candidates big leader terms establishment party support fundraising texas governor presidential son time formal announcement republican contenders withdrawing race bush strength later write thought chance including fellow republican senators endorsed candidacy day announced bush visiting phoenix displaying endorsement arizona governor prominent local political figures support rest republican arizona congressional delegation hull continue attack campaign featured high profile new_york_times stories reputation having bad temper featuring record criticism governor michigan early november stories temper problem frequent washington_post media critic wrote survey article opponents including close senate republican leadership temper sign mental instability notion days caused admiral fellow vice presidential candidate write piece new_york_times john_mccain said reverse true experience resisting experience emotionally stable later life early december released pages medical psychiatric records showed psychiatric number years following release indicated signs lingering mental emotional difficulty period bush avoided scheduled republican_party debates including held november home state debated second tier candidates instead bush finally participate december debate phoenix time busy campaigning new_hampshire join video signature push campaign finance reform led lively exchanges event following political consultant advice decided skip initial event nomination season iowa caucus long opposition subsidies unpopular late start lack base party support hurt organizing necessary success state earlier august labeling focused introducing biographical story especially vietnam experiences telling story sent voters primary states military veterans states new_hampshire iowa able focus instead new_hampshire primary message held appeal bush father popular attracted small crowds little media attention november competitive measuring evenly bush polls bush said realized strong candidate guess senator people respect good man traveled campaign bus called straight talk express capitalized reputation political speak mind visits towns gave minute talk focused campaign reform issues announced stay answered question pledged tell lie conducted town hall meetings speaking town new_hampshire example retail politics overcame bush familiar growing number supporters known famously accessible press free media compensate lack funds reporter later recounted talked day long reporters straight talk express bus talked said things shouldn media loved aides saw senator naturally preferring company reporters politicians bush argued proposals tax cuts criticized bush plan large beneficial wealthy preferred smaller cut surplus pushed signature issue campaign finance reform candidate talk foreign policy defense issues february won primary percent vote bush percent suddenly celebrity hour republican candidates dropped failed gain traction bush opponent analysts predicted victory crucial south_carolina primary campaign momentum degree fear panic bush campaign republican establishment movement bush campaign staff met advisor said got hit hard south_carolina battle bush south_carolina entered american political lore brutal hand bush switched label conservative reformer results trying opt popular message reform hand variety business interest groups challenged past negative ads day new poll showed points ahead state bush allied stage marginal controversial veterans activist named accused having abandoned veterans agent orange issues came home vietnam forgot ran ads accusing bush lying comparing governor bill_clinton bush complained low blow republican primary unidentified party began semi underground campaign delivered push polls audience plants like claimed famously fathered black child dark skinned daughter adopted bangladesh thought especially effective state race central wife drug homosexual candidate traitor mentally unstable north vietnam days bush campaign strongly denied involvement attacks bush said fire ran push polls break debate bush hand arm reiterated involvement attacks replied don shit hands bush mobilized state evangelical voters leading conservative broadcaster entered supporting bush going length favorite liberal democrats polls swung bush favor accepting federal matching funds campaign bush limited money spend advertisements near limit days shut negative ads bush tried stress positive image stressing campaign finance reform bush proposed tax cuts benefit wealthy appeal core republicans state lost south_carolina february percent vote bush percent allowing bush regain momentum super tuesday campaign completely recovered defeat south_carolina rebound partially winning arizona michigan february mocking governor hull opposition michigan won percent percent upset captured democratic independent votes combined half primary electorate south_carolina experience february speech criticized christian leaders including divisive declared embrace fine members religious conservative community mean self appointed leaders remark straight talk express referred forces evil came angry hostility christian conservatives lost virginia primary february washington stated mid february hate reference captors vietnam war use gained media attention california large asian american population criticism community vowed longer use term saying continue condemn respect great number people hold high regard longer use term caused discomfort reaction vietnamese americans use term mixed supportive exit polls primary california showed strongly supported example controversial remarks week later march lost thirteen super tuesday bush including large states california new_york ohio georgia wins confined new_england states massachusetts rhode_island connecticut vermont overall loss day attributed going message accusing bush anti catholic having visited getting verbal battle leaders religious right campaign achieved bush self identified republicans northeastern states rest country bush ran way ahead republicans overcome strength democrats little hope overcoming bush delegate lead super tuesday withdrew race march general election following end campaign returned senate welcomed respect effort campaign attacks undergone republicans sought endorsement general election races senate continued push campaign finance reform question endorse bush remained uncertain events south_carolina stayed interview time rumor believe special place hell people like interview called rumor ugly underside politics regretted aspects campaign particular changing stance flying confederate flag state capitol offensive symbol racism slavery symbol heritage later write feared answered honestly win south_carolina primary chose compromise principles reading revised statement piece paper according report south_carolina experience overall left dark place finally announce campaign bush joint appearance use actual word endorse reporters pressed guardian characterized endorsement said betrayed little outward enthusiasm appearance new_york_times wrote tight quality event looking bit like teenager forced attend classical music concert clear interested vice presidential nomination began philadelphia end july took straight talk express meet delegates supporters formally releasing bush tears wife campaign staff delegates supporters vocally unhappy words support bush times wrote politics usual emotional costs caught senator john_mccain weekend point having head arizona delegation convention antagonist governor hull august second night convention delivered speech praise bush particular trying bush national security foreign policy credentials connected family bush making reference president combat service naval aviator admiral grandfather said directly nominee support grateful proud american politics called moving speech ended minor key plans campaign bush fall delayed later august stage instance temple required extensive surgery removed surrounding final tests showed spread good left including cheek neck join bush days appearances late october emphasizing wake october uss cole bombing belief bush better choice democratic_party nominee deal international security threats bush aide later described joint appearances saying tension forced smile face campaigned candidates credited chair keeping house republican hands state voted bush november years later witnesses relate wife said dinner party november presidential election continued florida election dispute stayed generally quiet atmosphere extreme appear cbs face nation think nation growing little weary constitutional crisis american people growing weary wins having rapidly diminishing mandate bush declared winner inaugurated january battles resume significant lingering bitterness men course aftermath south_carolina investigated revisited south_carolina known legendary hard political consultant rough elections native writer radio host political operative worked hundreds campaigns south_carolina seen ugly campaign subsequent years persistent accounts trying tie anti high levels bush campaign book bush brain use build evil genius depiction bush chief pbs program showed local political consultant stating protégé bush chief state responsible contrast try debunk south_carolina reports legend campaign manager said found attacks came doubted existence ran president south_carolina proved crucial battle governors senator time support state republican establishment talk radio figures aggressively moved campaign got started won primary january victory remarks supporters evening said took years friends new_york_times described win ghosts attack filled primary presidential hopes years ago primary campaign results total popular votes republican john_mccain write write key states new hampshire primary bush forbes south_carolina primary bush arizona primary bush michigan primary bush virginia primary bush washington primary bush california primary bush new_york primary bush forbes ohio primary bush georgia primary bush missouri primary bush maryland primary bush maine primary bush massachusetts primary bush vermont primary bush rhode_island primary bush connecticut primary bush
John McCain presidential campaign, 2000