Man of the People: The Life of John McCain

by Paul Alexander

Book Overview

A captivating look at one of America's most prominent and fascinating public figures Bestselling author, war hero, presidential candidate, champion of the most politically sticky issue to rock... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 047122829X
• ISBN13: 9780471228295
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

JOHN MCCAIN

I DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK AS WELL AS I DID "FAITH OF MY FATHERS', BUT IT WAS STILL A GREAT READ. TOO BAD SO MANY PEOPLE KNEW SO LITTLE ABOUT WHO JOHN MCCAIN WAS...THEY SEEM TO HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE MYTH OF B. HUSSEIN INSTEAD.

THE Definitive Biography of the Man

The most comprehensive McCain biography available, Paul Alexander's MAN OF THE PEOPLE: The Maverick Life and Career of John McCain paints a balanced, thoughtful portrait of the man who may be the next President of the United States. Readers, regardless of their political persuasions, will find MAN OF THE PEOPLE a must-read during a Presidential campaign that will clearly be a watershed in American politics and history. Much of the controversy surrounding John McCain, argues Alexander, is owing to the fact that McCain is a centrist. In his overall political agenda, McCain can be seen as progressive on some issues, conservative on others. In foreign policy, he is neither an isolationist nor one who endorses nation-building. His acknowledgement of the importance of the global community of nations suggests he is less likely to pursue a unilateralism that can spell disaster - the type of unilateralism that drove the Bush administration's war in Iraq. On the environment, McCain has evolved as a progressive. A skeptic about global warming when he first arrived in Congress, he has evolved over time to become one of the most ardent proponents of initiatives to protect the environment. On social issues, he has proved harder to define. He has been a steadfast defender of the right to life, yet has repeatedly said he is not in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. On gay issues, he continues to support "don't ask, don't tell" and opposes gay marriage. Yet he also attacked the Federal Marriage Amendment, a cornerstone of President Bush's reelection platform in 2004. On fiscal issues, he has proved himself to be a conservative - at least to a point. He endorses the fundamental tenet of fiscal conservatism, which says spend only what you have. But while he supported the tax cuts of the Reagan administration, he opposed the Bush administration's tax cuts because they gave too much to the most fortunate among us and too little to those who need tax relief most. A cornerstone of his political career has been his fight against government waste and pork-barrel spending; curtailing both, he believes, could help bring into line a federal budget that is currently out of control. Among the many issues MAN OF THE PEOPLE explores are: * New information about the campaign staff shake-up last summer that saved McCain's faltering presidential bid, and how the shake-up forced him to make the agonizing decision to fire longtime friend and political adviser John Weaver. * How McCain's career shifted from a stalwart Reaganite to a moderate, independent Republican whose focus has been campaign finance reform, gun control, and environmental issues. * Why Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter hate John McCain and how the conservative base of the Republican Party's distaste for McCain will affect the general election this November. * A new analysis of how, for much of the presidency of George W. Bush, McCain has fought hard in the United States Senate to undermine a large part of t

Interesting Read into Senator McCain's Life

I bought this book a few years ago and just recently read it. John McCain hasn't had an easy life and his imprisonment in Vietnam really marked his life. I found the book written quite well. The author has done his research well and if you are American and thinking about voting this book will help you find out more about what makes John McCain tick. It was interesting to find out that when McCain got back from Vietnam he found his wife had been disfigured in a car accident & couldn't have any more kids, so he started seeing other women, this lead into a divorce. Shortly after McCain met his current wife and started another family. Things to think about I guess when electing a President...