John McCain: Built to last

John McCain: Former POW Well-respected Senator McCain followed in the footsteps of his father and joined the Navy He flew carrier-based attack planes on low-altitude bombing runs against the North Vietnamese and was shot down during his 23rd air mission. McCain was brutally tortured five-and-a-half year tenure as a POW. His Navy career is what ultimately launched his career in the Senate after he became the Navy's liaison to the Senate in 1976. McCain has garnered a reputation as being much more complex than your typical conservative over the course of his near 35-year career in the House and Senate. He has also launched presidential runs in 2000 and 2008. Recently, McCain was diagnosed with a brain tumor in July 2017 and will continue his normal duties as senator while he receives treatment.