I guarantee you, as president of the United States, I know how to heal the wounds of war, I know how to deal with our adversaries, and I know how to deal with our friends.
John McCainMany good people mistake their reputation for their character. It is a mistake I have made many, many times.
John McCainWe know that this nation entered into solemn treaties [with Indian tribes] which have been continuously violated for more than 250 years. It's a disgrace. It's an outrage. We must do everything in our power to keep those treaties. Otherwise, the word of the United States government is no good.
John McCainThis is the free enterprise system. The only place in the world that I can recall where companies never failed was the old Soviet Union. This is what investors do in free enterprise and capitalism system. [...[ And, yes, free enterprise system can be cruel. But the problem with this administration is that small businesses are the one who had suffered the most, the kind that need investors, the kinds that don't need the hundreds of pages, thousands of pages of regulations that continue to plague them and have them hold back on the hiring investment.
John McCainI, 100 percent don't think that's where the American people at, because when there's viral pictures as a baby is in Aleppo with, you know, rubble all over them going viral, and then there are celebrities tweeting why haven't we done nothing about this? And like, oh, there are actually many people for years who've been trying to send aid then and this president won't let us.
John McCainI wrestled and played football in high school and in my last year, I started as a wrestler and actually had a fairly good record. But I hated to lose. I always gave it everything I had which, unfortunately, was not as much as I'd hoped for. But keep in mind, I feel like I got the most out of my ability. One moment that was special above all the rest was winning my last bout at the Naval Academy to finish the entire summer undefeated. That was thrilling, but what's more, it helped me in prison because the first time I got knocked around by the Vietnamese, it did not come as a total shock.
John McCainUnder my plan, 85 percent of America will pay no tax or have a flat tax at our lowest rate of 15 percent.
John McCainThe benefit of an open town hall meeting is one that you get to hear a lot of different views, and two it has credibility.
John McCainWhy am I running for president? Well, my wife, Cindy, says it is because I sustainedseveral severe blows to the head in prison camp.
John McCainI guess he believes if a lie is big enough and repeated often enough, it will be believed.
John McCainBoth candidates in this election [2004] pledge to end this war and bring our troops home. The great difference - the great difference is that I intend to win it first.
John McCainOur country doesn't depend on the heroism of every citizen. But all of us should be worthy of the sacrifices made on our behalf.
John McCainI put the Vietnam War behind me a long time ago, and what I wanted to (do) among other things was help veterans also be able to come all the way home as some of our veterans have not been able to do. But I harbor no anger nor rancor. I'm a better man for my experience, and I'm grateful for having the opportunity of serving.
John McCainI'm not surprised that Governor Dean would oppose [the $87 billion to fund Iraq reconstruction].... I've lost confidence that he has any understanding of the national security responsibilities of a President... [b]ecause I don't believe that he has any understanding of the international role that the United States has to play in the world. I think it's a kind of a pseudo-isolationism that appeals to the base of the caucus voters. I do not believe that particularly in the case of Iraq that Governor Dean has any fundamental understanding of what's at stake here.
John McCainI intend to do what I can, working with my congressional colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to help bring about the changes to the practices and Institutions of our democracy that they want and deserve.
John McCainMajor league baseball players and owners should meet immediately to enact the standards that apply to the minor leagues, and if they don't, I will have to introduce legislation that says professional sports will have minimum standards for testing. I'll give them until January, and then I'll introduce legislation.
John McCainIn California, it's hard to buy all the media, no matter how much money you raise or spend, because it's such a huge state.
John McCainWe got results that would not have been possible without a negotiating partner like Joe Biden.
John McCainI am a computer illiterate that has to rely on my wife for all of the assistance I can get.
John McCainTolerance of dissent is the hallmark of a mature party, and it is well past time for the Republican Party to grow up.
John McCainThe first pork-barrel bill that crosses my desk, I'm going to veto it and make the authors of those pork-barrel items famous all over America.
John McCainI will not agree to have this bill [to repeal DADT ] go forward, because our economy is in the tank.
John McCainYou can disagree with someone on issues, but you should never get personal. Joe Biden has never gotten personal, to my knowledge, with a fellow senator.
John McCainI think that when you look at the great politicians, the two greatest in my view were George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, they certainly had character traits. You also know Abraham Lincoln overcame severe depression problems that he had when he was younger, which gave him the strength and the character later on.
John McCainWe've got to start also holding people accountable, and we've got to reward people who succeed. But somehow in Washington today - and I'm afraid on Wall Street - greed is rewarded, excess is rewarded, and corruption - or certainly failure to carry out our responsibility is rewarded.
John McCainIf money is free speech, the big interests are sitting in front with megaphones and the average citizens are sitting in the back.
John McCainToday more people lose their seats in the Politburo in Havana than in the Congress of America, ... We need to have competitive races for the Legislature. ... We have to have a clash of ideas.
John McCainIf you have a large bloc of Americans who believe you're trying to keep their ... fellow Hispanics down and deprive them of an opportunity, obviously that's going to have an effect...The Republican Party has failed to understand to a significant degree the importance of this issue to our Hispanic voters. I think the trend will continue of lack of support from Hispanic voters and also as you look at the demographics of states like mine, that means we will go from Republican to Democrat over time.
John McCainAmericans have got to understand that we are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers in America today. And that's a disgrace. It's an absolute disgrace and it's got to be fixed.
John McCainI watch sports all the time. My wife Cindy says I would watch the thumb-suckers play the bed-wetters. I watch all sports and I enjoy all sports. It's been great fun in my life and a great diversion.
John McCainWe must be true to ourselves. And we must be true to others, whether they believe we are or not.
John McCainGary Bauer has done great things, ... I want to promise you again, you may agree with me, you may disagree with me, but I will do great things.
John McCainOur enemies didn't adhere to the Geneva Convention. Many of my comrades were subjected to very cruel, very inhumane and degrading treatment, a few of them even unto death. But every one of us - every single one of us - knew and took great strength from the belief that we were different from our enemies, that we were better than them, that we, if the roles were reversed, would not disgrace ourselves by committing or countenancing such mistreatment of them.
John McCain