McCain: Rabble-rouser and standard-bearer

McCain's war story had made him a celebrity in Washington. And when he became the Navy's liaison to the Senate, he quickly established friendships with some of the younger senators, who would stop by his office, put their feet up, and chew over the events of the day. The experience opened McCain's eyes to the impact that politicians could have, and to the notion that he could be one of them.

His 1981 marriage to Cindy, the daughter of a wealthy beer distributor in Arizona, helped clear the path forward. In one day, McCain signed his Navy discharge papers and flew West with his new wife to his new life. By 1982, he'd been elected to the House and four years later to an open Senate seat. He and Cindy would have four children, to add to the three from his first marriage. Their youngest child was adopted from Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh.

'The Keating Five'
McCain set about establishing a conservative voting record and a reputation as a tightwad with taxpayer dollars. But just months into his Senate career, he made what he's called "the worst mistake of his life." He participated in two meetings with banking regulators on behalf of Charles Keating, a friend, campaign contributor, constituent and savings and loan financier who was later convicted of securities fraud.

The S&L situation simmered for a few years, but eventually boiled over, and McCain got burned.

As the industry collapsed, McCain was tagged as one of the Keating Five — five senators who, to varying degrees, were accused of trying to get regulators to ease up on Keating. McCain was cited for a lesser role than the others by the Senate Ethics Committee, which faulted his "poor judgment."

Video   From POW to GOP contender Feb. 27: A profile of Sen. John McCain, R-Az., as a part of the Decision 2008 series “The Candidates”. Doc Block

But to have his honor questioned, he said, was in some ways worse than the torture he endured in Vietnam.

"It had an indelible impression on him," says former Sen. Warren Rudman, who sat on the Ethics Committee at the time. "It was an assault on his integrity."

In the 1990s, McCain shouldered another wrenching issue, the long effort to account for American soldiers still missing from the war and to normalize relations with Vietnam.

"People don't remember how ugly the POW-MIA issue was," says former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey, a fellow Vietnam veteran, who credits McCain for standing up to significant opposition. "I heard people scream in his face, holding him responsible for the deaths of POWs. 'You came home alive in 1973. There are prisoners still alive and they're being tortured and mistreated because of you."'

Presidential temperament?
McCain spent years trying to live down the taint of Charlie Keating. Yet even in this campaign, he has been dogged by questions about the lobbying ties of his close advisers.

Video   McCain’s character questioned Feb 20: Dan looks at newly reported allegations about John McCain’s ties to a female lobbyist. He’s joined by Congressional Quarterly’s Craig Crawfod, political analyst Laura Schwartz, The Chicago Tribune’s Jim Warren, and analyst Pat Buchanan. MSNBC Live with Dan Abrams

Over the years, he went to great lengths to prove himself. He became the standard-bearer for reforming campaign donations. He railed against pork-barrel spending for legislators' pet projects. He even attacked the senators' own perks of office, like free, reserved, up-close parking spots at Washington airports. Oh my.

That helps explain why John McCain is not the most popular senator on Capitol Hill. But it is not all.

"Everyone knows about his temper, his inability to get along with people," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said earlier this year.

McCain is famous for expletive-laced outbursts at his colleagues: "Only an a------ would put together a budget like this," he once told the former Budget Committee chairman, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. Domenici later questioned whether McCain's temperament was suited to the presidency.

Opinions differ, though, on whether McCain deploys his anger tactically to achieve his goals, lets it loose as an expression of righteous indignation, or simply loses control.

"There's nothing strategic about being passionate about something," Cindy McCain told AP. "You are or you aren't. He's a very straight shooter."

Video   McCain begins to crumble? April 21: Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson discusses Sen. John McCain’s mud-wrestling on the economy, the new flip-flopping regarding the endorsement of Rev. John Hagee, and the senator’s temper. Countdown

Kerrey, who has endorsed Barack Obama, said McCain's blown up at him, but "there's nothing unbalanced about it. It always makes sense. It helps him get the job done."

But Kerrey also allows: "Nobody's going to recruit him to be a Zen master."

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of McCain's closest friends, says he and McCain have "had some doozies" of disagreements, but what matters more is that senators want to work with him.

"John's performance over 20 years shows a man who people seek out to do business with because they know he's effective," says Graham.

Former Republican Sen. Bob Smith remembers an altogether different dynamic, particularly between McCain and fellow Republicans.

"He definitely could intimidate people," says Smith. "He could mock you, he could needle you, he could belittle you. He did it to me on a couple of occasions."

Smith recounted instances when McCain fired the F-word at colleagues, hurled scatological references at senators, and came close to fisticuffs.

"Beware if he says, 'My friend,"' says Smith. "You better look out."

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