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New section: relationship with conservatives and tea partiers
{{QuoteBox|"I think Americans should be exposed to every point of view, I happen to [[believe in evolution]]. ... I respect those who think the world was created in seven days. Should it be taught as a science class? '''Probably not'''." [http://thinkprogress.org/2007/02/12/mccain-creationism/]}}
{{QuoteBox|"I think Americans should be exposed to every point of view, I happen to [[believe in evolution]]. ... I respect those who think the world was created in seven days. Should it be taught as a science class? '''Probably not'''." [http://thinkprogress.org/2007/02/12/mccain-creationism/]}}
==Relationship with conservatives and tea partiers==
McCain has had a very strained relationship with the traditional conservative base over the years, with some going as far as to term his relationship with grassroots activists as "vicious".<ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Ken-Cuccinelli-John-McCain-Senate-Conservatives-republican/2015/04/09/id/637565/ Cuccinelli: 'Vicious Anti-Conservative' McCain Must be Ousted], [[Newsmax]]</ref> Instead, McCain has seemingly preferred to pal around with liberal journalists.
===The Press===
As early as the 2000 election, McCain's own aids jokingly used to say that "McCain's base was the media".<ref>[http://www.weeklystandard.com/mccain-and-the-conservatives/article/14601 McCain and the Conservatives], [[Weekly Standard]]</ref> Over the years, McCain's loyalty to conservatives drifted further apart, while he continued to shore up his base in the media.<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/mccain-feeds-his-base-bbq-84405 McCain Feeds His ‘Base’ BBQ], [[Newsweek]]</ref><ref>[http://www.nysun.com/opinion/wooing-the-press/78708/ Wooing the Press]</ref>
===Hobbits, Wacko Birds, and more===
On July 27th, 2011, McCain derided<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/28/nation/la-na-mccain-tea-party-20110728 John McCain derides 'tea party hobbits' in debt ceiling fight], [[Los Angeles Times]]</ref> members of the Tea Party in a speech on the floor of the senate,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7GfPEtyQsE McCain Floor Speech - Tea Party Hobbits], He said: "The idea seems to be, that if the House GOP refuses to raise the debt ceiling, a default crisis or gradual government shutdown will ensue, and the public will turn en-masse against Barack Obama. The Republican House that failed to raise the debt ceiling would somehow escape all the blame. Then Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced budget amendment and reform entitlements, and the tea party hobbits would return to middle earth having defeated Mordor."</ref> where he stated his disagreement with "tea party hobbits". The following night, he appeared on Hannity's show on Fox, and continued to act indignant about his position.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgnRtPHnOH4 John McCain Defends Trashing Tea Party]</ref>
A month later McCain was asked about his "Lord of the Rings" reference, and he still refused to apologize.<ref>[http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/176055--mccain-not-sorry-for-tea-party-hobbits-comment Sen. McCain won’t apologize for ‘Tea Party hobbits’ comment]</ref>
When John Brennan was nominated for the position as CIA director, Rand Paul led a filibuster in opposition. He was later joined by senators Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, Jerry Moran, Marco Rubio, Saxby Chambliss, and Pat Toomey. In response, McCain called Paul, Lee, and Cruz "Wacko birds".<ref>[http://www.nationalreview.com/article/349919/mccain-against-wacko-birds-jonathan-strong McCain Against the ‘Wacko Birds’], [[National Review]]</ref>
Shortly after [[Jim DeMint]] left the senate and joined the [[Heritage Foundation]], McCain stated that the organization "just doesn’t have the credibility".<ref>[http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/mccain-against-heritage McCain Against Heritage]</ref>
===Arizona Purges===
Lost in McCain's high profile national activity has been what McCain does in his home state of Arizona.
In Arizona, McCain gained considerable ire from conservative activists for his unseating of conservative activists from positions, in order to lay the continued groundwork for his own re-elections.<ref>[http://hotair.com/archives/2014/12/30/mccains-team-quietly-purging-arizona-gop-of-tea-party-foes-before-2016-reelection-bid/ McCain’s team quietly purging Arizona GOP of tea-party foes before 2016 reelection bid]</ref> There was some speculation that this was revenge for him being censured by the AZ GOP.<ref>[http://www.frontpagemag.com/point/248414/mccain-using-obama-san-francisco-donor-purge-daniel-greenfield McCain Using Obama San Francisco Donor to Purge Arizona Tea Partiers]</ref><ref>[http://archive.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/20140125arizona-republican-party-mccain-censure-gop.html Arizona GOP censures McCain for ‘disastrous’ record]</ref>
===IRS Targeting===
On April 9th, 2015, [[Judicial Watch]] released documents pointing to pressure against Lois Lerner to target [[Tea Party]] groups, seemingly coming from senators [[Carl Levin]] and John McCain.<ref>[http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-irs-documents-reveal-lerner-knew-targeting-criteria-of-nonprofit-groups-might-raise-questions/ Judicial Watch: IRS Documents Reveal Lerner Knew Targeting Criteria of Nonprofit Groups ‘Might Raise Questions’]</ref><ref>[https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2015/04/11/key-mccain-aides-moved-to-silence-tea-party/ Key McCain Aides Moved To Silence Tea Party]</ref> McCain was quick to respond on Twitter, stating that the reports were "false".<ref>[https://pjmedia.com/blog/john-mccain-lashes-out-at-judicial-watch-over-damning-irs-doc-release/ John McCain Lashes Out at Judicial Watch over Damning IRS Doc Release]</ref>
==Personal life==
==Personal life==