Sen. John McCain
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a conservative Republican with a maverick streak, brings an experienced perspective to the commission probing the state of U.S. intelligence gathering ahead of the Iraq war.

The president named McCain as one of the initial seven members of the bipartisan panel that will examine apparent intelligence failures on weapons of mass destruction in prewar Iraq and other countries, including North Korea and Iran.

Just weeks before the creation of the commission, McCain had stood out from fellow Republicans by calling for an independent review of prewar intelligence and for his public criticism of some aspects of the president's policies in Iraq.

Upon the president's announcement of his appointment on Feb. 6, 2004, McCain told reporters that he believed it was important to serve on the panel, as there were clearly "failures" in Iraq.

"We need an assessment of the capabilities of the United States of America to gather intelligence in order that the president ... may make the most difficult decisions that a president has to make," said McCain, according to CNN.

In a separate statement, McCain praised the president's decision to create the commission and pledged to "do my very best to help find the answers that the American people have a right to know."

At the same time, the Arizona senator has said he does not believe that President Bush cherry-picked intelligence data to support a case for war against Iraq.

"The president of the United States, I believe, did not manipulate any kind of information for political gain or otherwise," the senator said in an interview with The Boston Globe on Feb. 7, 2004.

The senator voted in favor of an October 2002 congressional resolution that authorized President Bush to attack Iraq if former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein refused to relinquish his alleged weapons of mass destruction.

"Giving peace a chance only gives Saddam Hussein more time to prepare for war on his terms, at a time of his choosing, in pursuit of ambitions that will only grow as his power to achieve them grows," McCain said of the Iraq resolution, approved by the Senate in a 77-23 vote.

McCain entered politics in 1982, winning a seat in the U.S. House representing Arizona. In 1986, Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater retired and McCain was elected to succeed him. He is now in his third term in the U.S. Senate.

He currently serves as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and serves on the Armed Services and Indian Affairs committees.

He is known for his long-standing support of campaign finance reform and is the chief Senate sponsor, along with Sen. Russ Feingold, D- Wis., of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act.

In addition to taking on his party's position on campaign finance reform, he has also not shied away from taking on its candidates. McCain's maverick tendencies erupted onto the national stage with his unsuccessful run against George W. Bush for the GOP presidential nomination in 2000.

Although the two campaigned hard against one another, McCain has worked for Mr. Bush's reelection in 2004, though the senator continues to clash with the president over a number of policies and actions.

McCain in early March 2004 demanded the White House authorize the intelligence commission to subpoena witnesses, including administration officials. The White House denied McCain's request.

Known as an outspoken maverick, McCain has challenged lawmakers on campaign finance, election reform issues and what he sees as pork barrel government spending. He also heads the Reform Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting civic participation, voter registration and related initiatives.

Born in 1936 in a Naval hospital in the Panama Canal Zone, McCain is the son and grandson of Navy admirals.

McCain himself graduated from the Naval Academy in 1958 and began a career as a Naval aviator.

In 1967, McCain was flying a mission over a power plant in Hanoi when his plane was shot down. He ejected from the craft, was badly injured and became a prisoner of war in Vietnam in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" for five-and-a-half years.

The war ended in 1973 and McCain was freed along with nearly 600 other prisoners of war. He has received numerous military honors for his service, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He served in the U.S. Navy until 1981.

McCain married Cindy Hensley in 1980. They have seven children and four grandchildren.

-- Compiled by Maureen Hoch for the Online NewsHour