How old is John McCain?

John McCain was born on Aug. 29, 1936, making him 78 years old as of November 2014. He was born in the Panama Canal Zone at Coco Solo Naval Air Station, where his father worked.

McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam from 1967 to 1973. He emerged with decreased strength and flexibility but stayed with the Navy. In 1976, he became the Navy liaison to the U.S. Senate, and he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982. A Senate career followed, and McCain was the Republican candidate for president in the 2008 election. He and his running mate, Sarah Palin, lost to Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden.