The Page
By Mark Halperin
2005
FEB. 20 In one of his 52 lifetime appearances on Meet the Press, McCain exasperates conservatives by saying of his fellow guest "I am sure that Senator Clinton would make a good President"
AUG. 23 TIME says McCain would be his party's "instant front runner" if he enters the race, along with Hillary Clinton for the Democrats
AUG. 29 President Bush offers McCain a 69th-birthday cake--as flooding ravages New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina
2007
FEB. 28 McCain semiofficially announces his plans to run for President on the Late Show with David Letterman
APRIL 1 McCain sees "encouraging signs" while touring a Baghdad market, draws derision from the press and Democrats for his heavy security escort
APRIL 25 He formally announces his run for President in Portsmouth, N.H.: "I'm not the youngest candidate. But I am the most experienced"
MAY 3 At a Republican debate in California, McCain memorably vows to pursue Osama bin Laden to the "gates of hell"
JUNE 28 The Senate defeats a McCain-supported immigration bill, ending months of his attempts to awkwardly balance a run for the Republican nomination with a policy unpopular among conservatives
JULY 2 After a disappointing fund-raising year and a mishandled budget, McCain dismisses campaign employees and cuts the salaries of senior staffers. Speculation mounts that he will be forced to quit the race altogether
JULY 10 McCain's campaign manager and top strategist leave amid reports the campaign has only $2 million left. McCain grimly denies talk he may need to abandon his bid
AUG. 11 In the all-important (but ultimately meaningless) Iowa straw poll, Mitt Romney finishes first, Mike Huckabee comes in second and McCain 10th--second to last--with 101 votes (0.7%)
NOV. 22 On his seventh trip to Iraq since the war began, McCain has Thanksgiving dinner with U.S. troops
2008
JAN. 3 Huckabee wins the Iowa caucuses, Romney comes in second, and McCain ties for third
JAN. 8 McCain wins the New Hampshire primary. Romney comes in second, Huckabee third
JAN. 15 Romney keeps his candidacy alive by beating McCain in the Michigan primary
JAN. 19 McCain wins the South Carolina primary, avenging his 2000 loss there to George W. Bush
JAN. 22 Fred Thompson drops out of the race
JAN. 26 After weeks of intense competition for his support, Florida governor Charlie Crist endorses McCain
JAN. 29 McCain wins the Florida primary
JAN. 30 Rudy Giuliani ends his presidential bid and endorses McCain, leaving Romney and Huckabee as McCain's remaining challengers
JAN. 31 California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger endorses McCain
FEB. 4
FEB. 5 McCain finishes off Romney with sweeping Super Tuesday wins
MARCH 4 After lingering for weeks, Huckabee concedes, allowing McCain to declare victory and "claim with confidence, humility and a great sense of responsibility" that he will be the GOP nominee
SEPT. 1-4 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
With reporting by Randy James, Katie Rooney