Senator John McCain was proud of his reputation as a maverick in American politics. Through pivotal moments in his life — as a prisoner of war, a young congressman, a presidential candidate, and, ultimately, an elder statesman — that reputation was both validated and challenged. Guests: Elisabeth Bumiller, the Washington bureau chief for The New York Times; Carl Hulse, The Times’s chief Washington correspondent; Mark Landler, who covers the White House for The Times; and Scott Shane, who writes about national security for The Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

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