John McCain made much of his "maverick" status on the campaign trail, and he certainly set his own course since he announced his candidacy in February 2007. But last night, after winning 46 percent of the popular vote and fewer than half of the electoral votes, McCain conceded with a gracious speech, one that thanked his many supporters and urged unity and support for the new president-elect. Though McCain had been there before, by no means was this campaign 2000: McCain had won the Republican nomination this time around, but only after almost going bankrupt in the summer of 2007. Once he bounced back, he polled strong, surging to the lead through primary season and staying tight in the national polls against Barack Obama. By late August, the campaign reached critical mass with the announcement of Sarah Palin as running mate, a choice that initially boosted McCain in the polls. In the aftermath of the economic crash, however, McCain couldn't seem to come up with a consistent message, which allowed Obama to take the lead, one that held until Nov. 4. Here are images, shot by Christopher Anderson and Khue Bui for NEWSWEEK, that chronicle the GOP candidate's journey.
