High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! John McCain, the senior United States Senator from Arizona, launched his second candidacy for the presidency of the United States in an unsuccessful bid to win the 2008 presidential election. His candidacy, in the works for a number of years, was informally announced on February 28, 2007 during a live taping of The Late Show with David Letterman, and formally announced on April 25, 2007. His running mate for vice president was Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, announced on August 29, 2008.