Talk:McCain Institute

Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented.

Hi Wikipedia Editors. I work for the McCain Institute. I have a few suggestions to update this article. I will follow the Wikipedia conflict of interest policy by posting my proposal here and not directly editing the article. Thanks.

1. The McCain Institute is a non-profit, not a think tank. This is verified in multiple reliable sources (below) such as Bloomberg and USA Today. Can the following lines in the infobox please be corrected:

Short description which currently reads: International affairs think tank

Please correct to: Nonprofit organization

Type, which currently reads: | type = International affairs think tank

Please correct to: | type = Nonprofit organization^[1]

2. The McCain Institute has a new logo, which has been uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. In the infobox, please update the logo from this:

| image = MI ASUColor.jpg

To this: | image = NEED NEW LOGO

3. The lead of the article calls the McCain Institute a “think tank,” which is incorrect and uncited. The proposed new language adds historical context about the founding, rewrites the mission and replaces the citation from the institute’s website (not allowed under Wikipedia rules). The reliable sources are updated to include the Arizona Republic, USA Today and Bloomberg:

Please change the opening sentence from:

The McCain Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan think tank established in cooperation with Arizona State University with the stated mission to "fight for democracy, human dignity, and security for a world that is free, safe, and just for all people."^[2]

To:

The McCain Institute is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization^[1] established in cooperation with Arizona State University with the stated goals of defending global human rights, supporting freedom and justice, and to advance leadership.^[3]

4. Remove the last sentence in the LEAD and the last sentence in the GOALS section (both are the same). The source, which is an article originally from the Associated Press, does not say that the institute holds the McCain family archives. And in fact, the McCain Institute does not hold the McCain family archives:

The institute holds the McCain family archives.^[4]

5. The source in the first sentence of the Goals section is a dead link. I found an updated, live link that provides more information, and removes the statement that one of the goals is to preserve the McCain family legacy, as this is untrue. Can you update the first sentence in the Goals section from this:

The institute's stated goals are to provide decision recommendations for leaders, to publish relevant research, to identify and train new national security leaders, and to promote and preserve the McCain family's legacy.^[5]

To this:

The institute's stated goals, based on John McCain’s views of defending democracy and human rights,^[6] include defending global human rights, supporting freedom and justice, and to advance leadership based on these values. ^[3]

6. In the Funding section, the last sentence is written in present tense when the sourcing is from 2014 - and John McCain has since died. There are also updates on how the nonprofit is funded, with updated sourcing, specifics and Wikilinks. Please change from:

Funding of the institute comes from a variety of individuals, foundations, and corporations, including Wal-Mart Stores, FedEx, Saudi Arabia,^[7] and hedge fund owner Paul E. Singer. Some of the funders have business before Congress, but during his life McCain's representative said such actions would not affect his votes.^[8]

To this:

The McCain Institute is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. As of 2024, past donors have included Wal-Mart, FedEx, SpaceX, Chevron,^[3] the embassies of Saudi Arabia and Denmark,^[3][9] Howard Graham Buffett^[10] and hedge fund owner Paul E. Singer.^[11]

7. In the Initiatives section, the sentences about the Sedona Forum are missing citations. I’ve updated it to include missing information and sources. Can you change the first two sentences from:

The institute holds an annual conference, the Sedona Forum, for national and international leaders. It is held each spring in Sedona, Arizona. Previous guests have included Vice President Joe Biden, Ben Affleck, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.^{[citation needed]}

To this:

The Institute hosts the Sedona Forum, an annual, invitation-only conference where international leaders and global security experts discuss global issues and solutions.^[12][13] It is held each spring in Sedona, Arizona.^[13] Previous attendees have included Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senator Mitt Romney,^[14] and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.^[15]

8. In the Initiatives section, the last two paragraphs are pulled from the McCain Institute’s website, and are not encyclopedic. I’ve found more information about the Institute’s programs that were covered widely in the press. Please replace these two paragraphs:

The institute sponsors a series of debates on foreign policy. The debates are followed by a private, non-attribution discussion among the debaters and the senior policymakers present. These debates have been held in multiple cities.^[16]

The McCain Institute also hosts a lecture series for prominent government figures.^[17]

With the following:

The McCain Institute runs programs focused on human rights, democracy, and combating human trafficking.^[3] The Institute’s Preventing Targeted Violence program was created in 2020 with the goal of preventing hate-inspired violence and terrorism.^[18]

Ranger2024 (talk) 17:10, 2 July 2024 (UTC)Reply

  Partly done: Do you have any sources that say that it is not a think tank? Likeanechointheforest (talk) 22:35, 1 September 2024 (UTC)Reply

@Likeanechointheforest: I’d like to withdraw requests 1 and 3 (which deal with the categorization of the organization as a think tank) for the time being. Are you able to proceed with reviewing the remaining requests? Thank you for all of your help so far.Ranger2024 (talk) 20:12, 16 October 2024 (UTC)Reply

I can! Can you please resubmit the remaining ones? Likeanechointheforest (talk) 01:03, 19 October 2024 (UTC)Reply

The user below has a request that an edit be made to McCain Institute. That user has an actual or apparent conflict of interest. The requested edits backlog is very low. There are currently 37 requests waiting for review. Please read the instructions for the parameters used by this template for accepting and declining them, and review the request below and make the edit if it is well sourced, neutral, and follows other Wikipedia guidelines and policies.

I’m submitting a pared down version of previous requests per User:Likeanechointheforest.The list I submitted in July was only partially reviewed, and the reviewing editor has asked that I re-submit the remaining items. I work for the McCain Institute and am committed to following COI policy. Thanks!

1. The source in the first sentence of the Goals section is a dead link. I found an updated, live link that provides more information, and removes the statement that one of the goals is to preserve the McCain family legacy, as this is untrue. Can you update the first sentence in the Goals section from this:

The institute's stated goals are to provide decision recommendations for leaders, to publish relevant research, to identify and train new national security leaders, and to promote and preserve the McCain family's legacy.^[1]

To this:

The institute's stated goals, based on John McCain’s views of defending democracy and human rights,^[2] include defending global human rights, supporting freedom and justice, and to advance leadership based on these values. ^[3]

2. In the Funding section, the last sentence is written in present tense when the sourcing is from 2014 - and John McCain has since died. There are also updates on how the nonprofit is funded, with updated sourcing, specifics and Wikilinks. Please change from:

Funding of the institute comes from a variety of individuals, foundations, and corporations, including Wal-Mart Stores, FedEx, Saudi Arabia,^[4] and hedge fund owner Paul E. Singer. Some of the funders have business before Congress, but during his life McCain's representative said such actions would not affect his votes.^[5]

To this:

The McCain Institute is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. As of 2024, past donors have included Wal-Mart, FedEx, SpaceX, Chevron,^[3] the embassies of Saudi Arabia and Denmark,^[3][6] Howard Graham Buffett^[7] and hedge fund owner Paul E. Singer.^[8]

3. In the Initiatives section, the sentences about the Sedona Forum are missing citations. I’ve updated it to include missing information and sources. Can you change the first two sentences from:

The institute holds an annual conference, the Sedona Forum, for national and international leaders. It is held each spring in Sedona, Arizona. Previous guests have included Vice President Joe Biden, Ben Affleck, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.^{[citation needed]}

To this:

The Institute hosts the Sedona Forum, an annual, invitation-only conference where international leaders and global security experts discuss global issues and solutions.^[9][10] It is held each spring in Sedona, Arizona.^[10] Previous attendees have included Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senator Mitt Romney,^[11] and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.^[12]

4. In the Initiatives section, the last two paragraphs are pulled from the McCain Institute’s website, and are not encyclopedic. I’ve found more information about the Institute’s programs that were covered widely in the press. Please replace these two paragraphs:

The institute sponsors a series of debates on foreign policy. The debates are followed by a private, non-attribution discussion among the debaters and the senior policymakers present. These debates have been held in multiple cities.^[13]

The McCain Institute also hosts a lecture series for prominent government figures.^[14]

With the following:

The McCain Institute runs programs focused on human rights, democracy, and combating human trafficking.^[3] The Institute’s Preventing Targeted Violence program was created in 2020 with the goal of preventing hate-inspired violence and terrorism.^[15]

Ranger2024 (talk) 16:18, 23 October 2024 (UTC)Reply