The republicans running for US President have always fascinated me as photo subjects. I've began to photograph them back in 1991, just caught the tail end of the Ronald Reagan era. They were always too rigid, patriarchal, and overly proud. Their jingoism and flag waiving made for hard, great, and black and white iconic images.

Until this election cycle. In this cycle, they looked too slick, too weak, and very odd. McCain was the lone stand out so I decided to follow his campaign whenever he came to California. Early in the campaign I often found myself as the only still photographer covering him, he had no media draw like Obama. McCain was on the verge of falling out of the election and I wanted to shoot his last days as a candidate.

It was interesting to watch him campaign in California. His political messages just bounced off of us Californians. He drew no rock stars, mayors, or people of note at his campaign stops. It was almost sad to watch. Yet he prevailed as the front runner and returned to California, Beverly Hills no less, for a fund raiser. Now I was surrounded by photographers jockeying for position. I don't think he recognized me from the early days of his campaign, didn't get a thumbs up or a handshake. Shot this image of him as he was answering questions from the press. Caught this moment of him between his stoic stares. It was a moment of vincibility, but like before he always seems to overcome.