Mccain has been active in politics for about 30-years...?

So why did it take the Republicans so long to nominate a person that has been a vietnam POW all those 30-years, he's been a maverick all those 30-years, he's been a Republican all those 30-years...all of a sudden, at the ripe ole age of 72, he's being touted as the next best thing to...dare I say it...Regan. I don't get it...I guess it speaks volumesw to why our founding fathers hated political parties so much..it creates allegiances stronger than those to the country...i.e. 2000-2008...