The Puritans believed that God had chosen certain people to go to heaven or hell. This is known as predestination.
The Puritans were deeply religious people who fled from England to The New World (America) to escape religious persecution from The Church of England. They were Protestant and Calvinist and had very strict doctrines.
I am unsure about John McCain but but I know Obama was the only president born outside of the 48 consecutive states (he was born in Hawaii). I believe John was as well.
