There are no recall elections for federal officials. McCain was never involved in any race like that, and easily won all of his reelection campaigns. Note I do not like or support him, but in summer '01, McCain was still a media darling.
Maybe there was no way for it to work, but if you go to that site, you will see that in 2001 there was an organized effort to get McCain recalled.
They suspended operation on September 17, deciding there were more important things after 9/11. Their note explaining their suspension is on the site still.