Given our current Republican leadership, don't you think Sheriff Joe A. would be the perfect fit for this vacancy? He's a maverick, a friend of the President, and he holds the law in contempt. Unlike Senator McCain, who is a true national hero and patriot, Sheriff Joe A. will fit into the current Republican leadership much better.
2
I disagree - his bravedt moment was when he was a prisoner not as a politician.
6
The only chance that Trump will not be remembered as the biggest scoundrel President in US history is approaching next week. He can keep his mouth shut and watch from afar as we honor the life of John McCain. Then resign.
5
I'll bet that almost every single person who will be respectfully passing by Senator McCain's casket lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda will be thinking, if only for a instant, "How I wish that there was a certain someone else in there".
9
“In polls, two-thirds of G.O.P. voters then supported torture, yet McCain led a battle against Vice President Dick Cheney on the issue and repeatedly denounced torture.”
Dick Cheney wanted to legitimize the weasel words “enhanced interrogation,” just as Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell cavalierly dismiss Trump’s kleptocracy as “enhanced business acumen.”
Well then, since this is the language they understand, we should redefine “treason” as “enhanced betrayal of the public trust.”
8
The world feels less noble and a little colder today than it did yesterday. As a lifetime Democrat, I will miss Senator McCain as a hero we could see in the flesh--a real hero who didn't tell us he was "like, a really big hero". No need for Ironman or Captain America--John McCain was right there. Sadly, no more.
7
We thank John for his service, we respect his courage as a serviceman, we appreciate his recent comments against Trump but his voting record - not so much. Trump should be ashamed to utter his name but then again the people that voted for him claim to know what they were getting - I think not. At least with McCain agree with him or not you knew what you were getting was genuine.
7
The ubiquitous eulogies in the print and broadcast media during the past 24 hours have reminded us all of Sen McCain's numerous and genuine virtues.
Is it churlish of me to speculate on what the lawyers call a "counterfactual"? Imagine that he had won the presidency before being felled by his dreadful illness. His legacy would then have been President Palin. Unimaginable even during our current nightmare...
4
In the days after his death, I've been struck by many examples of John McCain quietly doing "good by stealth." As in his kindness here, to the young and dying 12 years old Ann. I also read about his regular visits to Mo Udall in a nursing home. It pleases me to know this about Senator McCain, whom I always liked for his ability to cross the aisle and the obvious friendships he fostered there. I always liked his wit and the twinkle in his eye, but now I know why he stood out so much and mattered: he had a loving heart.
5
Thank you for your kind words about Sen McCain. I don’t remember you coming to his defense when the Times ran the fake news story alleging he was having an affair because he was seen having meetings with a woman. That story ran on the front page of the Times in the middle of a Presidential campaign.
9
RIP John McCain - American
8
Sad that it takes death for these ‘servants’ to leave office.
4
I will always remember him as Sara Palin's runniing mate.
5
First of all, is the disgraceful imbecile in the White House going to speak at McCain's funeral? Second of all, if he does, what will he conceivably say?
2
Hopefully Jeff Flack can pick up the slack of McCain's loss. On most issues I disagree with republicans but the eruption of ugly xenophobia and racism led by the current prez has caused me to soften my critique of more moderate republicans. McCain was a leader of this more humane, moderate group. This party is in danger of extinction and McCain was of immense importance to the remnant of decent republicans.
3
In 1985, as the lead of the U of Memphis Speakers Committee, I had the honor of spending time with former POW Jeremiah Denton, then a U.S. Senator from Alabama. As a young, opinionated Democrat, I prejudged him based on his conservativism and support of President Reagan. I let him know within minutes I was a Democrat.
When I told him I was also a former Navy veteran who had served on the USS Enterprise, he unhesitatingly embraced me for more time than I was comfortable with. For the remainder of the night, he addressed me affectionately as 'shipmate'. The Enterprise, he related, was his mother ship on that fateful night he was shot out of the sky by the North Vietnamese.
I have never forgotten that humbling moment. Compared to his service, mine was minimal. He had paid a supreme sacrifice. Yet, he embraced me as a brother and fellow patriot. To him, I was a shipmate, a fellow warrior. My partisanship melted immediately like a snowball under a flame.
Last night, When John McCain passed, this story came to my mind. Both Denton and McCain were naval aviators. They were both Republicans. They are emblematic of all those aviators I met and assisted from 1975 - 1979. Living in same America, that Denton and McCain served and governed as U.S. Senators is a deep honor, as was assisting that special breed of aviators I served with for 4 years.
God Bless you John McCain, and all the badass patriots that have served America as both warriors and peacemakers.
8
I still think it's possible to honor John McCain and look honestly at his flaws and mistakes, and to do so without the sanctimonious mean-spiritedness that appears to be behind these attacks from the far right and the dingbat left.
Seems to me that if the Vietnamese government--and who's got more right to hate an American pilot than Vietnam?--can manage a little honor and decency on the occasion of a great man's death, we oughta be able to scrape a little of the same up somewhere.
7
I hope that his daughter Meghan, who is cut from the same strong, insightful, independent, and intelligent cloth as her father, runs for office. If I lived in Arizona, I would vote for her in a New York minute.
8
"John McCain’s most courageous moment arguably did not come when he was near death as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. He was then frail and feverish, with two broken arms, a broken leg, a shattered knee and bayonet wounds, yet still resisting his captors even though the consequence was more beatings.
Rather, his bravest moment may have come in the winter of 2007-8 as he sought the Republican nomination for president."
I'm shocked, Mr. Kristof, that you would presume to argue that seeking the Republican nomination for President, could have required more bravery on Senator McCain's part than did resisting his captors, while near death, frail and feverish .with two broken arms, a shattered leg, and bayonet wounds.
That argument diminishes the extraordinary bravery,courage and strength demonstrated by a young man, who endured five and a half years of torture, when he could have gained early release in exchange for issuing a statement.
I shudder to think of that which John McCain endured in Vietnam. He was a true hero, in every sense of the word, and a great statesman. His death is a great loss to this nation.
Please do not presume to speak for the dead.
R.I.P. Senator John McCain.
6
Look up the word, "arguably." And perhaps consider that one of McCain's was his generosity of spirit.
4
John McCain knew to the core of his being that freedom is not something once and forever.
Rather, freedom and liberties must be defended in every generation and many times in the choices we make.
He also knew that no matter our differences, fellow Americans are our brethren, not our enemies.
12
It’s not about John McCain at all.
It’s about the entire class of the career long politicians in Washington D.C.
What have they accomplished and what should be written in their obituaries in order for the next generations to learn the incredibly important lessons?
They have led the country into two longest unwinnable wars in the national history, piled up the colossal federal debt, let the US capital be overrun by the corrupt lobbyists assembling the most important laws designed to pamper the profitability of the global corporations without protecting the financial foundations of America, equated the bribes with freedom of speech, divided and polarized the country, inflamed the mutual animosity between the citizens just to personally stay in power, exported the industrial base to China thus making America dependent on the communist regime, aided the competitor capable of becoming stronger than us, created the incredibly expensive health care system that might bankrupt the federal government…
Those politicians shouldn’t be remembered as the F-14 pilots because their final grades as the leaders were the straight F’s…
4
It would have been rather difficult for John McCain to have flown an F-14, given that he was in a cell being beaten when they were still being designed.
3
Great comment.
These career politician like McCain bankrupted the country and left us wallowing in debt our great-grandchildren can will still be paying only interest on; lied us into wars killing hundreds of thousands people to protect the Saudis, big oil, and the multi-national corporations profits; destroyed the EPA to allow corporations to increase profits by externalizing costs; supported making corporations “people” for campaign purposes to assure the bribes (a/k/a donations) continued to flow from their corporate masters.
Of course, marry several hundred million dollars and you don’t feel any pain.
Sorry, but serving in the military does not erase a subsequent lifetime of serving corporations, as opposed to the people.
1
Robert,
Whether it was F-12, F-13 or F-14, it's completely irrelevant for the key message.
Did you get it correctly?
Or should we construe your comment that you agree with everything else?
1
Several times over the last year and a half I would proclaim” John McCain please speak up!” and he would. Oh how he will be missed!
4
Good article, and educational reading the pro and con comments.
I have two memories of McCain...
Katie Couric interviewing Palin. It was painful to watch, and I just thought to myself - really John, how COULD you put this person on the ticket?
On the good side, his thumb down on the ACA repeal.
5
Every American should read his recent memoir, especially his detailed warnings about Putin.
8
John McCain. I too rarely agreed with him politically but recognized his strength and love of country. A real mensch, he has been missed these past few months and his passing makes it harder to bear.
The fact that Ted Kennedy and John McCain died on the same date has to carry som cosmic weight. I hope they are enjoying a hearty hug in heaven.
RIP Senator McCain - you served our country very well
8
John McCain showed physical courage when he was a POW in Vietnam, but he never showed moral courage in going along with Trump's and the Republicans' destructive agenda. So let's honor the war hero and stop at the rest of the hypocrisy.
3
Mr. Kristof writes a horribly skewed portrait of John McCain. Mr. McCain performed one honorable act in his life.....he served his country honorably during the Vietnam War. And no one should be put through the pain, humiliation, depredation that Mr. McCain was forced to endure at Hanoi Hilton. Torture is Depravity.....plain and simply. Mr. McCain has parlayed that one moment thrust on him into a lifelong Political Act called "the Maverick". Maverick....my left foot. Mr. McCain did little except carry water for his Bush Family Masters. Even his denunciation of Torture seemed more like a carefully scripted act designed by the Bushes to defuse the tensions building over the issue. Sadly, John McCain did little to nothing to pass on a better future for his Country.....he only served himself. Rest in Peace, John McCain.....those of us who remain will quickly clean up the damage you caused.
3
Does even one person reading these comments think that when the occupant of the people’s house leaves this world there will be anywhere close to the number of comments saying how even thought they disagreeed with him they respected him and are saddened by his passing . .... I kinda doubt it
4
Yes, he was a good man who had the courage of his convictions. He certainly had his flaws, Palin his worst mistake possibly, and his gratuitous get off my lawn attitude toward anyone who provoked him. He was not a gracious loser. He couldn't remember how many houses he had, and maybe made some dodgy campaign finance choices once upon a time.
But he was that rarest of individuals: a republican with both a heart and a spine and a strong sense of self that didn't depend on polls, the execrable GOP base, or any other outside measure.
Who among the current GOP will even come close to replacing him? Absolutely nobody is the answer.
8
Ann’s Mother: “There was nothing in it for him ... it was only kindness.” This is where the honor code that John McCain lived by, which recognizes that the greater good is the source of human freedom and dignity came through. He was a transcendent statesman and leader. Small, petty squabbling and self-promotion are far from Senator McCain.
The definition of love in 1st Corinthians 13 (“love is kind ... not self-seeking”) came through in Senator McCain’s eloquent actions. May the God who had saved him for some higher purpose find joy in his life and welcome this amazing being into the divine presence. We did not deserve him. But for a time, we observed, felt, learned from, and loved him. Rest in sublime peace!
4
Only I am worrying about John McCain that moment he will reach to the Heaven Gate; he will be asked; John did you use your talent, wisdom, knowledge and ability to save any human beings? or instigated several wars allowing neocons and war mongers to use you? You knew that without your participation no war in the middle-east could have been initiated, millions of human beings could have saved, lives of many millions not have been uprooted and several civilization would not have been rubble.
3
I’m reminded of another principled man, Atticus Finch, standing alone in the courthouse-after having lost his case for the wrongly convicted-Tom Robinson.
Scout, Atticus’ daughter, is sitting in the balcony-along with most of the African- American community-who are all looking down at a dejected Atticus as he makes his way down the aisle.
“Stand up,” the Reverend nudges Scout, and helps her to stand. As they do, they are joined by the entire balcony who silently stand- all eyes upon Atticus down below.
“Scout, stand up. Your father’s passing.”
No matter how many times I read or watch this scene in To Kill a Mockingbird, this scene always gets to me.
Because as the community stands for Atticus, we are made to feel just how rare a man like Atticus Finch is- and how integrity must be acknowledged no matter our respective political stances.
Yes, stand UP, America. John McCain has passed.
4
McCain, was the only Republican we ever donated to. After Dubya, we became Independents and then morphed into Democrats.
John McCain was the LAST great Republican, in Congress. Godspeed, sir.
6
America just lost a real leader, a real hero. We will miss him.
My heartfelt condolences to his family in their time of great grief.
3
What makes this really sad is that we are compelled to praise a politician/official/public servant for simply having some actual convictions and spending some amount of time trying to "do the right thing" for others. By all trustworthy accounts, John McCain was not a terribly bright man; he had a terrible temper; he was (at times) blindly ambitious; he was provably and tragically dead-wrong on any number of important matters of international relations; he was as fiscally reckless as a Senator could be; . . . and his poor judgment and expedient cynicism gave us the travesty of Sarah Palin. He may have displayed incredible valor as a POW in Vietnam, but his track record as a government leader SHOULD be viewed as mediocre -- at best. Unfortunately, in this era, he stands out, just because he tended to act on principle and would sometimes call out those who patently sought to undermine America's better values. The tributes to Senator McCain should be no different than those given to any long-serving representative of the people . . . But our representatives so rarely exhibit even minimal amounts of ethics and courage, that McCain seems exceptional in comparison. I'm sorry to lose a decent, generally principled voice in the Senate . . . I mourn the fact that Senator McCain was so far above average.
5
You don't compromise your moral principles to win votes nor to get elected, even for "the greater good." Sorry. Nick. But then, that's the American definition of a politician. Mc Cain had many good aspects to his multi-faceted personality. This was not one of them. And this and big money in politics is exactly why this country has become a nation of unprincipled "gonifs." Mc Cain did try with Russ Feingold to get big money out of congress, but he limited it to only a certain amount of big money, for very GOP pragmatic reasons. This, by the way, does relate to his patriotism.
Aren’t the true heroes those trying to help the other nations find the common language and bridge their differences in order to melt them into the harmonic and functional society through the negotiations, compromises and sharing the best system of values?
What is heroic about trying to push the other countries into the bloody civil wars and promoting that the best ways to solve the differences are the armed conflicts, violence and wars?
1
For some reason, after reading many articles about McCain today, it hit me that it will be impossible for most journalists to ever write such glowing details about our current president.
I did not ever vote for McCain but I agree that sometimes he helped bend that arc a little towards a just world.
2
Is this really a time to include could have--should have--would have comments in both the column and comments?
Sour grapes make bad wine.
It is my understanding he and first wife were separated, not as compatible after he returned with the traumas of being held captive.
2
I can easily imagine a Republic where Democrats and Republicans do battle in the political arena undergirded by genuine love of country, constancy of purpose, willingness to listen, respect for the demonstrated decency of the opponent, disgust at any evidence of indecency, and the energy to study the issues thoroughly and arrive at well thought out stances.
McCain had all those qualities. More, as so many have witnessed in these sad hours, John had a wide streak of kindness evident to only a few when the kindness generated no political gain at all.
Yes, he was conservative and ambitious. But his conservatism was not tinged with racial bias or religious fanaticism. His ambitions caused him to do what it took to get re-elected in a party that always let racists and Christian extremists in the side door. Well, there you go; we're eulogizing him nationwide today precisely because he did get re-elected again and again. So...
Finally, I really liked his ready smile and ability to laugh a funny things even when the funny thing was him. Says something gently human about the guy.
2
We live in times of light and darkness and to survive & thrive in them, we need to understand the shades of gray. John McCain was a perfect example of that understanding.
3
John McCain was human.
The biggest flaw, to me, was his dedication to serving the rich over the country.
But then, how many in our current government aren’t similarly afflicted?
Greed and selfishness are dangerous.
He had far more good than almost anyone in our current government.
4
I am a Vietnam vet. I was in the Air Force, and taught English to Vietnamese military, so they could go to technical schools in the US. This was a plush assignment; I lived in
Saigon for two and half years. I had many
positive experiences with the Vietnamese.
Senator McCain had a horrible experience as a prisoner of war. He was lucky to have survived what he endured. When Mr. Trump
disparaged his service, I was disgusted and
remain disgusted. I almost voted for McCain,
until he chose Sarah Palin for VP. And I am a new deal Democrat. We hold politicians to
false standards. We all have flaws. Most great people have flaws. Anyone who condemns Senator McCain for his flaws most likely has not endured the horrors of war that he did. Your condemnation is meaningless to me.
58
Holly, how I wish John McCain’s colleagues would, as you suggest, show a fraction of his integrity and “look in the mirror...” but this is 2018 and even his Senate BFF Lindsay Graham has snubbed him of late. Senator Graham and the others aren’t worthy to shine John McCain’s shoes. As a Democrat who has voted for Senator McCain in the past, it has been painful for me to listen to the vitriol that has come out of the mouth of the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and his staff. To make such statements about a dying man, and to be so hurtful and callous toward the McCain family would be shocking at any other time in our history. I can only pray that we will, as a country, vote out those who are silently sitting by and normalizing this disgraceful behavior purely to push through their hateful agenda. Godspeed, John McCain, you were an example of a true patriot and statesman.
70
Interesting that the article leads with McCain’s opposition to waterboarding. The GOP has been totally unmoved by McCain. The GOP overwhelmingly supports torture. I live in AZ and he is my senator. His so called moderation is lauded, but when it really mattered he toed the line with the GOP. The attempt to pass the absurd GOP health plan is the one and only time I can remember that he actually made a difference.
I heard that it was rumored he was offered the VP slot by his friend John Kerry. I would have been thrillled to see him try to bridge the divide between the parties by accepting this offer, but he failed me then too.
He was a good man, but he just couldn’t bring himself to really be the maverick of his reputation.
42
I am a Navy Vietnam veteran ('65-'69.) and retired federal prosecuting attorney (1995-2010).
I respected John McCain for his naval service. However, having been his constituent since 1982, I cannot say the same about his conduct as my Congressman and Senator for the past 36 years.
Contrary to the national media's assertion, John McCain was never a "maverick." He never understood, or grasped, the fact that he was an elected public servant. On the contrary, those of us who tried to communicate with him at town hall meetings found him to be just the opposite: an uncaring and rude individual masquerading as a public servant.
The last town hall meeting that I attended in March 2013 is a good example.Two women who sat in front of me asked similar questions ("Will you support the bill to ban assault weapons and institute background checks?") at different times during the meeting.
One women's son had been murdered in the Aurora theater massacre. The other survived the Gabby Giffords shooting. Much to my astonishment, and to the women as well, he gave them the same heartless response; "I'll give you some straight talk,it's not gonna' to pass." No "I'll see what i can do" no I'll use my clout to help it pass." No empathy.No maverick
Before asking my question I mentioned my naval service. But when I mentioned my recent retirement as an NLRB attorney, half of the audience of 150 booed me. John McCain refused to defend one of his own and said nothing.
43
Finally some truth to shatter the inflated myths of heroism. This is the problem of America's obsession with war, violence and self-proclaimed heroism and patriotism. As we watch this nation crumble, John McCain will be lauded as a hero while never recognizing his important contribution to its decay on behalf of right wing Arizona.
3
@Richard
I, too, find his response disappointing. But I know no politician who agrees with my views even on just my top 5 issues. Perhaps it can be said that he was representing his state, or just that he realistically saw strong gun control at that point an impossibility. Perhaps realizing all politicians' limited resources for influence, he punted on gun control in favor of a few issues on which he might have an impact. But McCain did leave his mark on some very important national issues: campaign finance regulation; the illegitimacy of torture; saving the affordable care act. And it's hard to ignore, listening to his obituaries, that this man was the anti-Trump. He could get along with those who had fiercely opposed him and try to rope them in next time.
His strongest stands were matters of human rights and democracy. He lived through five years of brutal treatment without being consumed by hatred. How can one not admire those qualities? Donald Trump has none of them. His strongest "principle" is the determination to get even with anyone who has opposed him (see David Cay Johnson's The Making of Donald Trump, 22-26). Our president lives for revenge, power, and wealth. The contrast could not be sharper.
@Richard
Thank you for sharing your experience with John McCain, closeup. I have no doubt about your stories; they are part of the mix of a many dimensional human being. There were even less favorable and more important mistakes he made, Withal, he was principled, brave, good spirited, heroic and a patriotic American.
John McCain set an example of honorable behavior for all of us to admire and emulate. He was a true hero, with grit to spare, and he had a love of this country that we really can't spare in these troubled times. His courage under fire was undeniable, and it's a sad day when we won't hear his voice daring to speak truth to the authoritarian in the White House.
It seems disrespectful to mention the name of the current POTUS in the same paragraph. True to form, our POTUS couldn't bring himself to offer a presidential condolence to Senator McCain's family. In direct contrast was the beautifully eloquent response of President Obama, who wrote words of respect and even affection.
70
From the article and McCain's outreach to a dying young girl and her mother:
“I’m a Democrat, and I’m not trying to promote John McCain politically,” she told me. “But it tells you something about the character of this man. There was nothing in it for him to do this. It was only kindness.”
This is a side of McCain that was genuine to the core and I always admired. For many years I lived in Mo Udall's district in Southern Arizona. Mo was the leading Democrat in Arizona but McCain's relations with him when they were both in the House could not have been more collegial. Years later when Mo was dying in Walter Reed and forgotten McCain was a regular visitor. There was nothing in it for him but common decency.
Although I disagreed with many of McCain's positions that decency defined the man. I doubt I would ever have voted for him but I will miss his presence in the Senate and in the nation.
234
@John Collinge
Mo Udall was NEVER forgotten.
@Ortrud Radbod. Not by those who loved and respected him as I did and who so hoped he would prevail in 1976 when he sought the Presidency but I think he was by his House colleagues. Washington can be a very cold place. Still, those including many I call friends who are trying to rebuild what once was good in Arizona politics have him as an inspiration.
I have been following politics for 40 years now and there are few men I respect more than John McCain. Of all the remembrances being shared form the hearts of friend, competitor, and foe there are two words that jump out at me; grand and noble. He was a wonderment in an era where men play politics with self serving calculation. McCain would say he was far from perfect, that is true of any of us, but McCain was extraordinarily special. He may at times had fallen and stumbled, but he always got again and started his journey in pursuit of that North Star.
8
It’s really hard to understand the concept of war heroes.
If we are banned from attacking and invading the others, and allowed only do defend our homes, and the enemies are trying to kill, conquer, loot and enslave us so we exclusively defend ourselves, what is heroic about it?
Isn’t such a reaction exclusively the common sense and survival instinct?
On the other hand, if we are attacking and invading the others in their homeland in order to subdue and oppress them or impose the different system of the values upon the rest of the world, what is heroic about such a behavior?
2
@Kenan Porobic
It is hard to understand the concept of someone who lectures on war yet who is incapable of stating the choices that lead to war and are found in war.
Yet they really really really like themselves and admire their wisdom. Inconceivable.
7
Dear Indeed,
Your comment is ambiguous. I couldn’t figure out if it referred to those who led us into the endless wars or to me personally.
If it targeted the leaders that have the blood on their hands, I would be fully supportive of your thinking.
If you had me on your mind, there is a simple explanation.
I never talk about the choices because those are a matter of personal taste and human emotions. The smart people don’t argue about those topics.
I always talk exclusively about the principles because those run our world. Indeed I adore them because those keep are safe, protected and secure…
I like the part where folks want all of the security and the bennies, and accept none of the risks and moral responsibilities.
1
I'll take my chances on getting called out on this.
But, considering he was so head-and-shoulders above too many of his Republican colleagues, and his tendency to side with Democrats on given issues; because of his maverick stance, he might possibly have made a halfway decent Democrat.
Still predominantly conservative, but halfway decent, nonetheless.
3
I honor McCain's service, but he could have been a maverick one last time. Had he resigned his office prior to May 30th of this year, his replacement would have been chosen at the polls. Now, Arizona governor Doug Ducey will choose his successor through 2020. Ducey is a Trump-ite.
McCain's disagreement with Trump are well known. McCain could have made the party of Trump defend another seat in the upcoming election. One vote in the Senate is important.
Sounds cold and calculating, but our Country is in danger.
6
I am not ready to lionize John McCin just yet.
Granted, he often stood up for what he belived in and often stood up aginst this president, who once thoughtlessly belittled him and his military service to the nation.
But there were also times when Senator McCain seemed to buckle and fold under the necessity to go along with Republican party politics just so that he could seek re-election, a move that always stood in stark contrast to his commitment of being a Maverick; independent and outspoken.
And now he's gone. And with him goes a mighty voice of dissent in the Senate Chambers that could break through the silence of the aquiescence that has now taken hold of it.
For your many years of service to this country, and for sparing us from the very worst, Thank you, John McCain. Rest in Peace.
4
My favorite picture of John McCain is the 1997 image where he and Senator Kerry huddled talking. Senator Kerry is gently touching Senator McCain's knee as McCain listens. You don't know what they are talking about but you can recognize integrity in both of their faces a mile away. Both men served honorably in Vietnam, both men went on to serve their country honorably, both men worked tirelessly to help Vets and to open the diplomatic channels to Vietnam. The picture is touching and offers a glimpse at a point in history which we seldom see any more - friendship among colleagues. Rest in peace Senator McCain -you deserve it.
10
@Jena
Thank you for your "word-picture" of the picture of two of the most honorable Senators the US had in the closing years of the 21st century.
1
John McCain was on the very short list of Washington politicians who had my respect. That doesn’t mean I agreed with him on every issue, but that I believed him to be a man of character.
If you’re voting for people without character (as most of you do), please stop. You’re part of the problem. Character is much more important that any issue.
12
I, like so many other commenters here, rarely agreed with John McCain's votes in the Senate, but I always admired and respected him.
McCain was led by his own unwavering moral compass, regardless of, and often contrary to, which way the current political winds were blowing.
He didn't hesitate in the run up to the 2008 presidential election to gently correct voters who expressed fear of an Obama presidency and who made false statements about Obama's religion, citizenship, and allegiance. John McCain's words were often not what republican voters wanted to hear, but were the truth.
Recently, I was reminded immediately of John McCain's character and integrity again when I read that some republican leaders are now advising embattled GOP incumbents to speak out on Mr. Trump's moral shortcomings (in wake of Cohen and Manafort guilty pleas and convictions). This advice has nothing to do with what is right or wrong. They are not following any moral compass. They are concerned with staying in power and will say whatever that takes. Senator McCain did not wait until it was politically expedient to speak truth.
The following sentences best describe John McCain's integrity as a politician: "Washington is full of politicians who gauge which way the public is going then try to rush out in front of it. McCain was different."
John McCain was the leader behind the public trying to push them against prevailing winds in the direction of truth and honor.
9
As a strong democrat in AZ, I have never voted for John but I hold him in very high regard and respect for the very reasons you mention in your honest and frank opinion. John will be greatly missed and I hope we as a country will learn from the great courage and loyalty to country and to humanity that John lived his life. Thanks you for your fantastic service Senator! RIP
202
My husband loved John McCain. I, not so much. However I do wish John McCain finds the peace of the angels and the fire of our Creator who started this whole shebang.
2
John McCain was a conservative's conservative. John McCain was a war. John McCain served his nation all his life. I disagreed with his politics; but, respected his service to this nation.
The fact that today's Republican leadership has shown him such disrespect says everything you need to know about today's Republican party.
4
I hope McCain left wishes to ban Trump and any of his minions from attending his funeral. Trump, who dodged military service with a bogus medical excuse, had the utter gall to deny that McCain was a war hero. Well, Mr. Trump, that's another one of your lies. McCain will leave a legacy of a man totally patriotic and willing to work across the aisle for the betterment of our country as well as a presidential candidate who had the courage to praise Obama during his 2008 campaign while Trump continues to lead hateful chants against his 2016 opponent (lock her up). Trump has already carved out his legacy as a self-serving, mendacious predator who always placed his own interests above all. Two travesties: McCain never made it to the presidency and Trump did. McCain will rest in peace. I doubt highly that the same could be said of Trump.
3
“We shall not see the likes of him again.” Wm. Shakespeare
2
Aye, but here's the rub.
There will be many people singing the praises of John McCain in eulogy, and among them will be many Democrats and progressives who disagreed with him fundamentally on almost all issues but had respect for him anyway.
Do you imagine that if, God-forbid, Nancy Pelosi had a heart attack and keeled over next week, you'd see a stampede of Republicans/libertarians/Tea Partiers saying similar things about her?
Yeah. That's what I thought.
And that is the fundamental difference between this country's factions right there.
11
John McCain was the last mensch, and a brave one, literally, in the Republican Party. It is now officially the Trump Party, a grotesque entity representing no one but itself, a shill for oligarchs, supported by low information, frightened lemmings lapping up platitudes, too afraid to face reality.
RIP, sir, and thank you.
4
John McCain, a very imperfect and inconsistent man, was a sharp contrast to Donald Trump, a consistently self-centered man who has never apologized or admitted an error.
America and the world community face great peril unnecessarily because of Trump’s cruel and corrupt determination to impose himself on everyone.
As I type this comment, my grandchildren, ages 2 ½ and 7, are sleeping over tonight. I worry about them because there is a madman in the White House, a large group of fanatics who blindly follow that madman and scores of Republican politicians who lack the courage and integrity of a John McCain to oppose the madman.
Are the Trump supporters too mesmerized, too bullied or too stupid to worry about their grandchildren?
11
The spirit, patriotism, love of country that were in John McCain's bones and blood will live on. He died and taught us in his life and death that a hero is invincible, even by death. We -- who were never of his political suasion or ethos -- honour him and wish his family and beloved countrymen surcease from the pain of living under the present American president.
4
Sorry, but I'll always remember him as the person that thrust Sarah Palin on the nation. That said, I hope his soul is at peace.
4
Let the man die in peace without the lies. Since you won’t.
The spoiled rich kid son of an admiral son of an admiral; piloted the plane that set off the missiles that set off the fire that gutted the Forrestal and then, what is unforgivable, come election time used the claimed dying words of a sailor who died because tasked with cleaning up the inferno while Officer McCain had scrambled to safety, to get elected, words that he should have kept sacred, after moving like the carpetbagger he was to a state where he could immediately get into politics by marrying the local beer heiress; lied to and cheated on his first wife; hung with right wing criminal financier Charles Keating—who caused the greatest post depression financial debacle since the Great Depression at the time—to further his boundless ambitions; voted on the holier than thou impeachment of Clinton with disdain for the wishes of his constituents for the republican coup; was all in on the needless war on false pretenses and took no responsibility for the single greatest military disaster in American history that still eats at America and the world; and opened the door to Trump in a greedy and idiotic spur of the moment play to be president by picking Palin, the preTrump, and but for fortune’s timing might have won but McCain said crazy things about the economy while it crashed the world. His votes enabled that crash.
Pundits love themselves and their conceits far far far more than truth or country. Trump enablers.
18
I don't find leftish lying about people who spend their lives in the service of their country one whit more acceptable than right-wing lying, especially since they're so often the same lies, told to the same purposes.
https://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/aug/07/blog-postin...
@Robert
As a non leftist
“McCain also expressed considerable uncertainty when investigators questioned him on Aug. 5 1967, just a week after the fire:
Q: Did you think in your own mind at this point that something had hit your airplane or not?
McCain: Yes, sir. The reason, looking back on it, I think I felt… I would like to add about my testimony, after seeing the bomb go off and the injuries involved, I was a little bit emotionally upset and some of the things that I may remember, I may not remember exactly. But when I saw LCDR Hope on the hangar deck, and I believe you can ask him about this, the first thing I said to him was, ‘Herb, I thought I had killed you.’ So I must have believed that it was from my aircraft at that time. Then I heard so many other stories as to what happened, I didn’t believe it was my aircraft. But at the time, I think, I believed that it was my aircraft or the one right next to it.”
https://www.factcheck.org/2008/09/mccains-plane-crashes/
So McCain’s added “testimony” is that he was wrong when HIS spontaneous statement was, “I thought I had killed you”? Oh. Okay.
As you said im your piece, "His death leaves a great emptiness in Washington." And We the People are poorer for it.
3
Honest account of McCain's travails, a flawed man (aren't we all?) that I wish were more consistent beyond his proven loyalty to the republican party; I suppose he could have been misinformed rather than Machiavellian (the end justifying the means), so I'll grant him the benefit of the doubt. Still, the hypocrisy of the G.O.P. on so many fronts, party before country, was a dark spot that contaminated McCain's judgement and actions, not always on the side of the truth. Still, he was a decent man on many fronts, and that will be missed. And being a war hero is beyond doubt, no matter how stupid Trump's comments were ("liking heroes as long as they were not captured").
7
John McCain's passing might be the last Republican with any guts or moral compass. It's too bad he isn't still alive and the Republican Party dead.
7
Over the years the US Senate has become a weak, pathetic, and useless legislative body comprised of warm milk, scaredy cats. Although I'm not a Republican I always admired McCain's principled approach in dealing with solutions to help America. McCain/Feingold (although done away with by the Supreme Court) was an act of courage to deal with big money in our politics. McCain showed he could talk in an arena where talk is usually meaningless. I see no one stepping up that will have a resume or a spine nearly as strong as McCain. His voice will be missed.
6
McCain paved the way for trump with his Sarah Palin VP choice. He should be remembered for that. It’s unclear how the rest of his legacy benefited the American people. Someone’s death should not be used to revise the facts.
6
What a wonderful memorial to John McCain- he embodied the spirit of America and we are all poorer for his death.
4
John McCain - A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS. I am a Democrat and Senator McCain deserves all the praise he received before, and now, following his death. He will long be remembered as a true HERO by many.
5
RIP, Senator McCain. Your passing is sad enough as it is, but feels even more painful thinking about how your voice was needed at this time more than ever.
4
John McCain deviated enough from the party line to earn the title "maverick." As for character, the war hero designation will be forever attached to his name, unlike that of the draft-dodger in the White House who doesn't even have the decency to acknowledge a true patriot. No doubt this question has been raised and will be raised again: Where were you Donald Trump when a gravely wounded John McCain was imprisoned in the Hanoi Hilton?
7
There's this thing known as "credibility".
It's earned.
He had it
4
He shouldn’t have pandered. He could have been president he hadn’t. What an error of judgment to select Palin as his VP!
6
Like all human lives, his had it's ups and downs. There is no question that he had his moments of heroism. But in the end he succumbed to the "bonfire of the vanities", and placed his own life above the value of others. He must have understood that by playing to the Tea Party movement he was betraying his conservative philosophy. Anyone who would elevate a nincompoop like Sara Palin to the office of the Vice President of the United States demonstrated that they would do "what it takes" to achieve what they want. You can't hold that the "truth is always better than lies" and justify that the "ends justifies the means" also. When it comes to personal integrity there is no bending of the rules. If you lie you are a liar. It only takes one lie to break the rule. If the "ends" is to be honorable justice than it only takes one instant of injustice to break the rule. We can't expect anyone to be perfect, but to deny our imperfection negates the attempt to be so.
8
Well said Mr. Kristof. Thank you!
2
Are we so starved for perceived decency that we’re willing to ignore this man’s terrible voting record when it comes to anyone who wasn’t a white Republican man? Repeatedly votiing to defund Planned Parenthood, against LGBT rights, etc.?
4
@Annie
Yes, we are that starved for actual decency (not just perceived) that we are willing to offer grace to people whose opinions differ from ours.
Also, please note that his attempt to work with Dems to reform immigration policy was not a "white Republican man"-centric effort.
5
RIP John McCain.....
A proud son of America.
A true Hero
Condolences to the family.
Such suffering has no bounds and chips at the hearts of your loved ones.
Brave and full of honor and love of country.
Great family that we honor today and stand by you all during his internment.
Arlington Cemetery......her arms are open.
2
He should have been president, but Sara Palin? We had a descent president in Obama because of that liitle goof, but I would have traded eight years of an honorable and good president for this monster in our white house. America is dying, John is the lucky one. He can rest now, we still love him.
1
His campaign did him a disservice not vetting her, and convincing him it was time for a female v.p. versus his actual first choice, going with the Independent Joe Lieberman.
It would have been wonderful to see such a ticket, which would be another way to " reach across the aisle".
1
He died with his boots on, RIP American Hero!
4
My flag is at half staff today and will remain so until his burial.. as a twice removed Arizonan I dindt agree with Captain McCain very often but as a Retired’s sailor I had the utmost respect for him as a warrior. I’d like to think that even as he was going to meet his maker his highest honor was to be denigrated by an imbecile coward.
2
He was a great man, a good man. I switched parties to work for him to try to block Bush 2 in 1999. It failed of course but I got to meet the Senator at several fund raisers and saw how he inspired the young people who were working night and day in Connecticut, where I was helping head up the Fairfield County division. (We took Connecticut.). We all worked for nothing, and we put our backs into it. One evening he and Cindy were late arriving to give a talk and a whole hall had to wait, standing up, for some hours, for his plane to arrive. Several people said their legs were tired. Others said that if John could take being in prison in Vietnam, we could remain standing for him. And so we stood for him. I'm feeling sad and stunned, even though we all knew this was coming. I feel for the family, for all of us left without a man who may not have been perfect but who had a sense of decency, honor and caring that will be missed.
85
This man had a thousand times the integrity of the current White House occupant.
6
@John Kruspe
Any random person walking down the street has one thousand times more integrity than Mr. Trump.
1
With all due respect to John McCain, a brave and independent maverick in Washington D.C. quicksand, we as the nation have to ask the critical questions. That’s the best way to celebrate somebody’s death – by resolving the enigmas that are going to protect the next generations.
Can you really be a war hero by fighting the wrong war?
Could you really be a war hero by fighting for the Nazi Germany trying to enslave the entire world?
Could you really become a war hero by polarizing Vietnam and pushing the local population into the terribly bloody civil war?
As somebody who survived such a horrific bloodshed in completely surrounded Sarajevo for full three years, I really don’t believe in the war heroes.
The true heroes are the individuals who find the way to avoid the conflicts and maintain the peace by forging the common language between the citizens of one country.
Just imagine if the foreigners exploited the internal polarizations and the divisions within the USA to push this country into another civil war?!
Could the people directly responsible for such a kind of outcome be considered as the heroes?
Be extremely careful what kind of the moral values you are creating for the next generations because that’s exactly the kind of life you are going to saddle them with.
The true heroes are the people who know how to spread the love and mutual respect across this globe…
7
While I do not disagree with Nicholas Kristof on this occasion (I rarely disagree with his opinion pieces at all), I think it is a damning indictment of our time, that a man as politically and morally shifty and as thick headed and often flat out dangerous ('drill baby drill', 'bomb bomb bomb', VP Sarah Palin) as the dearly departed Senator, because at various times he also made decent choices.
Yes, Senator McCain has been kind in defeat in 2008, but such decorum used to be the norm. Yes, the Senator acknowledged the mistake (but not the crime or the carnage) of invading Iraq on flimsy and false propaganda, but again acknowledging mistakes should be the norm and not considered a heroic act. And yes, bravo, the Senator stood up for ACA, as flawed as it may be.
But in 8 out of 10 cases, the Senator has NOT done well by the American people, only by the moneyed military-industrial-banking cartels.
May his important and courageous acts of goodness be an example for future generations, while his despicable and mean and confrontational side and politics remain equally visible as a dire warning how morally corrosive power is.
PS.: I repeat an idea I have put forward already - we do not need term limits, not even on a President; what we need are age limits. Election laws should ideally be changed to stipulate that to run for office one needs to be no older than 70 years at the end of the term one is challenging for (so on a 2 y term 68, on a 4 y term 66, on a 6 y term 64 etc.).
3
Guess Kristof forgets calling McCain a war-monger:
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/opinion/28kristof.html
1
John McCain--from the glowing comments, I must have him confused with the Sen. McCain I knew who never saw a war he didn't want to wage resulting in so many dead.
How many predeceased McCain because of his war hawk stance, without so much as a public notice?
9
I didn’t agree with Senator McCain on many issues, but I respected him for taking the high road when he defended Obama on the campaign trail. I really respected him for his Vietnam service. The American electorate once respected veterans. I don’t know where that has gone.
3
Thanks for an inspiring analysis of a man with whom I did not have to agree in order to admire and laud his character. Character counts. A person with character can disagree with you but still respect and care for you, as I believe McCain would have cared for all Americans had he been elected president.
One act of heroism you left out of your article that really impressed me was his concession speech to Barack Obama. It was a beautifully written and delivered act of sheer patriotism, honor, and graciousness, in a situation when he could so easily have played politics and pandered to the angry racists who were inflamed that a black person had won the presidency fair and square. How I wish Republicans had nominated and voted for him in 2016!
For John McCain and for all the other patriots who have sacrificed for this country, let us all vote seriously on November 6th to remove the stain the modern Republican Party has visited on the Presidency and our country due to their total lack of character.
2
There are few times in recent American life where a true hero has emerged. John McCain is the embodiment of heroism. From the battlefields of Vietnam, as a POW and a United State Senator, his actions show us the definition of true leadership. Honor and commitment to country. All in stark contrast to Trump-an embarrassment. McCain-the best America has to offer. He life will shine on as an "aspirational" winner!" Fair winds and following seas --JM
1
Though I often disagreed with McCain politically, he would have been a president worthy of respect.
A far cry from where we are now.
3
The world is neither am empty or lesser place with McCain's passing. We're lucky we ever had him. I'm grateful that once there was such a man.
The press is fond of referring to John McCain as a maverick so low has the bar been set for a party that marches in lockstep. If a maverick is one who tells the truth (Obama is an American and a family man) and looks downcast when he lies (confederate monuments), if a maverick is one abhors torture in the face of a ‘24’ culture eager for revenge on the terrorists who attacked us, if a maverick is one who respects people with different points of view, then ‘maverick’ means nothing. No, McCain was a conservative, an honorable conservative with sufficient pragmatism to recognize the value of compromise in the name of accomplishment. In today’s GOP he is a maverick, and there’s the rub: politics is the art of the possible, and in a legislature, you have to give to get. McCain knew that and he modeled it. Unfortunately, drunk with its own power, the GOP leadership was not listening. Would that some Republican take up his mantle.
4
D.C. is a worse place without him. We needed him so much in these dark times. I know, I am being selfish. A part of me wishes he were here fighting for democracy in Congress, the other is glad that he rests in peace. May God bless his family and guide them through the same honorable path he followed.
3
NIcholas Kristof,
A very well-written tribute to a fine man who served his country admirably.
1
"He was contrite, and he blamed himself rather than others." That alone distinguishes Sen. McCain from others, especially those who, unlike him, won the election for the highest office in the land.
3
I disagreed with McCain on just about every political issue, and some of the moves he made (like the elevation of Sarah Palin) were bad for the country, but I sure do admire him. An outline of his life is a pretty good answer to the question, "how should us flawed human beings live"?
1
While John McCain would frustrate many of us Democrats with his conservative policies, I loved this man (beyond all the wonderful things that have already been acknowledged here) but especially for recognizing how corrupting money is to our democracy.
His bi-partisan approach to campaign finance reform with Russ Feingold is sorely missed. The
Citizens United ruling will eventually go down as one of the worst Supreme Court decisions ever made.
2
I, too, disagreed with Senator McCain on many issues, yet with his passing, I realize how very small his remaining Senate colleagues seem by comparison.
3
I do think that one of McCain's attributes that is being somewhat ignored was his optimism. I also think that this optimism had to do with his years of captivity in N. Vietnam. As a former airline pilot whose class of "new hires" contained a former Air Force pilot who spent years in a N. Vietnamese prison, I can speak to a classic example of optimism. Our new hire class was cut short during our training due to the Arab oil embargo in 1973. We were told we were not furloughed but "terminated." Six months later we all received a letter from our former employer stating that there were no plans for any recalls and that even more pilots had been furloughed. However, the former POW wrote to each member of our class saying he looked forward to seeing us again "when we get our jobs back." He was correctly optimistic when neither the airline nor our fellow classmates were.
2
I think the world is poorer for the loss of a fine American leader- my condolences to his family, friends and your country
2
A sad day.
SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN DEAD AT 81.
Maybe the best example of what a senator should be in our lifetime. I would not say that he was a “patriot” - as it is a word twisted by demagogues - but someone who exemplified what it means to serve his country through the living of a righteous life by remaining true to his moral compass.
McCain could have done so much more.
Good but not in the league with the great.
6
While John McCain would frustrate many of us Democrats with his conservative policies, I respect this man (beyond all the wonderful things that have already been acknowledged here) but especially for recognizing how corrupting money is to our democracy.
His bi-partisan approach to campaign finance reform with Russ Feingold is sorely missed. The
Citizens United ruling will eventually go down as one of the worst Supreme Court decisions ever made.
1
The GOP can rest now McCain is gone. He will not be there to remind them of what courage and patriotism means. They must be relieved.
John McCain was not perfect, nobody is, but his conviction and dedication to his country was genuine. We bestow titles on men like this "Lion of the Senate," in this age he deserved it. Who in the Senate, or House could stand in his shadow? Mitch McConnell? Chuck Schumer? I think not.
Who in the GOP will relight the torch that has faded with his passing?
Who will be the conscious of GOP to stand up to the ultimate embarrassment of our nation.
My guess is he would think that would be the greatest testament to his life and the best way to remember him.
2
John McCain was a great American and a greater human being. He was not perfect, he was a Republican. I admired his courage, his spirit and his leadership. He loved America. He inspired me and many in my generation. John McCain earned respect and admiration for a lifetime of service to the United States of America. May he rest in peace
6
I disagreed with Senator on many many issues, imcluding his support for NRA and tax cuts for the rich. But I respect him on two issues that highlight his character where he refused to pander to public option or polls for political expediency. First, he opposed the torture of Al Queda prisoners despite its popularity amongst voters at the time. Second, he doused inflammatory statements in 2008 campaign by his supporters who claimed that Obama was a foreigner and a Muslim. That is leadership and a lot of spine which the current Republicans severely lack.
RIP Senator McCain; you served your country honorably.
75
John McCain lived his life in a way that compelled you to think about his ideas, contrary as they might be to your own. As a life long liberal I rarely agreed with Senator McCain but I really liked him as a guy and never for a moment doubted his sincerity.
42
He spoke out against America’s use of torture against a despised enemy when it was very unpopular and risky for him to speak out in that manner.
He was kind to those less fortunate when nobody was looking.
He voted against his Party’s shameless attempt to take away heath insurance from millions of Americans.
He’s admitted that his earlier choice of Sarah Palin was a mistake.
He alone reassured our allies when our irresponsible President was insulting them.
He politely but plainly corrected voters who made racist and incorrect statements about Barack Obama when it was very risky for him to do so.
He later was civil and courteous to George W. Bush — even after W’s despicable and dishonest campaign tactics against McCain in the South.
Compare these traits to the leading Republican empty suits now holding sway in the Oval Office, House and Senate. Which of them has done anything brave or courageous— anything at all?
Mitch McConnell?
Paul Ryan?
Devin Nunes?
Donald Trump?
The dozens of other elected officials who have debased themselves by cozying up to our disgraceful, reckless President?
John McCain, sir, you will be honored, respected and, most of all, sorely missed.
129
@Scott F
McCain, an upstanding man, indeed. Wrong or right, but an individual. What will Lindsay Graham do now - he used to hide behind John McCain's mettle. We'll see Graham for what he is, a wannabe tough guy but a sniveling coward at heart.
1
John McCain was indeed a maverick -- but less for his voting record than for his (however imperfect) efforts to be an intellectually and morally honest leader. None of us are perfect, nor always right, and John was likely wrong on many things. But integrity is what is really needed in leaders, and it is the element that we sorely miss today. Always in short supply, Trump's "full-spectrum" corruption has poisoned integrity in Washington as never before. Yet from his quagmire, new leaders of integrity can and must rise to restore order and accountability.
6
Thank you for this tribute to John McCain.Politically,I was opposite of many of his stances.But always respected his integrity and moral compass.That as a lead Republican,spoke out against the conman in the WH.I look forward to Obama and Bush's eulogies.Maybe our country can unite,and make America Great Again.
7
He would have fit in perfectly with our founders.
Dedicated to the large concepts of human rights, wary of people in power, bold and willing put forth his convictions.
A heart and intellect devoted to the God-given value and freedom of the human spirit and mind.
Our founders knew people could be corrupt and subject to low impulses - they set up safeguards to check such impulses and traits.
So, McCain sought to curb rampant money in politics.
McCain / Feingold Legislation.
He knew what the Founders knew.
The system needs to be nurtured, needs a self-correcting mechanism. It's vulnerable.
These truths were self evident to John McCain.
Anyone else in his party of today?
6
The only reason that John McCain was called a maverick was because he would stand up against his party and vote for what was right for America.
We need more people like him in all parties, to make America great again.
10
I want to say something and I'm not sure how to express it. McCain was also great friends with Lindsay Graham, Trump's abject toady.
So, if McCain realized that Sarah Palin was a mistake, did he also eventually come to the realization that Graham is a spineless wonder?
I didn't often agree with John McCain - except about Barack Obama - but I did admire him for his courage and his honesty.
Would that there were more people like him in the Senate and Congress and yes, I'm talking straight at you McConnell, Ryan and Graham.
6
Aye, but here's the rub.
There will be many Democrats and progressives, including quite a number who had major policy disagreements with Senator McCain, who will still be lauding his career and commitment and eulogizing him in glowing terms, because they recognize human complexity and respected him despite the differences.
But imagine that next week, heaven forbid, Nancy Pelosi, or Chuck Schumer, or fill in the blank with your favorite prominent Democrat, keels over suddenly. Do any of you think that any number of Republicans/TeaPartiers/Librtarians will laud the commitments and careers of these political stalwarts, and eulogize them similarly.
Yeah, that's what I thought.
And the fundamental difference between the political factions is laid bare right there.
11
He was real. One could agree or disagree, approve or disapprove of his opinions or behavior, but the man was authentic (most of the time and open about it afterwards when he had not been). That quality made him a rare politician, indeed. I disagreed with John McCain more often than not, but I too will miss him.
9
John McCain's legacy will be marked by his courage. He demonstrated it as a naval aviator and as a senator. Unfortunately in today's political climate it is probably going to be a long time before we see another politician demonstrate courage like John McCain did. Thank you for your many decades of service, you will be missed!
11
Apparently being a maverick does not extend to one's views on whether women should be the one to control their healthcare decisions. McCain did not break with his party on this fundamental issue, and I suppose that is why I see far more men writing about what a hero he was than woman.
8
McCain could easily be termed maverick, no problem, ... except one thing.
My father, was a lifer, so was my father-in-law. Both men enlisted in the USN. My dad never rose above enlisted ranks, but my wife's father retired as a commander, a commissioned officer. A maverick, at seventeen helped clean up Pearl; then finished after Viet Nam. The man is 94, living and breathing.
I wish John McCain had ten more years. We could benefit from his presence. I personally appreciated his greatness.
McCain in a broader, truer sense is maverick, perhaps, but in Navy, not so much. He fully deserves to be remembered as a real, true patriot hero of the United States. Annapolis is very cool.
2
@RAS
I made a mistake in maverick is not mustang ... my apologies to all ... I wasn't thinking
Amen, Brother. Nick’s words speak for many of us Dems who have a special fondness for John McCain, a great American hero. His courage, strong moral compass, compassion and willingness to speak the truth, even when it did not advantage him, define the role of someone who is a leader. While i disagree with him on many issues, there are so many traits worth learning from. We need more honorable women and men in politics like John McCain in both parties. May you Rest In Peace, Senator McCain.
13
>
In no way does his voting record show anything remotely close to a "Maverick".
Here is what a Maverick would have done. Upon DJT winning, he would have immediately declared as an independent and caucused with the Dems, and brought over a few other GOP Senators to give the Dems the Senate and a check on the DJT. Instead he voted with DJT all but once, i.e., on the ACA.
22
God....my heart hurts today. What a full, brave life this man led. He deserves the respectful and dignified farewell being planned for him and bravo for requesting a real President speak your eulogy. Godspeed, Senator McCain.
11
John McCain displayed great physical courage in his life and some political courage at times, both of which deserve admiration and respect. We will miss his moral courage because it’s so rare among Republicans these days.
13
I would like to thank John McCain for casting a decisive vote to preserve Obamacare.
I very much appreciate that he has helped me, and many others like me, to live a little longer.
39
He could be spot on correct and hideously wrong. He was, in short, a human being.
He spoke on torture with an unshakeable authority after his years of direct experience as a recipient of it.
He spoke about leadership (and our current leadership vacuum), pulling no punches because his tenure, age and illness put him beyond rebuke.
He spoke about America and her values with love as he honored the military service of his father and grandfather both with words and personal service and sacrifice.
I am proud to have served in the same Navy in which he served.
He shall be missed.
21
There is a real beauty about the life of John McCain. His story of courage, unselfishness, service, joy, pain, honesty, humor and humble recognition of his own mistakes and shortcomings is a deeply human story. May many more people be inspired by his story to reach for the beauty in themselves, which the world needs, and to keep going through moments of difficulty, failure and success.
9
"During a debate, McCain called extreme interrogation a “violation of existing law” as well as of the Geneva Convention. “I know how evil this enemy is,” McCain told an audience in Iowa, but he added, “This is really fundamentally about what kind of nation the United States of America is."
Nicholas Kristof, this gentle but clear-eyed reflection on John McCain is a gem.
The quote above reveals a man of deep courage, not expedience.
Regarding public figures, many are a very public mix of good and bad, and war hero or not, McCain was no exception.
Of course he operated on a far greater public scale, freely calling out himself when warranted.
Who does that anymore?
Now that he's gone, the man and his mission seem larger than life, given his long career in public service.
I loved your lines about his candor regarding his own mistakes and failings--is there anyone left in Washington now who has no fear of making a mistake or acknowledging personal character flaws?
Public honesty is becoming rarer by the day. John McCain was among the last of a dying breed, a person with guts.
He will be so sorely missed.
30
I suspect that if Senator McCain had the chance to read Mr. Kristof's piece, he would smile. He would smile not merely because of its generally laudatory tone but because of its candor. None of us lives our life as a perfect, flawless person, which makes the usually reflexive effort to elevate us upon death into such a being always more than a little puzzling. Mr. Kristof did not do that.
John McCain was a man. As such, in spite of his better angels, he was imperfect. Who among us is not? He had a code of conduct by which he lived his life. When he deviated from it, he acknowledged that he had done so and he accepted responsibility for it.
Condolences to his wife, his children, and the entire McCain family. May neither we nor they ever forget that, "nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than yourself."
31
We can learn from McCain … but we can also learn from Nick Kristof, as well.
Kristof is an interesting guy. When he’s not waxing indignant on sexual enslavement or the woes of the Rohingya or the Uyghur, he often alternates domestic political columns between the hyper-liberal and a fairer consideration of alternate viewpoints. Who else does that? Yet it’s this ability to engage alternate viewpoints that don’t necessary align with one’s beliefs that offers hope of reestablishing effectiveness in American politics.
Even Bill Maher (of all people) once gave Dubya credit for invading Iraq as a gutsy move with a credible objective: eventually establishing a Middle Eastern economic engine that could absorb the idle millions of unemployed Arab youth that otherwise were susceptible to manipulation by terrorists. As it turned out, the brief war part of Iraq turned out to be perhaps the most successful military exercise in history, but the lengthy occupation turned out to be SUCH a dismal failure of imagination and execution that this objective was lost. But Maher appreciated both the potential as well as the risks of failure, and you have to give him credit for that.
Like McCain, like Maher, like Kristof, we need to be open to mainstream ideas we don’t share, if for no other reason than ignoring them will not cause the millions who embrace them to just disappear; and they vote too. If we want to move forward sustainably, it needs to be on a basis of compromise and openness.
17
@Richard Luettgen, Shooting first and asking questions later will ultimately kill the US. The best outcome of weapons building is more expense to dispose of them safely.
2
This is an honest and fair tribute, which points out John McCain's great character, but also his flaws. In a world where the media and an unforgiving, judgmental "Twittersphere" can serve as judge, jury and executioner, Mr. Kristof offers an important lesson: We are all complex, imperfect beings, and we should judge people on the totality of their gifts and contributions, rather than the single worst thing they ever did.
John McCain tried to live a life of honor and dignity. With limited exception, he did that. His greatness lay in his striving.
28
I thought your tribute to Senator McCain was impressive in its honesty and recognition of the growing value of this political leader to our country. He left us too soon.
We are about the same age, both Navy Officers. We did not run in the same social circles but I watched him in the Senate and observed his performance as a member and eventually as Chairman of the Armed Services Committee. I watched him grow as a policymaker and since I was familiar with John Stennis and Carl Levin as Armed Services Committee Chairmen, I witnessed his growth in leadership and as an example for the other Senators.
In my observation, he really hit his stride as a national leader after he lost the Presidential Race to Mr. Obama. It might have been rough at first, I have read interviews where he admitted as much, but after that political experience and meeting so many Americans on the campaign, it seemed to me that Senator McCain was reborn to carry out his family's public service legacy and commitment to the security of the United States at the same high level that I had observed and admired in his predecessors.
He particularly made everyone proud by his courageous stand on the policy behavior of the President. In my view, his dramatic vote on the ACA, his statements on the President's foreign policy initiatives, and call for regular order set the stage for the Senate to show a greater commitment to the national interests in its passage of recent spending bills.
R.I.P. Shipmate
27
I wish the press would stop calling him a maverick. He occasionally bucked his party leadership but was usually right in line. If he had more often than not gone against the party line I might agree, but he did not.
20
McCain was passionate about a few things and willing to stand up for them, but fell short on many big things, such as providing affordable healthcare to all Americans.
He gave us Sarah Palin, who greased the skids for our current know-nothing President and helped give Trump his first huge political win, the tax cut.
I wish the legacy he left us with would have been a courageous defiance of Trump and the Republican leaders who enabled him.
25
I find his willingness to admit lapses in judgement and taking personal responsibility for what he recognises as mistakes in hindsight deeply humbling.
This is something that is becoming increasingly rare today.
34
McCain usually tried to do the right thing, but, like most of us, often veered off course and tripped over his many inconsistencies. He will be remembered as a leader — not always a popular leader, nor a wise leader, but a leader all the same. People listened to him and sought his opinions. How many times did reporters mob him in the Senate corridors, seeking his views on the latest hot topic of the day? He was truly a hero, though a flawed one. You may have faulted his politics, but you had to admire his persistence and incredible courage. Thank you John McCain for your service to the country.
31
With the passing of John McClain the last Republican patriot has disappeared from the Senate and since that had previously occurred in the House the GOP has no socially and patriotically reason to exist. Courage, love of country, humanity and common decency has left the the GOP and likely for a generation. These Republicans can no longer say at least we have John McCain.
23
I heard, hopefully correctly, that Senator McCain didn't want Trump at his funeral service. Good for the senator - one last great patriotic act. I seldom agreed with Senator McCain's positions, but I do acknowledge that he tried to hold true to his principles, a rare thing among Republicans of the modern age and almost extinct now that he has passed. RIP, Senator.
59
During the Presidential Elections last 20 some years, I asked myself "Why don't Americans elect this man?" as he was an honest, great politician with huge love for his country and the people. They never did. Well, I could have said "that's my president!" with pride and honor. Now, I am entitled to say "Goodbye my President!".
11
@Sozogul
I wrote in McCain's name on the ballot every presidential election from 2000 through 2016 - admittedly without enthusiasm when Palin shared the ticket (what a bonehead mistake on his part!), but since I live in CA my vote was meaningless anyway. "Goodbye my President" from both of us.
2
@Twisk
I live in CA too. That says something about this good man. I am so sad as if I lost one of my own. On the other hand, he left a legacy that every politician needs to emulate.
I'm a Democrat who opposed to John McCain on most issues, and I am in tears over this grievous loss.
His conscience and courage are legacies that will tower over his flaws.
Even more impressive, his love for the people of this country, including his political foes was like an abundant, overflowing spring.
I will miss you dearly, John McCain
81
I haven't cried over a politician's death since the Kennedys. McCain will be remembered as an American hero and icon. Everyone else in Congress and the White House, not so much.
45
“We need to learn the lessons of history.” - John McCain
Are Americans humble enough to learn the lessons of history? Or will we continue to excuse our "leader's" rudeness in foreign policy by declaring, "No! We're dominant!" (recent CNN Trump-supporter focus group)
History shows that blind hubris almost inevitably leads to downfall.
16
Multifaceted but kind, heroic, and principled across his entire life. I am a Democrat but considered very seriously voting for Sen. McCain at the beginning of his campaign. His opposition to torture and his support for campaign reform were the primary reason, along with his long history of serving his country. His record in the Senate was too conservative for me, but he has continued to show honor.
His speech for returning to regular order in the Senate was a great speech, one that belongs in history. His thumb's down to ending the ACA for more than 20 million Americans was also a great moment.
There are few men who have served their country so consequentially, sometimes symbolically and oftentimes with real consequences that impacted millions.
His healthcare vote alone saved many, perhaps also including my brother whose cancer surgery was able to be done quickly due to his ACA coverage.
Senator McCain will be missed. He may have been the last of the great Republicans.
73
It is a sad time for our country. He had many sides, and he had humanity...something rarer and rarer in our government.
22
McCain as a "maverick we can learn from"?
Sorry, much as I admire his military service to the nation, bravery in captivity, and willingness to stand up to the corrupt, despotic, and dangerous Trump in the last year or so, the days of the "maverick" who authored McCain-Finegold campaign finance were gone a long, long time ago. He mostly "remained broadly supportive of the [Trump] administration’s agenda" as the Times obituary itself phrased it, and of the extremist agenda of the Republicans.
15
I admired McCain's integrity, especially in light of the plethora of vulgar and indecent leaders. As a liberal Democrat, I often differed with McCain's policies but appreciate that he showed kindness to others on the world stage. Example - correcting a misinformed Republican voter about Obama's heritage and reminding everyone that Obama is a decent man with different views than his. McCain was a good man who I believed always did his best, and looked out for the greater good of mankind. Oh how I wish more leaders cared about the greater good of all.
21
The maverick who supported aggressive war, self-serving tax cuts and retrograde right-wing social policy.
Leave it to Nicholas Kristof, bipartisan admirer of Hillary Clinton, to repeat the cliches, offer a few qualifications and seek canonization for a man who, along with his colleagues, did the nation incalculable injury.
Some people get along too well.
9
@jrd I totally agree. I'll remember John McCain for the following:
Tapping three big coffin nails into Social Security and Medicare by voting for 2 large and unnecessary tax cuts and sending our military off to invade Iraq.
3
What this excellent testament to American heroism left me with is a feeling of sadness that we politically are still being held captive by the primitive, self-defeating, party system of government.
10
It requires much, Mr. Kristof, for a pilot to parachute out of his crippled aircraft thousands of feet above enemy territory. I would give a mint to know what his thoughts were as he floated down onto North Vietnamese territory.
His story and stay at the Hanoi Hilton are well known so I won't reprise the hellish details. What impressed me (an ex-serviceman, by the way) the most was his passing recent POW's up the line ahead of him so they could be repatriated. John McCain wasn't doing that to for votes or press releases. He did that because that's what a soldier, a captain, does: he looks after his men. They eat first, they bed first; he eats and sleeps last, often not enough, but that is the nexus of command: it's called sacrifice.
Leaders also step into the void where it's necessary. Where Donald Trump disparaged Barack Obama's citizenship in 2011 and challenged his right to the office, John McCain, three years earlier, did what Trump never would at his own rallies. The Arizona Senator went out of his way to portray his presidential rival as a decent man, a family man, a man with whom he had fundamental disagreements. But those differences, he tried to assure a woman who thought Mr. Obama "an Arab," are what make America great, a sentiment that the Arizonan embodied long before it became a slogan whose many infamous translations need not be dredged up here.
No, Mr. Kristof; John McCain wasn't perfect, but who among us is? We sin grievously when we're certain we're right.
59
Senator John McCain was the kind of man who gave conservatism a healthy glow while so many of his colleagues sought to sully it with dirty tricks, secret meetings, lack of class, and plain old callousness. John McCain was a well rounded, though sometimes flawed, human being, just like the rest of us. But he showed us grace under pressure and courage in the face of death. And in doing doing so, transcended himself.
13
RIP Senator McCain. Your courage and patriotism will be missed. And sadly these virtues will be ignored by his own party.
16
McCain was an American first and Republican second. It is something the current crop of politicians will never know.
60
I agree, with the exception of Kasich.
1
@Bill
Compare to Mike Pence’s declaration
"I'm a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order," American doesn’t figure in at all!
1
Nick, I think a strong case can be made that McCain's stance against torture, as admirable as it was, was simply another example of conservatives being unempathetic humans who only take up an issue if they've personally experienced it.
Liberals/progressives are able to feel other people's pain and misfortune, and act on that feeling, whereas conservatives seem to only care about something if they've been personally affected by it. I know that may sound cynical or unfair, but I've observed it to be generally true, and very unfortunately so.
24
"The world's worst panderer": a great line, and absolutely accurate. Over the next few days, we're going to hear lots of Republicans, including our feckless leader, lionize John McCain and offer tributes to his courage and his integrity. And then, following his funeral, they'll all go right back to demonstrating just how little impact he had on them. I'm guessing that the first thing that crossed The Donald's mind upon receiving news of the Senator's death was the thought that another congressional seat was now in play in a "red" state that could provide him with a more reliable ally. "RIP John McCain but death to Obamacare," eh, Mr. President? Only a wrathful deity could have arranged all this.
38
@stu freeman I would bet a paycheck governor ducey has already recived a call about appointing Kelli ward. From his highness and from her as well
1
@JD: Considering the asinine comment that Ms. Ward just made regarding the "timing" of McCain's announcement that he was no longer receiving treatment for his cancer, Ducey would have to be a bit of moron to appoint her.
Had he won the presidency Sarah Palin would have been vice president. Admitting it was a mistake after the fact doesn't undo his decision. And it was a decision that might have helped pave the way for Trump to be viewed as an acceptable candidate.
22
Thank you, Mr. Kristof, for an intelligent piece that is fair and balanced. Senator McCain, like all of us, had his angels and his demons, but unlike many of us, his angels far outweighed his demons.
For his courage, decency, and fundamental integrity, John McCain will be missed.
42
Mr. Kristof has wrote a great tribute for Senator McCain. I always have respected this honest and patriotic man. Mr. Kristof is right that Senator McCain is is not like other politicians who constantly triangulate to get more votes. Senator McCain on many important issues has challenge his voters to accept an alternative worldview because it is the moral thing to do. Morality is in short supply now in Congress. Senator McCain will be missed.
21
John McCain's humanity, his love of country, his courage transcended beyond any political party. His values were not for sale, he stood up for what he believed in and he will be remembered for his decency. Perhaps his passing will inspire his colleagues to look in the mirror, find their souls an do honour to his name by showing some integrity of their own.
29
It says something about about the life and work of Senator McCain that Mr. Kristof, as well as many (if not most) of us who comment here, can celebrate the honor, integrity, patriotism, decency, and even the flaws of the man, though we strongly disagreed with his politics. He deserves all our respect for his many years of service and devotion to our country.
Even in his final months and weeks, Senator McCain took a principled stand for democracy, the rule of law, compromise, and basic civility. Because we live in a time where such values are debased by the White House and too many of the Senator's colleagues, his example has never been more important. We can only hope that his Republican colleagues will set aside party politics for the good of the entire nation, as Senator McCain would want them to.
64
One moment that summed up Senator McCain's statecraft, sensibility, and appreciation of America's unique journey was the concession speech for his Presidential run in 2008. While he had the nation's full attention, including that of his own disappointed followers, Senator McCain drew specific acknowledgement to the historic event that had occurred that night with the election of our country's first African-American President. And he made that point with the pride and affirmation that only someone could who understood this country's capacity, as Lincoln noted, to be "touched by the better angels of our nature.” Moreover, Senator McCain made this acknowledgment at the moment of conceding defeat to his political adversary.
As we remember this devoted public servant who never allowed himself either to be defined or restrained by a label, may we honor his example as someone who embraced principles not as an absolute end, but as a means toward shaping a better world for his fellow Americans--whether of similar or opposing viewpoints--while never forgetting their humanity or his own.
81
As serious liberal democrat, I twice voted for John McCain for the senate (I was an AZ resident then.). I didn't always agree with him, but I believed that he would 'do the right thing'. And that's what it is all about, really. We might define it differently, but doing what we understand to be the right thing should guide us. (Actually, he and Gerald Ford are the only republicans I ever did vote for.)
31
But John McCain was not a maverick. That's just a label he wanted. Sure, we can still learn from him. But he was no maverick. He was, however, a player and inconsistent, though unlike almost all other Republicans he sometimes had a conscience.
9
A magnificent essay, the best I've ever been fortunate
to understand and agree.
Sincere and beautiful.
He is a mortal being and. and infinite inspiration.
I cannot recall such an honest assessment re what makes this nation so civil, humble, and honorable.
A politician, yes, even Aristotle has to be impressed.
I agree with Chuck Schumer re name of Senate building.
17
That is what conservatives do best. The great ones lead from their sense of duty. However, that devotion to duty brings out a humble/ courageous/strong character that is different than the character developed from devotion to freedom, even devotion to improving the common good. The bell of duty rings in the human heart in a different way. I miss him already.
I don’t see anyone else like him anywhere. I hope he wasn’t the last brave conservative.
28
I cannot even begin to imagine the Promethean bravery of this man. His powerful force of character will be sorely missed throughout a nation that, today, so desperately needs his leadership of civility, independence and personal honor.
May John McCain's spirit endure even though his body wore out, as all bodies do. We still need him.
45
FDR/Bernie Dem here. I didn't usually care for his politics but raised a cheer when he thwarted the total demise of Obamacare, and I admired him as an individual.
After missing from the national scene since that vote, he has reemerged into the news for the saddest of reasons. I can't help being political here, but in death he highlights the difference between a decent man and a "president" who didn't spare McCain from his insults. It's also telling to contrast the minimal sympathy tweet that trump could decently muster with the eloquent tribute from President Obama, the opponent that McCain famously defended during the 2008 election campaign.
Rest in peace, Senator. You've earned it.
163
@mancuroc
Barack Obama wholly demonstrates that those who choose lives of service can do so with warmth and empathy in their hearts.
2
Unfortunate that he didn't favor a democratic procedure for selection of his successor; if he had retired before June 1 his successor would have been selected by a democratic election, rather than having the governor select another Republican-Trump-supporter. Maybe we would have avoided the Kavanaugh appointment to the Supreme Court.
23
Some humans feels they are irreplaceable and also do not consider death. I had a successful and powerful relative, who still made plans for an eye operation two days before succumbing to cancer after a prolonged illness and clear diagnosis.
4
@M Caplow. The governor met with the McCains. Cindy's name was mentioned as a replacement. We shall see.
He was selectively courageous, and selective about when and when he chose to rely on facts or decide that there were things more important than saving the planet. But even a few moments of courage and facts count as rays of sunlight that show there's an open sky somewhere. And in our current climate that counts for a lot.
17
Though I didn't agree with all his policies, he was indeed a great American Hero. I hope trump is not invited to his service as he said "I don't like solders who were captured".
I only liked ones who had bone spurs when their college deferments ran out.
Go in Peace Senator and thank you for your great service to America.
Rob-Bob
31
So many of us look upon John McCain as a singular patriot, and Nicholas Kristof touched on the man's humanity and independence. McCain showed himself to us. He was touchable. How could we not both love and respect him. He was down to earth as he towered above this land of ours.
38
Besides the passing of a fine patriot and defender of American ideals, the even more horrible truth is that now there may not be a single Republican Senator with a human spine.
A terrible loss for a rudderless America.
Thank you for your decency, John McCain.
“In prison, I fell in love with my country. I had loved her before then, but like most young people, my affection was little more than a simple appreciation for the comforts and privileges most Americans enjoyed and took for granted. It wasn't until I had lost America for a time that I realized how much I loved her. ”
- John McCain
“Nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than yourself, something that encompasses you but is not defined by your existence alone.”
- John McCain
“Sparing Putin any serious penalty for his assault on our democracy doesn’t just encourage further aggression, it tells the victims and potential victims of Russian aggression in Ukraine and Georgia, the Baltics, Poland, Moldova, and Montenegro, and in Russia itself, that the United States, the greatest power in the world, couldn’t be relied on to defend its own democracy.”
- John McCain
“Country First”
- John McCain
299
Thank you, @Socrates, for selecting these eloquent, passionate words of wisdom from a whole-hearted American and Patriot, Senator McCain, who did his work conscientiously, as he best he could, for the betterment of our society.
2
@Socrates
I so agree with you. There are no stand-out senators anymore, ones who stand for truth and decency and the right thing. Sad that glioblastoma took two who embodied those traits; Ted Kennedy and John McCain.
1
Agree on all counts. Like me, McCain was not perfectly consistent and not always at his best. Unlike me, he was always in the public eye so we all saw the whole range. And totally unlike me, he was tested in dramatically demanding ways at many stages in his life. He passed so many of the most challenging tests with extraordinary flying colors that he deserves our highest respect even though we sometimes winced through his lesser moments. Would that every politician I disagreed with so often on policy, as well as those I agree with, so thoroughly deserved our respect and admiration.
RIP John McCain.
63
I give him his due with regard to knowing what torture was, based on his personal experience, and his clear and forceful position against it--just what I would expect from any thoughtful human being.
I don't see John McCain as a maverick, but as an erratic and often arbitrary adopter of positions that more often lent credence to him back home as a reliable conservative voice. On many occasions, I wished and waited for him to take truly independent, maverick positions, but he rarely did--and he parlayed those occasional odd-duck votes into an image of rebelliousness and independence that just didn't square with his voting record.
He is dead...may he rest in peace...but we have lost only an occasional contrarian, and a frequent party-line voter.
23
John McCain will be remembered as a war hero, as a person who stood up to Trump and cast the deciding vote not to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and as the person who decided that Sarah Palin was qualified to be president of the United States.
That's a complex legacy. I wish his family peace.
51
@MaryM
Mary M: Your words perfectly convey to me the complexity of the man. I honour the positive complexity that seemed to genuinely work for the greater good -- and also wish his family peace and condolence.
10
@MaryM
"... a person who stood up to Trump..." Have to agree, he did so ONCE.
1
@MaryM
Beautifully put.
For many years, I too, totally disagreed with all Senator John McCain's political views. It wasn't until he ran against Obama, and defended Obama from horrific lies that plagued the campaign, that I began to see his true human side. His admission of making serious mistakes in his past, show true integrity and character.
I have come to deeply respect Senator McCain. I look forward to reading his autobiography.
The current Republican's should take lessons from his candor and true patriotism. They have been leading this country down a very dark, divisive road.
Senator McCain has spent his life in real service and dedication to our country. I'm so sorry he's enduring cancer's wrath. Wishing a pain free, peaceful ending for Senator McCain, and strength, courage, and healling for his family.
112
Since most of Congress would rather roll their eyes at Trump's behavior rather than grow a spine, the fact that McCain stood there with his thumb down at Trump's murder of the ACA, makes McCain a hero to me.
293
John McCain was a patriot. He lived the values we were taught to believe in. Honor, commitment to country, service, belief in a higher purpose. In this high-paced, digital, texting, instagram world I know we Americans still hold these values dear. I too am a liberal and did not always agree with his politics. (Although I was raised as a Navy brat by a father who retired as an Admiral.) But John McCain loved this country and his passing has brought tears to my eyes. He will be sorely missed.
156
McCain no doubt had many strong points, but I have never forgotten what I was told about him on a trip to Sedona, Arizona when given a local tour by a retired limousine driver. He had over the course of some 30 years picked up McCain's house guests at the Sedona airport and delivered them to his house. Often too he was called to pick people up at McCain's home. He said he had done this hundreds of times over the years but he was ALWAYS greeted in the same way by McCain: "Nice to meet you." McCain never ever recognized the guy, couldn't remember his face, his name or the fact that he was a local who had been to his house on numerous occasions. No, he was always greeted as if for the very first time, barely noticed and then ignored. It pained the guy deeply to have been unacknowledged by McCain. Perhaps others have had this experience.
10
@David
I'd recommend tolerance of this minor failing. I'm pretty bad at remembering faces too, and I'm not a public figure. I'd imagine McCain could hardly go anywhere without being recognized, so nearly everyone he interacted with "met" him in a way they would never remember if it were me or you, and in a way that was probably impossible for him to remember. He probably developed a way of trying to be polite which failed in the rare case that he had seen the person a hundred times. Each time naturally would have been much more memorable for the person than for McCain.
34
@David well, at least your kind words on his passing won't be forgotten.
RIP Sen. John McCain. Well done,
Diane Barnhill
1