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A final farewell was held for Sen. John McCain on Saturday at the Washington National Cathedral, where former president Barack Obama gave one of a handful of eulogies. During the speech, Obama referred to the maverick senator as an “extraordinary man” who was able to transcend party for the betterment of a nation.
“We come to celebrate an extraordinary man. A warrior, a statesman, a patriot who embodied so much that is best in America,” Obama began. “President Bush and I are among the fortunate few who competed against John at the highest level of politics. He made us better presidents, just as he made the senate better. Just as he made this country better… He had been to hell and back, yet somehow never lost his energy or optimism or zest for life. So cancer did not scare him, and he would maintain that buoyant spirit until the very end — too stubborn to sit still, opinionated as ever, fiercely devoted to his friends, and most of all, his family.
“John and I could not have been more different,” Obama opined. “We were standard bearers of different American political traditions, and throughout my presidency, John never hesitated to tell me when he thought I was screwing up, which by his calculations was about once a day. But for all of our differences, for all the times we sparred, I never tried to hide — and I think John came to understand — the long-standing admiration I had for him.
“Much has been said this week about what a maverick John was,” he continued. “Now, in fact, John was a pretty conservative guy… but he did understand that some principles transcend politics, that some values transcend party. He considered it part of his duty to uphold those principles and uphold those values. John cared about the institutions of self-government, our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, rule of law, separation of powers… even the archaic rules and procedures of the Senate. He knew even in a nation as big and boisterous and diverse as ours, those institutions [and] those norms are what bind us together, that give shape and order to our common life, even when we disagree.”
Obama later spoke of the frequent conversations he’d have with Sen. McCain in the Oval Office. “We’d talk about policy and about family, and the state of our politics, and our disagreements didn’t go away during the course of these conversations; those were real, and they were often deep,” he maintained. “But we enjoyed the time we shared away from the bright lights… We laughed with each other, and we learned from each other. We never doubted the other man’s sincerity, or the other man’s patriotism, or that when all was said and done, we were on the same team. We never doubted we were on the same team.”
Additional tributes were given by former president George W. Bush, former U.S. senator Joe Lieberman, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and daughter Meghan McCain.
McCain was a two-time presidential hopeful, having first competed for the Republican nomination back in 2000. He first entered politics back in 1982, when he was elected to the House of Representatives. He was later elected senator in the state of Arizona in 1986. Prior to his life in politics, he served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy. He was held as a P.O.W. for five-and-a-half years during the Vietnam War.
He died following a relatively short battle with brain cancer on Aug. 25. His memorial was broadcast across all major news networks, including CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. Watch Obama’s eulogy above.
I almost forgot what it was like to watch someone who is eloquent, classy, compassionate, AND Presidential.
Right? So refreshing. A very lovely speech, indeed.
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“John was a pretty conservative guy… but he did understand that some principles transcend politics, that some values transcend party. He considered it part of his duty to uphold those principles and uphold those values.”
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I feel like this should be emblazoned everywhere so everyone can see and remember it.
McCain the traitor — Gave information that led to the downing of 60 US aircraft. Trained No Vietnamese air defense personnel. Made over 30 propaganda broadcasts against the US, which he moved to have classified when he was elected to the senate. “I nearly sank an American aircraft carrier, then I was captured by the No Vietnamese & sang like a bird. I call your president un-american & obstruct him daily” “We were meeting the white house over 2 years ago & everyone in the national security team recommended arming ISIS”.(Sept 2,2014).
LOL yeah, a known liar & corrupt manipulator who pretended to be what he wasn’t. A slimey muSLIME, a legal president…. this is what a vile marxist/socialist does. And counts on suckers to buy his BS stories.
Yeah, an actor could have done the job as well as Obama did. The IG report shows that Obama lied about not knowing about Clinton’s illegal email server, as he exchanged emails with her using that email address dozens of times. He weaponized the DOJ and FBI to use against political opponents. He created the Deep State, but he speaks like a used car salesman. The president who signed the least amount of bills into law of any president in history, even the one term failures like Jimmy Carter. Meanwhile the economy has taken off, unemployment is at record levels and all Trump had to do was erase all of the restrictions Obama placed on it. Jobs are coming back that Obama said were gone forever. And all that’s left of his legacy is a healthcare program that can’t even exist without illegal funding raided from other funded programs.
Just say whatever you have to say to feel about yourself Rob.
What a difference between our recent past President and the current Russian creature in office today.
LOL!!! With Obama and FBI Director Robert Mueller’s blessing, Hillary sold Russia 20% or our uranium. How many new nukes do you suppose they could create with that? Obama gave billions to the Ayatollahs and a treaty that guaranteed that they could continue their nuke program with no real oversight. The Ayatollah’s in turn made him their personal doormat. The world loved Obama because he liked to apologize to them and bow like a servant. Trump? He slapped sanctions on both Russia and Iran and bows to no one. He leads and knows how to command power.
So said one democratic party member to one democratic, republican, democratic party member. They ex president never praised America but always apologized about a nation which has done so much good in this world.
They ex president never praised America but always apologized about a nation which has done so much good in this world.
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Not true. Obama had plenty of praise for the country, and demonstrated and showed his love and respect for this country in many ways.
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That said, I’d like to know when apologizing suddenly became a bad thing? Our country has indeed done many great things, and I am all for celebrating and honoring those great things when we can. But the fact remains that our country has also done many horrible things. And there is nothing wrong whatsoever with acknowledging those bad things happened, and apologizing for them, and learning from them. It’s not a sign of weakness to apologize; rather, it’s a sign of humility, honesty, and respect for those who’ve been negatively impacted by those bad things.
Thank you, Angela.
Obama and Songbird were fellow globalists on the payroll of George Soros. They were both for open borders, shipping jobs overseas and flooding the country with cheap foreign labor that drove wages down, shrunk the middle class, and created the homeless epidemic we see today in liberal cities like San Francisco, where everyone knows what the streets and sidewalks are paved in. The perfect image for the Obama legacy. As for McCain, he never smiled unless he was sticking it to his own party in the Senate or his fellow POW’s in Vietnam. I’ll let those of you who never served in the military in on something that is common knowledge among veterans like myself: being named Songbird by your fellow POW’s is about the worst insult you can give another veteran. He was no hero, not by a long shot.
The eulogies were given with dignity! Dignity is something that Trump will never possess.
Crazy how so much of the funeral became about Trump. Not the time or place as far as I’m concerned.
I got the impression that McCain wanted to serve his country one last time by instructing those giving eulogies to remind his party who they serve and how they should. It was about more than Trump. It was about the hateful politics that are currently plaguing this country.
Nah, it was about Trump. But it was also indicative of the hateful politics you mentioned. We are in ugly times when funerals become fair game for politics. I only hope when I die that I won’t be so full of pride as to carry a grudge to my grave with me.
Songbird clung to power to his dying breath, long after he could serve his constituents. That’s called putting self before country. John did that a lot.
Songbird probably wrote the speeches himself. It burned his keister that Trump accomplished what he could not with half the cash and little party support. John was part of the swamp. And he used his clout to put together this traveling side show of a funeral usually reserved for presidents. Even his final act, clinging to power long after he could even do this job, was self serving. I wonder if his vote on ObamaCare was down payment to Schumer and other Democrats to push thru his grand funeral? Maybe Soros footed the bill.
As lovely as Obama’s eulogy was, I think the one we should be talking about is Meghan McCain’s. I was in tears the entire time, and we couldn’t be further apart on so many issues. I think her tribute will be the one that’s talked about for years to come.
Seeing her upset throughout all these ceremonies was truly heartbreaking. On a slightly lighter note, did anyone see the side-eye Meghan gave to Pence when he mentioned Trump during the Capitol ceremony yesterday? Whether it was intentional or not, it looked awesome.
It was perfection
I think that, no matter what your politics are, you have to honor a guy who fought for his country the way John McCain did, sacrificing so much. And despite any silly pettiness towards the end, I really do admire so many of the positions he held, such as on abortion. On top of that, he helped play a part in ushering in the most recent conservative movement by selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate. So, despite any differences, my hat is off to you Senator McCain.
Lol. John McCain was a traitor in Vietnam and a traitor when Trump got in office. He held some social conservavtive views but when it comes to economic he was no conservative. He was also a bigot who tried to sell off holy native american land so some jerks could put a copper mine on it. He had the Gaul to try to hide it in the defense bill. Don’t feel sorry for this traitor on bit.
Oh shut up. The only one who I feel sorry for, is someone like you. Obviously, today’s ceremony flew right over your underdeveloped, pointy, pea brained head. Is this your childish attempts to get people to start screaming at each other? Or, are you some bored 12 year old with nothing to do on a Saturday night? Your comments are truly meaningless, and for the record, uneducated–“Gaul” was a region in Europe. The word you are so desperately searching for is spelled “gall”. Trust me, you are one of those people who definitely “could do better”. What a pitiful, minuscule human being you are–feel good to degrade a dead person? I suggest you grow up first before making anymore asinine remarks.
The GOp for the last 20 years hasn’t been on the same ‘team’. Not a bit.
Thank you D N. you are correct
Sorry y’all, McCain was a racist bigot and horrible for this country. Would you “honor the death” of someone like bin Laden? I mean for heaven’s sake, Henry freaking Kissinger spoke at this guy’s funeral- that should say enough about the kind of guy McCain was. Not saying superficial niceties doesn’t make you a disrespectful person. I don’t understand how people can say “regardless of our disagreement on politics” when these “politics” involve the rights and welfare of human beings.
Obama wasn’t a president; he was an insidious chameleon playing a president.
WOW so much hate!!! Shame on all of you.. and TV line thank you for keeping all these comments open.. I mean that sarcastically.. Time to take it down.. and for you muckrakers s I am a republican..
I feel sorry for some of you who can’t appreciate a genuine moment.
Can’t understand what it’s like to disagree and yet still hold respect.
Can’t look past your own ego for the greater good. Can’t look past your own ideology for the sake of larger patriotism.
I never voted for McCain and didn’t agree with most of his views. But I regret I never had a chance to shake his hand.
I recognize his service to OUR country.