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Former Colleagues, Friends, Athletes To Serve As McCain’s Pallbearers

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Former Vice President Joe Biden, actor Warren Beatty, two legendary Arizona athletes and a Russian dissident are among several pallbearers at ceremonies honoring the late senator this week.

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How John McCain’s Years as a Vietnam POW Shaped His Life

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He was a prisoner for more than five years

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"I've had experiences, adventures, friendships enough for ten satisfying lives and I am so thankful. Like most people, I have regrets but I would not trade a day of my life in good or bad times for the best day of anybody else's," John McCain said in his final statement. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo

A final statement from Sen. John McCain, who died Saturday at 81, read by his spokesman Rick Davis:
My fellow Americans, whom I have gratefully served for 60 years, and especially my fellow Arizonians, thank you for the privilege of serving you and for the rewarding life that service in uniform and in public office has allowed me to lead. I've tried to serve our country honorably. I've made mistakes, but I hope my love for America will be weighed favorably against them. I've often observed that I am the luckiest person on Earth. I feel that way even now as I prepare for the end of my life. I've loved my life, all of it.

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I've had experiences, adventures, friendships enough for ten satisfying lives and I am so thankful. Like most people, I have regrets but I would not trade a day of my life in good or bad times for the best day of anybody else's. I owe the satisfaction to the love of my family. One man has never had a more loving wife or children he was prouder of than I am of mine. And I owe it to America to be connected with America's causes, liberty, equal justice, respect for the dignity of all people brings happiness more sublime that life's fleeting pleasures. Our identities and sense of worth are not circumscribed but are enlarged by serving good causes bigger than ourselves.

Fellow Americans, that association has meant more to me than any other. I lived and died a proud American. We are citizens of the world's greatest republic. A nation of ideals, not blood and soil. We are blessed and a blessing to humanity when we uphold and advance those ideals at home and in the world. We have helped liberate more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. We have acquired great wealth and power in the progress. We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe. We weaken it when we hide behind walls rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been. We are 325 million opinionated, vociferous individuals. We argue and compete and sometimes even vilify each other in our raucous public debates.

But, we have always had so much more in common with each other than in disagreement. If only we remember that and give each other the benefit of the presumption that we all love our country, we'll get through these challenging times. We will come through them stronger than before. We always do. Ten years ago, I had the privilege to concede defeat in the election for president. I want to end my farewell to you with heartfelt faith in Americans that I felt so powerfully that evening. I feel it powerfully still. Do not despair of our present difficulties, we believe always in the promise and greatness of America because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit, we never surrender, we never hide from history, we make history. Farewell fellow Americans. God bless you and god bless America.

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Full text: John McCain's farewell statement

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A final statement from Sen. John McCain, who died Saturday at 81, read by his spokesman Rick Davis: My fellow Americans, whom I have gratefully served for 60 years, and especially my fellow Arizonians, thank you for the privilege of serving you and for the rewarding life that service in uniform and in public office has allowed me to lead.

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Tweets by SenJohnMcCain

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Trump did not view McCain as a hero, stating that he likes people that weren’t captured. This was clearly a large feud point for the two as McCains honorable actions in Vietnam prove the opposite of Trumps opinion. McCain viewed Trump as a self centered individual who was focused on himself more than the country as a whole. In contrast McCain was seen almost as a middle man betweeen the two parties although he was still Republican. Trump was someone he viewed as a president that would polarize the two sides of the country. All in all McCain and Trump are very different people with very different outlooks and goals.

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While McCain was a strong advocate for the total independence of the press and its importance to Democratic debate, Trump often attempts to control and discredit news sources, whether it be justified or not.

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John McCain will be remembered as a man that put the country before all else in his life and devoted himself to a lifetime of service to the country. His selflessness and integrity through his military and political careers will leave a timeless legacy in United States history and will be used as an example for future leaders to come.

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"The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for and I hate very much to leave it." Meghan McCain

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"The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for and I hate very much to leave it." Meghan McCain

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While Trump maximizes executive power in lawmaking and negotiations as president, McCain often didn’t use/abuse his positions to their fullest potential, instead opting for the Democratic process of popular sovereignty.

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"We gather here to mourn the passing of America greatness. The real thing, not cheap rhetoric from men who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly. Nor the opportunistic appropriation of those who live lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served."

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"We gather here to mourn the passing of America greatness. The real thing, not cheap rhetoric from men who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly. Nor the opportunistic appropriation of those who live lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served."

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Meghan McCain

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While McCain’s death caused many Americans to reevaluate the current state of political affairs, I firmly believe that, unfortunately, like most people, McCain’s political impact after death will be minimal.

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Before taking part in the public arena, John McCain grew up in a military family before graduating from the United States Naval Academy.  He joined the navy as a pilot during the Vietnam war, and was shot down during Operation Rolling Thunder.  His time as a prisoner of war following this would soon prove to shape his life as well as his politics.  One of McCain’s most well-known acts during this time was his refusal to leave the prison camp when he was offered early release.  He eventually retired from the navy with the rank of captain to pursue his career in politics.  He was elected to the House of Representatives a year after his retirement and later joined the Senate. He earned a reputation from his willingness to agree with either party in certain issues, and is arguably most well known for his work restoring diplomatic relations with Vietnam.  Over the course of his life he has achieved military distinctions like the Purple Heart and the silver star as well as public achievements like the republican presidential nomination in the 2008 election.

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"Just as the first Americans looked upon a new world full of potential for a grand experiment in freedom and self-government, so their descendants have a responsibility to defend the old world from its worst self."

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"Just as the first Americans looked upon a new world full of potential for a grand experiment in freedom and self-government, so their descendants have a responsibility to defend the old world from its worst self."

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MM

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The America of John McCain is the America of the revolution. 

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The America of John McCain is the America of the revolution. 

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MM

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"The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again because America was always great."

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"The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again because America was always great."

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John McCain’s intentions in his funeral were set in place to convey a number of different messages. He had Barack Obama deliver a eulogy, a man who he lost to in a presidential election. He did not want President Trump to attend the funeral, yet Bill Clinton was in attendance. This shows how he respects a politician by their humanitarian treatment, and values their self morality as the most important aspect of them.

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McCains funeral was a last statement to President Trump. He purposely did not invite Trump, and invited choice ex-presidents to his funeral. Everything about McCains funeral was set up as a message to the world about Trump, and his lack of support for the current president.

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BO

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He knew that in a nation as big and boisterous and diverse as ours, those institutions, those rules, those norms are what bind us together. It gives shape and order to our common life.

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He knew that in a nation as big and boisterous and diverse as ours, those institutions, those rules, those norms are what bind us together. It gives shape and order to our common life.

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BO

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"...if we get in the habit of bending the truth to suit political expediency or party orthodoxy, our system will not work. "

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"...if we get in the habit of bending the truth to suit political expediency or party orthodoxy, our system will not work. "

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"John understood, as JFK understood, as Ronald Reagan understood, that part of what makes our country great is that our membership is based not on our bloodline, not on what we look like, what our last names are, it's not based on where our parents or grandparents came from, or how recently they arrived, but on adherence to a common creed, that all of us are created equal. Endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights."

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"John understood, as JFK understood, as Ronald Reagan understood, that part of what makes our country great is that our membership is based not on our bloodline, not on what we look like, what our last names are, it's not based on where our parents or grandparents came from, or how recently they arrived, but on adherence to a common creed, that all of us are created equal. Endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights."

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"I never saw John treat anyone differently because of their race or religion or gender."

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"I never saw John treat anyone differently because of their race or religion or gender."

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"He considered it the imperative of every citizen who loves this country to treat all people fairly."

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"He considered it the imperative of every citizen who loves this country to treat all people fairly."

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BO

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"...we stood together on America's role as the one indispensable nation, believing that with great power and great blessings comes great responsibility."

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"...we stood together on America's role as the one indispensable nation, believing that with great power and great blessings comes great responsibility."

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BO

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We never doubted we were on the same team

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We never doubted we were on the same team

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OB

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It's a politics that pretends to be brave, and tough, but in fact is born of fear.

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It's a politics that pretends to be brave, and tough, but in fact is born of fear.

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OB

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John called on us to be bigger than that — he called on us to better than that.

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John called on us to be bigger than that — he called on us to better than that.

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OB

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But what will happen in all the other days that will ever come can depend on what you do today.

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But what will happen in all the other days that will ever come can depend on what you do today.

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OB

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"John's story is an American story. It's not hyperbole. It's the American story, grounded in respect and decency, basic fairness, the intolerance through the abuse of power.

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"John's story is an American story. It's not hyperbole. It's the American story, grounded in respect and decency, basic fairness, the intolerance through the abuse of power.

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JB

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We hold these truths self-evident, that all men are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain rights. To John, those words had meaning, as they have for every great patriot who's ever served this country.

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We hold these truths self-evident, that all men are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain rights. To John, those words had meaning, as they have for every great patriot who's ever served this country.

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JB

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What happened was, at those times, it was always appropriate to challenge another Senator's judgment, but never appropriate to challenge their motive.

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What happened was, at those times, it was always appropriate to challenge another Senator's judgment, but never appropriate to challenge their motive.

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JB

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If I say you are going this because you are being paid off or you are doing it because you are not a good Christian or this, that, or the other thing, it's impossible to reach consensus.

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If I say you are going this because you are being paid off or you are doing it because you are not a good Christian or this, that, or the other thing, it's impossible to reach consensus.

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JB

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He was fighting to restore what you call regular order, just start to treat one another again, like we used to.

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He was fighting to restore what you call regular order, just start to treat one another again, like we used to.

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J