You can say what you like about John McCain. He was no saint. He had his flaws. He was a career politician. However, he was first and foremost a patriot; and that is what I believe made him a worthy official for public office.
His strength of character and sense of commitment to what he felt was right and just should be seen as an inspiration. During his captivity in Viet Nam, he did not break faith with his fellow POW’s and would not capitulate with his captors. This continued loyalty to country and service personnel should be honored and remembered as a guidepost to citizens everywhere.
His integrity maintained itself throughout his career, and his candidacy for presidency should be primarily remembered for this. Integrity that arguably cost him the election. He maintained a decorum that his opponents continually used against him. It is only in retrospect that these vicious manipulations can be seen for what they really were.
McCain continually defied the status quo and knew when and where to form his battles. He worked with opponents to resolve differences of opinion and create positive collaborative solutions. Also, unheard of in Washington, he was a politician who admitted his mistakes; publicly and regardless of the consequences. This alone should be seen as model for his “Maverick” persona.
“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. ” – Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir
John McCain
1936-2018