Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., sent his colleague and friend, the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., off with an emotional floor speech Tuesday, painting a picture of an imperfect, national hero whose influence on American politics will be felt for decades to come.
Fighting back tears and often pausing to compose himself, Graham shared a number of stories about McCain. Graham told jokes the late senator used to tell his colleagues, shared anecdotes about their many trips overseas, and offered simple lessons from McCain’s 81 years of life experience.
[More: McCain’s last words to Lindsey Graham: ‘I have not been cheated’]
Alluding to their military pasts, Graham said the only fitting way to give a speech about the life and impact of McCain was to do it like a debriefing after a military operation, often called an “after-action report.”
“What would the after-action report would John McCain say? And the purpose of these reports is for lessons learned so that others will benefit and make sure we’ll remember, remember the things that went well and the things that did not so we will be better off as a unit, as a nation,” Graham said. “You can say a lot of things about me but clever is not one of them. [I’d call it] Operation Maverick.”
Graham said one important lesson he learned, among many, was that a little humor “can take you a long way in politics,” which he then attributed to Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. He then tossed around a few of McCain’s favorites, like ribbing him for being a lawyer.
“I learned how to fight a lot — everything and everybody,” Graham said, adding that he also “learned how to forgive.”
“From him, I saw how to heal. On the fighting side, I learned that the captured warrior who was tortured became the statesmen who forgave and healed,” Graham said.
The South Carolina senator went on to describe his trip to Vietnam with McCain, where the pair visited the place where McCain spent over five years as a prisoner of war, known as the “Hanoi Hilton.” He said McCain was received “like Elvis,” attracting onlookers and supporters wherever they went. Graham also spoke of McCain’s commitment to visit the most dangerous, battle-ridden areas of the world and his unyielding support for American troops deployed around the globe.
“He taught me that honor and imperfection go hand in hand. I cry for a man who has honor but was always willing to admit his imperfections,” Graham said, adding that one of the main lessons to take away from McCain’s life is that “it is OK to tell people” when that you’ve “screwed up.”
“Honor is, in my view, doing the right thing at his own expense. He [McCain] taught me that life without passion and love is a sad life. He had a happy life. He had 10 lives,” Graham said. “If you were loved by him, you knew it. It made the world a better place.”
Graham ended the speech in tears, offering up what he feels will be McCain’s lasting legacy in the Senate and in the nation.
“What will it [John’s legacy] mean for the future? It means there will be generations of politicians coming forward that will be influenced by him,” Graham said. John will inspire courage. He will reinforce the idea that nothing is inevitable as long as a few people are wiling to fight for what they believe is right.”
Adding the caveat that he cannot be the sole replacement for McCain, Graham asked that his colleagues and all Americans remember John’s legacy and work to follow in his footsteps.
“The void to be filled by John’s passing is more than I can do. Don’t look to me to replace this man. Look to me to remember what he was all about. If you want to help me, join the march. If you want to help the country, believe in John McCain. I believe there is a little John McCain in all of us,” Graham said.
Graham is scheduled to speak at McCain’s funeral.
McCain died at his home in Arizona Saturday. The 81-year-old senator ultimately succumbed to an aggressive battle with glioblastoma, a highly malignant form of brain cancer.
