Sen. John McCain’s former running mate Sarah Palin is not expected to attend the memorial services this week in honor of the late senator, according to a report.
“Out of respect to Sen. McCain and his family we have nothing to add at this point,” a Palin family source said, according to NBC News’ Kelly O’Donnell. “The Palin family will always cherish their friendship with the McCains and hold those memories dear.”
NBC’s @KellyO reports: Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has not been invited to attend memorial services for John McCain
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) August 29, 2018
Palin family source says, “Out of respect to Senator McCain and his family we have nothing to add at this point. The Palin family will always cherish their friendship with the McCains and hold those memories dear.”
— Kelly O’Donnell (@KellyO) August 29, 2018
McCain was lying in state at the Arizona State Capitol on Wednesday, on what would have been his 82nd birthday. On Thursday, there will be a memorial service for the former prisoner of war at the North Phoenix Baptist Church before his remains are flown to Washington, D.C., where he will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday. Another memorial will be held at the Washington National Cathedral on Saturday. He will be buried in Annapolis, Md., a day later.
McCain regretted choosing the conservative firebrand as his running mate in the 2008 presidential election over Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat-turned-independent. He wrote as much in his book, The Restless Wave.
Palin praised McCain in a statement Saturday, saying her former running mate “inspired others to serve something greater than self.”
