Colleagues and friends of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., reacted to and mourned the passing of the longtime senator Saturday night, lauding him as an outstanding colleague, a true friend, and an American hero who had a profound effect on many.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of McCain’s best friends and top allies in the upper chamber, lamented that America and freedom had lost one of its “greatest champions” and that he lost his mentor with the death of the 81-year-old.
“America and Freedom have lost one of her greatest champions. ….And I’ve lost one of my dearest friends and mentor,” Graham said in a tweet. “I will need some time to absorb this, but I want Cindy —and the entire McCain family — to know they are in my prayers.”
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., another one of McCain’s closest colleagues and fellow Arizona senator since 2013 said that McCain was a “hero and a statesman,” also labeling him a “wonderful friend.”
[Jeff Flake: We can honor John McCain by realizing ‘there’s something more important than ourselves’]
“Words cannot express the sorrow I feel at John McCain’s passing. The world has lost a hero and a statesman,” Flake said. “Cindy and the McCain family have lost a loving husband and father. I have lost a wonderful friend.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden, who served in the Senate with McCain for decades, argued that McCain’s impact on the U.S. is “not even close” to finished and that the Arizona Republican will “cast a long shadow” moving forward.
“John McCain’s life is proof that some truths are timeless. Character. Courage. Integrity. Honor. A life lived embodying those truths casts a long, long shadow. John McCain will cast a long shadow,” Biden said. “His impact on America hasn’t ended. Not even close. It will go on for many years to come.”
“As a POW, John endured the worst of what human beings can do to one another. In politics, he fell short of his greatest ambition. At the end of his life he faced a cruel and relentless disease. And yet through it all he never lost sight of what he believed most: Country First,” Biden continued. “And the spirit that drove him was never extinguished: we are here to commit ourselves to something bigger than ourselves.”
Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, memorialized McCain as “a warrior and dedicated public servant” and spoke of his advocacy for the armed forces.
“Through his tenacious and selfless leadership in the Senate, he fought hard to ensure our Armed Forces remained strong and had the support and resources needed to succeed when placed in harm’s way,” he said in a statement. “While we mourn Senator McCain’s passing, we are eternally grateful for his distinguished service to our nation, his advocacy of the U.S. military, and the incredible example he set for us all.”
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican with whom McCain worked heavily since his 2015 election, labeled McCain an “icon” and said that he will “never be forgotten.”
“John McCain is one American who will never be forgotten,” Ducey said in a statement. “He was a giant. An icon. An American hero. But here at home, we were most proud to call him a fellow Arizonan. Like so many of us, he was not born here, but his spirit, service and fierce independence shaped the state with which he became synonymous.”
[More: Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey won’t announce appointee to fill John McCain’s seat until after burial]
Former Sen. Jon Kyl, who served with McCain in the Senate as a fellow Arizona senator for 18 years, said that McCain’s impact will be felt on the international stage and noted that he had great relationships with many heads of state — something that cannot be replicated in the Senate today.
“I’m very sad,” Kyl told CNN. “We knew the time would come, but still, when it comes it’s a very sad occasion … When all is said and written about John McCain, one of the things that will be most important will be his contribution to the country on national security and international relations.”
“He had the best instincts on national security matters of anybody in Washington. You can throw the secretaries of state in there,” Kyl said. “I think John was one of our best representatives … abroad, and I think he will be missed abroad as he is here in the United States.”
