Thanks to everyone today for not attacking
Senator McCain. Like almost everyone here, I always opposed his political positions. However, his service to the country, both as a Navy officer and as a long-time Senator cannot be ignored. One can hold political views that I will fight against, but serve honorably, based on political beliefs that are opposite to mine.
We have two major political parties in the United States. They are quite different. The nation is roughly evenly divided between those parties, which causes considerable movement back and forth on many issues. I'd rather that weren't the case, but it is. Still, John McCain stood up and cast the last and decisive vote against shutting down the ACA. He did not do that because he thought it was a good law, but because he did not want to take away what was left of it, leaving millions of Americans with no alternative.
So, today, I am simply honoring his service. I can do no less. He is gone, and I will not speak ill of him today.
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I have no ill-will in my heart for this man. I wish only peace for his family and loved ones. 
and showed he had it in spades during some of the most difficult times in his life.
I honor that and I grieve its loss. Our country, our world is a far worse place without examples like McCain and I fear for our future.
RIP, John. You angered me, you frustrated me, but in the end, looking at the entirety of your life and career, I salute you.
I think he was an honorable, ethical man...to the extent that any of us is honorable and ethical. I did not agree with him ideologically, but he was a normal Republican, not part of the alt-right extremists (formerly called the Tea Party).
Establishment Republicans and establishment Democrats have a long history of working together on issues and compromising. Each side serves as a sort of checks and balances on the other side, preventing extreme laws from being passed. This can be bad or good, but whichever it is, that is how government in a democracy operates. McCain was willing to work with Democrats and compromise at times. He counted Democrats among his personal friends.
Besides that, he was a family man and loved his family more than anything, and I believe he loved America, including its ideals. (Although I have a memory that McCain left his first wife for Cindy? I'm fuzzy on that.)
Anyway, he lived a good life and died with his honorable reputation intact. He made mistakes, like we all have. But overall, a good guy with good intentions.
In the heat of election cycles I participated in bashing McCain -- but he never would. And now I too lay down that political fight, remember the ways in which he was a good man and a patriot, and leave the rest to history.
RIP, Senator, and thanks for your service.
Historians will do a better job on the life of John McCain than we ever could .
For now we mourn a veteran, family man and a United States Senator.
For those who deride him, what have you done with YOUR life that comes close to his resume?
I only hope tRump doesn't interfere with his lying in state in the Capitol. We veterans would not take kindly to such disrespect!
Trump's hoarde of knuckle-dragging mobsters. Ugh.
He's always had my respect. He served this country faithfully and honorably and though I didn't share his political beliefs, I always felt he had America's best interests at heart.
Rest in Eternal Peace, Senator.
