Senator John McCain’s final words included a rebuke to President Donald Trump and his ideas as he cautioned American is weakened ‘when we hide behind walls.’
The late senator’s last words were revealed on Monday in Arizona, when his longtime aide Rick Scott read a statement McCain dictated in his final days of life.
McCain’s letter to America spoke of his love for the United States and his gratitude to his family and his nation.
But in his talk of patriotism were words of caution.
‘We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe,’ McCain’s statement read. ‘We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.’
Trump wants to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico.
Sen. John McCain’s last words included a rebuke to President Trump
Longtime McCain aide Rick Davis choked up when he read McCain’s last words
The senator died Saturday at the age of 81 after a long battle with brain cancer.
Davis choked up a several points as he read McCain’s words:
‘I lived and died a proud American. We are citizens of the world’s greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil.’
‘Like most people, I have regrets. But I would not trade a day of my life, in good or bad times, for the best day of anyone else’s.’
McCain noted: ‘We are three-hundred-and-twenty-five million opinionated, vociferous individuals. We argue and compete and sometimes even vilify each other in our raucous public debates.’
‘But we have always had so much more in common with each other than in disagreement. If only we remember that and give each other the benefit of the presumption that we all love our country we will get through these challenging times. We will come through them stronger than before. We always do.’
He concluded: ‘Do not despair of our present difficulties but believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.’
Davis, before he began reading McCain’s letter, warned: ”This will be somewhat difficult.’
McCain’s final words came as Trump, for the second time on Monday, declined to answer questions about his thoughts on the senator’s legacy.
The president was touting a new trade deal between the United States and Mexico in the Oval Office when he was asked about the late senator’s legacy. And he was asked again later in the day when he welcomed the president of Kenya to the White House.
Twice on Monday President Trump declined to answer questions on McCain’s legacy
Trump was also criticized for not releasing a formal proclamation in the wake of the senator’s death – as is traditional when a notable citizen dies.
The president instead issued a tweet offering prayers to the senator’s family.
Additionally the flag at the White House was at full staff on Monday after being half staff on Sunday.
Davis declined to answer any question’s about the flag or Trump’s response to McCain’s death.
‘The entire focus of McCain family is on John McCain. There really is no room in the McCain family today to focus on anything but him,’ Davis said. ‘I think any discussion of what any one individual has done or said, if you look at the gravity of all he reactions around the world – world leaders our allies – it’s been immense. They choose to focus on that.’
Davis, who worked on both of McCain’s presidential campaigns, also offered a detailed schedule for McCain’s memorial services and burial.
He said Trump will not be attending the memorial service at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. on Saturday.
‘The president will not be, as far as we know, attending,’ he said.