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madamesilverspurs

(15,774 posts)
Mon Aug 27, 2018, 02:21 PM Aug 2018

John McCain, in final message before death, says 'do not despair of our present difficulties' [View all]



"My fellow Americans, whom I have gratefully served for sixty years, and especially my fellow Arizonans,

Thank you for the privilege of serving you and for the rewarding life that service in uniform and in public office has allowed me to lead. I have tried to serve our country honorably. I have made mistakes, but I hope my love for America will be weighed favorably against them.

I have often observed that I am the luckiest person on earth. I feel that way even now as I prepare for the end of my life. I have loved my life, all of it. I have had experiences, adventures and friendships enough for ten satisfying lives, and I am so thankful. 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.

I owe that satisfaction to the love of my family. No man ever had a more loving wife or children he was prouder of than I am of mine. And I owe it to America. To be connected to America's causes – liberty, equal justice, respect for the dignity of all people – brings happiness more sublime than life's fleeting pleasures. Our identities and sense of worth are not circumscribed but enlarged by serving good causes bigger than ourselves.

'Fellow Americans' – that association has meant more to me than any other. I lived and died a proud American. We are citizens of the world's greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil. We are blessed and are a blessing to humanity when we uphold and advance those ideals at home and in the world. We have helped liberate more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. We have acquired great wealth and power in the process.

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. 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.

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.

Ten years ago, I had the privilege to concede defeat in the election for president. I want to end my farewell to you with the heartfelt faith in Americans that I felt so powerfully that evening.
I feel it powerfully still.

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.

Farewell, fellow Americans. God bless you, and God bless America."


https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/27/john-mccain-in-final-message-before-death-says-do-not-despair-of-our-present-difficulties.html

42 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Powerful leftieNanner Aug 2018 #1
What a fine goodbye. nolabear Aug 2018 #2
+ 1 red dog 1 Aug 2018 #33
I don't care how one feels about McCain's politics, his grace and courage shines through... hlthe2b Aug 2018 #3
Hey Trump: "Rebut that, Butthead!" lagomorph777 Aug 2018 #4
Powerful words, just when saidsimplesimon Aug 2018 #5
... Tiggeroshii Aug 2018 #6
Me too. Very powerful backtoblue Aug 2018 #24
And there you have the measure of this man... CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2018 #7
This has brought me to tears. montana_hazeleyes Aug 2018 #8
In death he had great class, elegance, wisdom, compassion, circumspection. calimary Aug 2018 #9
But.... S. Palin.... or can we order off the a la carte menu ? magicarpet Aug 2018 #19
I was trying to accentuate the positive but YES your point is calimary Aug 2018 #42
A very fine statement. n/t MBS Aug 2018 #10
Now that is how you do it. Well done, Sir. Shaddox Aug 2018 #11
I love the line... Peachhead22 Aug 2018 #12
K and R Mosby Aug 2018 #13
What a fine message mcar Aug 2018 #14
"...Not of blood and soil... Do not despair of our present difficulties..." That brought me to tears Hekate Aug 2018 #15
Now that is a Hail and Fairwell sarge43 Aug 2018 #16
Now that is beautiful! Initech Aug 2018 #17
That was a wonderful message. Zing Zing Zingbah Aug 2018 #18
k&r DesertRat Aug 2018 #20
Very moving goodbye. gademocrat7 Aug 2018 #21
Wonderful. He led a wonderful life. A good guy. Farewell, Senator. Honeycombe8 Aug 2018 #22
Thank you for posting this... N_E_1 for Tennis Aug 2018 #23
And the Wheel turns. WheelWalker Aug 2018 #25
Final words of wisdom! 2naSalit Aug 2018 #26
... orangecrush Aug 2018 #27
I can just hear his warm, gravely voice in that letter. Thank you for posting this. sandensea Aug 2018 #28
That was a hell of a fuck you to Trump. sunonmars Aug 2018 #29
My eyes are sweating. Pacifist Patriot Aug 2018 #30
Mine too kpete Aug 2018 #31
+ 1 red dog 1 Aug 2018 #34
Hawkish to the end. joshcryer Aug 2018 #32
Yesterday's "Face the Nation" was entirely about John McCain red dog 1 Aug 2018 #35
That was beautiful. I normally don't cry. Az_lefty Aug 2018 #36
Heartfelt patriotism with a large perspective on life bucolic_frolic Aug 2018 #37
The difference being that... kentuck Aug 2018 #39
Goes without saying bucolic_frolic Aug 2018 #41
I'm definitely going to bookmark this one! kentuck Aug 2018 #38
kick kentuck Aug 2018 #40
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