The late Arizona Senator John McCain was featured Aug. 18 during the second day of the virtual Democratic National Convention festivities. The DNC aired a video highlighting the friendship between McCain and former Vice President Joe Biden.
The two men recalled how they first started that friendship — one that lasted even through their political differences.
"I was a Navy Senate liaison and used to carry your bags on overseas trips," McCain's voiceover said.
"The son of a gun never carried my bags. He was supposed to carry my bags, damn it, but he never carried my bags," Biden said.
McCain notably did not endorse President Trump in 2016, nor was the president invited to McCain's funeral in 2018. Conversely, Biden delivered an emotional speech at the service for McCain here in Phoenix.
In that speech, he spoke directly to McCain’s wife, Cindy, and daughter, Meghan, who have continued the late senator’s criticism of the president. While the video last night did not include an explicit endorsement for Biden from the McCain family, it did include Cindy McCain speaking fondly of the Democratic nominee for president — and of a key moment when the two friends did agree.
"It was a style of legislating and leadership that you don’t find much anymore," Cindy said.
"And when millions of Americans were faced with losing their health insurance," the video went on, "it was Joe’s friend who saved Obamacare by crossing the aisle."
While the DNC positioned Biden as the candidate who can attract voters of all political stripes and unite the country, a different case was being made to Arizona’s Republican base.
