Page 2 - Farewell Statement News Today

Friend joe biden. very, very similar, the two of them. >> yeah. you know, david ignatius, one of the lines that stood out to me in john mccains farewell statement to america, was when he said nothing is inevitable. we tend to look at the results as william buckley talked about, we tend to be held to the tyranny of the results that happened at the election booth, last time people went to vote. we tend to project that forward, those results forward. so, i guess it would be easy to say and im curio...

Draped in black. the maverick never at a loss for words, delivering his farewell statement through a trusted aide. >> i often observed 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. >> reporter: mccain getting in a last word on president trump without ever mentioning him by name. >> we weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries. we weaken it when we hide behind walls rather than tear...

States because it was a rip-off, it was a deal that was a horrible deal for our country. >> reporter: asked earlier in the day why more wasnt done to honor john mccain, a senior official said the president issued the tweet. the white house realized that tweet was not enough. make no mistake, the president and his team had every opportunity to get it right. took nearly 48 hours for the white house to do what could have been done saturday, issue a full respectful statement honoring mccain with pro...

We are following breaking news on president trumps deafening silence about senator john mccain. two days after his death, mr. trump still wont talk publicly about the republican or his legacy but he just issued a statement saying he respects the service of the war hero he president-electly mocked. after a veterans group admonished the president publicly for failing to honor senator mccain beyond a tweet. the flag was lowered for mccain, raised, and lowered again. i talk with republican jeff flak...

>> reporter: asked earlier in the day why more was not done for john mccain, they said the president did issue that tweet. the white house came to the realization the tweet was not enough. make no mistake, the president and his team had every opportunity to get it right. it took 48 hours for the white house to do what could have been done saturday, issue a full, respectful statement honoring mccain in a statement that orders flags to be flown at half staff. this was not what john mccain deserved...

Tonight north korea is reverting to hostile rhetoric against the trump administration. the state newspaper in pyongyang accusing the united states of hatching a secret plot to unleash war while negotiating with a smile. this comes just days after president trump nixed a return visit to north korea by the secretary of state, mike pompeo. lets go to our pentagon correspondent, barbara starr. barbara, whats behind all of this? >> well, look, wolf, clearly north korea once again on the rhetoric trai...

Silence. >> make your way out. >> reporter: the presidents harsh feelings for mccain have been hard to miss, even in the days since the senator passed away. instead of a full statement from the white house, mr. trump posted a short tweet. my deepest sympathies and respect go to the family of john mccain. our hearts and prayers are with you. a longer statement was drafted by staffers but not used. flags were brought to half staff sunday, returned to full staff monday morning, only to be lowered a...

Process. thats something that we havent seen from this president because frankly he has as others just said not only shown himself to be petty, carry on with these feuds, even in a moment like this, but >> in a statement the president said he asked the vice president, mike pence, to attend the rotunda service here in washington that will take place on friday. he also said the white house chief of staff, john kelly, the secretary of defense, james mattis, and the national security advisor, james ...

>> after that, jeffrey, all of the pressure clearly got to the president. he eventually issued a statement saying despite our difference on policy and politics, i respect jurorss service to our country, in his honor signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the united states at half staff until the day of his internment. whats your reaction? >> what are the odds donald trump wrote that statement opposed to someone in the press office. how about 100% this was written by a staffer. i dont think thi...

Mine. i want to make sure thats what the family wants, first and foremost. i think it would be a great honor. there are other ideas coming to the fore as well. i think this would be a good one. >> do you think the resolution, assuming the family is on board, do you think the resolution will pass, and what would it say about the senate if it doesnt pass? >> well, i want to make sure, like i said, i dont want to get out in front until i have discussions with the family and with some of my colleagu...