Hero. Mccain endured more challenges than most could imagine during his lifetime and never let it break his spirit. He thrived on fighting for a cause larger than himself. Mccain also was a fierce champion for democracy during his decades in the u. S. Senate and was unafraid to call out his colleagues and demand a higher standard of conduct from all of them. Weve been spinning our wheels on too many important issues because we keep trying to find a way to win without help from across the aisle. Thats an approach thats been employed by both sides, mandating legislation from the top down, without any support from the other side, with all the parliamentary maneuvers that requires. Were getting nothing done, my friends. Were getting nothing done. Mccain was a courageous leader, a loyal friend, and an inspiration to so many. He also had many brushes with death over the years, surviving plane crashes, several bouts of skin cancer, and more than five years as a prisoner of war in vietnam, including part of it in solitary confinement. But to no surprise, even while battling brain cancer, mccain embodied bravery in every sense of the word. Every life has to end one way or another. I think it was a playwrite. He said, i always thought id live forever, but i think there might be one exception. Im very happy with my life. Im very happy with what ive been able to do. Theres two ways of looking at these things. One of them is to celebrate. I am able to celebrate a wonderful life. And today we are celebrating and honoring mccains life and legacy from arizona to capitol hill. Well get reaction from washington in just a moment. First, lets start in his home state of arizona. Cnns Senior National correspondent keung la is in phoenix. The senator actually planned his own funeral services. So what are you able to share with us . Reporter well, fredricka, so much of this battle he had with this disease, from the diagnosis to the yearlong battle, happened in the public space. But privately, he was planning his own funeral over the last year. As friends would come to visit him at his arizona ranch, the senator would say what he wanted and what he wanted is what will be unfolding. There will be a total of three services, one here in arizona, a public remembrance, as well as a funeral service. There will be one at the National Cathedral in washington, d. C. And then in annapolis, where his military career began. And here in arizona, a solemn procession began last night, beginning all of this. The hearse moving slowly with the senators body leaving his beloved ranch. It traveled 100 miles here to phoenix. As the procession passed these desert roads, through some of the more Populated Areas of phoenix, people started coming out. They wanted to see it. This was not something that was publicly made available anywhere, but people found out. They wanted to wave flags. As the hearse arrived at the funeral home, people were there to greet it to say thank you and farewell. Here live now in arizona, you can see the flags have been lowered in honor of the senator. The senators body will lie in state here at arizonas capitol. It will lie in state on wednesday. Wednesday is also senator mccains 82nd birthday. The governor making this announcement on twitter. Governor doocy saying this is a rare and distinct occurrence for a truly special man. John mccain is arizona, and we will honor his life in every way we can. For those of us who watch national politics, this man was a powerful national voice, but here in arizona, he was a favorite son. He followed Barry Goldwaters seat. He took the mantle from barry goldwater. People serving in politics now in this state, who grew up in this state, simply do not remember a time before there was a john mccain. So the amount of loss and grief that is being shared on both sides of the aisle here in arizona a hard to express, according to many people ive spoken to. Kyung lah, thank you so much for that. Senator mccain was first elected to congress back in 1982 and to the senate four years later. His colleagues on both sides of the aisle are feeling the loss. Arizona senator jeff flake got emotional speaking with jake tapper this morning. He told us, taught us, to put the country above yourself, to serve a cause greater than yourself. That, i think, came from his experience in vietnam and certainly came from what he saw with the tragedies of war. But he was a lover of freedom, and he wanted to spread that and was an advocate to the end of strong american leadership, never apologizing for america and its values. Thats something that he leaves with us. Im going to miss him. Yeah. I ive admired him, like i said, my entire life. Its tough to imagine a Senate Without him. Its tough to imagine politics without john mccain. But we need to go on. In an oped shortly after mccain died, senator flake reflected on his early days in congress when he was facing some political backlash and wrote, in the midst of my inner tu multi, on a flight from washington to arizona, senator mccain made his way back to my seat with a stern look on his face. Oh, no, i thought, not him too. He stuck his finger in my chest and demanded, dont back down, youre in the right. Theyll come around. It was all that i needed. Cnns Phil Mattingly joins me right now. So talk to me about how other members of congress, those in both houses, are reacting and what theyre saying about senator mccain. Reporter fredricka, i think what ive been struck by most in talking to members, texting members and their staff, is how stinging this loss has been felt around washington, d. C. Not because of the man himself but because everybody knew this was coming for a long period of time. Obviously hes been away from the u. S. Senate for about nine months now, kind of been preparing for this moment. Yet, still people are just pained today. The way theyre sharing their stories, their personal stories about the man, about what he meant to the institution, about what he meant to the ideas of america, just shows the real impact that he had. Theres also the humorous stories as well. Ive had a number of people talk to me about how senator Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell used to joke to senator mccain, who battled often, that mccains vietnamese captors were still in Group Therapy sessions for having to deal with him for five years. Its been an interesting mix of back and forth. I thought somebody who perhaps put it best was the democratic leader in the United States senate, chuck schumer. Take a listen. You dont meet many great men as you go through life. John mccain was one of them. For his patriotism, for his strength, for his ability to speak truth to power, and for him to do personal acts of kindness quietly over and over again. I want generations in the senate and in the world to remember him. So im introducing a resolution to rename the Russell SenateOffice Building after john mccain. Id like decades from now little children to ask their parents who was john mccain, and theyll explain his sacrifice, his patriotism, and most of all his fidelity to do the right thing as he saw it, and when he did the wrong thing, to change. Fredricka, i think that was one of the biggest things you constantly heard, that senator mccain, you obviously knew where he stood, but when he decided hed done something he didnt agree with himself, he would admit it and acknowledge it and move on from it. That, more than anything else, engendered a level of respect you dont see anywhere else in washington at this moment. And then, phil, no one can replace senator mccain. But his seat will remain vacant. The governor, has he made any comment about what and how theyll proceed . Yeah, governor doug ducey, a difficult spot to be in, said hell make no announcements about a replacement until senator mccain is laid to rest. Hell have the ability to appoint someone to the seat who will serve until the next general election, that would be 2020. So no names yet. The governor waiting respectfully until senator mccain is laid to rest. Then that announcement will be made. All right. Phil mattingly, thanks so much. Appreciate it. Senator mccains children are also remembering their father. Mccains daughter meghan released a very emotional farewell to her dad just moments after his passing. I want to take a minute to read a portion of her very heartfelt statement. She titled her goodbye i love you forever, my beloved father. She goes on to say, i was with my father at his end, as he was with me at my beginning. In the 33 years we shared together, he raised me, taught me, corrected me, comforted me, encouraged me, and supported me in all things. He loved me, and i loved him. He taught me how to live. His love and his care ever present, always unfailing, took me from a girl to a woman, and he showed me what it is to be a man. All that i am is thanks to him. Now that he has gone, the task of my lifetime is to live up to his example, his expectations, and his love. Your prayers for his soul and for our family are sincerely appreciated. My father is gone, and i miss him as only an adoring daughter can. But in this loss and in this sorrow, i take comfort in this. John mccain, hero of the republic and to this little girl, wakes today to something more glorious than anything on this earth. Today the warrior enters his true and eternal life, greeted by those who have gone before him, rising to meet the author of all things. Meghan mccain ends the letter with a quote from the author c. S. Lewis. The dream has ended, this is the morning. Mccains son jack sent out a statement on twitter saying this. It is not the man that was great, but instead it was his desire to serve a cause greater than himself that defined his life. To me, he was a giant. But to him, he was an imperfect servant of the nation he loved deeply. Fair winds following seas and clear skies. The maverick may be gone, but his legacy will live on forever. Cnn continues to remember the life of senator john mccain, a war hero. Here he is in his own words on whats waiting for him in the afterlife. Well be back in a moment. Id like to go back to our valley and see the creek run after the run and hear the cotton woods whisper in the wind. I want to smell the rosescented breeze and feel the sun on my shoulders. I want to watch the hawks hunt from the sycamore and then take my leave bound for a place near my old friend chuck larson in the cement tear on the severn back where it began. People confuse nice and kind. 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As we remember and honor the life of senator john mccain, we want to take a moment to remember his humor as well. Known for quick wit and oneliners, senator mccain never missed an opportunity to bring laughter to a room. Are you someone who likes fine jewelry and also respects a politician who can reach across the aisle . If so, you cant go wrong with mccain fine gold. Weve talked about it. I told him maverick i can do, but messiah is above my pay grade. How does it make you feel, knowing that voters may reject you because they feel youre too old to be president . Wake up, sir. Theres a statute of limitations on sarah palin questions. By the way, thanks for keep mentioning about me losing. I appreciate that. I have this line, after i lost, i slept like a baby. Sleep two hours, wake up and cry, sleep two hours, wake up and cry. Being a friend and colleague of barack, i just called him fat one. He doesnt mind at all. In fact, he even has a pet name for me. George bush. Any advice for donald trump . I gave up on that some time ago. I dont want to talk about the bleeping campaign, understand . If you think im going to go back to that bleeping situation, then bleep you. Okay, thank you. Thanks for the question, you little jerk. Joining me right now, cnn Global Affairs analyst max boote a longtime friend and colleague. You met the senator back in 2002. What were your First Impressions . Does humor come to the top of the list . Absolutely. His humor is very real. He was very irreverent. He was not somebody who took himself overly seriously, unlike most politicians. In fact, a lot of his appeal was the fact he was not a normal politician. Unlike donald trump, he did not have to demonstrate his authenticity by vilifying people or by saying ignorant or deranged things. He was always a gentleman, but he also had that kind of caustic wit, some of which you showed before. I think there are other elements of him which were less well known, including the fact he was a great reader of history. Thats how we first met. He read a book id written and wanted to talk about it. He read all the time. People dont realize that. He traveled all the time. He went all over the world incessantly going to allied countries, meeting with dissidents and freedom fighters. There were so many aspects of john mccain that made him a larger than life figure. You wrote an oped about john mccain this morning. I do want to read a portion of that and ask what he meant to you. Mccains passing, tragic at any time, is all the sadder now. Trump hated mccain and insulted him at every turn because mccain was everything trump is not and everything that we need in our Politics Today but tragically lack. Talk to me more about why you decided to, you know, highlight those differences and what makes mccain such a standout in so many ways. Obviously, like everybody else, i knew the end was coming for john mccain, but i still found myself just devastated today in thinking about that hes no longer here and thinking about the injustice of the fact that john mccain is in his grave or about to be in his grave and donald trump is in the white house, somebody who never hid his hatred for john mccain. And you cannot imagine two men who are more different. Donald trump talks about american greatness. John mccain lived american greatness. He exemplified american greatness. Donald trump is all about donald trump. Hes a me, me, me first individual. John mccain always put country first. He was somebody always willing to sacrifice his selfinterest, whether his physical selfinterest as a p. O. W. Or his political selfinterest as a senator. He was always willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the country. Those are values and attitudes that we need a lot more of on our politics and are sadly missing. I think thats why its going to be such a huge hole in our nations life not to have senator mccain around. Do you think reminders such as your words you know, you paint the picture of john mccain, how so many people have so eloquently talked about how he would reach across the aisle, how he exemplifies all the great things that come with great leadership. Do you believe these reminders were hearing just within the past few hours of his passing just might leave a lasting impression to help bring some civility, much of what has been lost on capitol hill, or in other parts of washington . It certainly cant hurt. I think in the future, politicians would could do a lot worse than to ask themselves what would john mccain do . I think thats actually a great guide to any particular situation. He had this unswerving belief in right and wrong, and he would do the right thing whether it cost him politically or not. He was willing to break with his own party when necessary. He was willing to stand up to president s of his own party. He was willing to speak out for freedom. These are the qualities we need in our political life and that john mccain exemplified in his life over many decades. I hope that his life and legacy will serve as an inspiration to others because goodness knows we could use a lot more of those mccainlike qualities in our politics. And what do you think it says that john mccain has made his request about his exit, about the lying in state there in arizona, being in washington at the National Cathedral, and then being laid to rest at the Naval Academy and to be eulogized by george w. Bush and barack obama . Well, the fact that he is going to be eulogized by bush and obama i think speaks to his largeness of spirit. Of course, he lost president ial campaigns to both of those men and yet emerged with great relationships with both of them because there was a fundamental Mutual Respect there. But i think it speaks volumes that he does not want the current president of the United States speaking at his Memorial Service because, again, donald trump is not somebody that john mccain had any respect for. Of course, donald trump had no respect for john mccain. One of the many shocking things that donald trump said was very early on in his campaign when he said that i dont regard john mccain as a war hero. I like people who werent captured. That for me right there showed why donald trump was no