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U.S. NEWS Saturday 25 auguSt 2018

McCain stops cancer treatment as remarkable life nears end

By MATTHEW DALY Cain dates back to 2015, difficult hour," McConnell
Associated Press when Trump suggested said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ari- the Vietnam veteran, who Arizona Gov. Ducey called
zona Sen. John McCain spent more than five years McCain "an American
has discontinued medical in a North Vietnamese pris- hero" who always put his
treatment for an aggres- on after his Navy plane was country before himself.
sive form of brain cancer, shot down, was not a war A "spirt of service and civil-
his family said Friday, likely hero. ity" guided McCain's life,
indicating the war hero, The ill will grew after Mc- standing as a model for
presidential nominee and Cain voted in 2017 against Americans regardless of
longtime leading lawmaker a Republican replace- political affiliation, Ducey
is nearing the end of his life. ment for "Obamacare." He said.
McCain has surpassed ex- doomed the bill with a dra- Cindy McCain tweeted
pectations for survival, but matic thumbs-down on the that she loves her husband
"the progress of disease Senate floor. Complaints "with all of my heart" and
and the inexorable ad- about McCain's vote have thanked those who have
vance of age render their become a staple of Trump's cared for him.
verdict," the family said. campaign speeches. He McCain underwent surgery In this Aug. 25, 2009 file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., holds
"With his usual strength of doesn't mention McCain in July 2017 to remove a a healthcare town hall meeting in Sun City, Ariz.
will, he has now chosen to by name but makes clear blood clot in his brain after Associated Press
discontinue medical treat- his intent by mockingly imi- being diagnosed with an
ment." tating the thumbs-down aggressive tumor called a 2015, McCain embraced tervention overseas and
The six-term GOP senator, gesture. glioblastoma. It's the same his new influence as chair- eager to contribute to "de-
who would turn 82 next The feud between the two type of tumor that killed man of the Armed Services feating the forces of radi-
week, has been away from men has persisted even Sen. Edward M. Kennedy Committee, pushing for cal Islam that want to de-
the Capitol since last De- amid the decline in Mc- at age 77 in 2009. aggressive U.S. military in- stroy America."q
cember. If he should resign Cain's health. While politi- McCain rebounded quick-
his seat or die soon, Repub- cal leaders of both parties ly, however, returning to
lican Arizona Gov. Doug paid tribute to McCain Washington and entering
Ducey would name a re- and offered prayers Friday, the Senate in late July to a
placement to serve until Trump and the White House standing ovation from his
the 2020 election. The win- remained silent. colleagues. In a dramatic
ner of that election would Earlier this month, Trump turn, he later cast the de-
serve the remainder of Mc- signed a military policy bill ciding vote against the Re-
Cain's term through 2022. named for McCain, but he publican health care bill,
In more than three de- made no mention of Mc- earning Trump's enduring
cades in Congress, McCain Cain at a signing ceremo- wrath.
became known as a politi- ny. McCain's condition wors-
cal maverick willing to stick The son and grandson of ened last fall, and he has
to his convictions rather Navy admirals, McCain been in Arizona since De-
than go along with party is a former Navy pilot. He cember.
leaders — an independent was elected to Congress in A source close to McCain
streak that has drawn a mix 1982 and to the Senate four who asked not to be iden-
of respect and ire. years later, replacing the tified said Friday the sena-
Most recently, he has been retired Barry Goldwater. tor was at his Arizona ranch
a thorn in the side of Presi- Despite his famous stub- with his family.
dent Donald Trump, keep- born streak and occa- He is a long-term survivor of
ing up his criticism of the sional orneriness, McCain melanoma, a deadly skin
White House even while un- is widely admired on both cancer. But doctors classi-
dergoing severe medical sides of the aisle, and trib- fied his brain cancer as a
treatment in Arizona. utes poured in Friday after "primary tumor," meaning
In July, he issued a sear- the family announced the it's not related to his former
ing rebuke of Trump's sum- treatment decision. malignancies.
mit with Russian President "We are so fortunate to McCain ran unsuccessfully
Vladimir Putin, calling it a call him our friend and col- for the Republican presi-
"tragic mistake" and "one league," Senate Majority dential nomination in 2000,
of the most disgraceful per- Leader Mitch McConnell then won it in 2008 before
formances by an American said on Twitter. McCain, his losing the general election
president in memory." wife Cindy "and the entire to Obama.
The strained relationship McCain family are in our When Republicans took
between Trump and Mc- prayers at this incredibly control of the Senate in