John McCain

John McCain would be a loss to our country in any era, but particularly at this time of fractious partisanship.  He berated, cajoled, pleaded with his colleagues to restore regular order, to work across the aisle and, with the vivid scar above his eye, scolded them - "my friends, we are not getting anything done!"

Unlike many of his party he did not hop on the Trumpster's running boards.  Keeping his position in the Senate was not as important as doing right by his country.  So he called them as he saw them; his Constitution Center speech was a clear call to action that we had better make changes - and soon.

The press called him a maverick, an unfortunate (lazy) epithet that I will bet McCain himself did not like.  Rather than conform to his party platform, or conventional wisdom, or expedience he exhibited a sense of public virtue.  He did the right thing for his beloved America, even if his party wogs didn't approve.  He understood that political courage is all that stands between us and a slippery slope to despair.

Rather than conformity (the keystone of totalitarian regimes) he stood up and raised hell when he needed to.  The tributes are striking for many reasons, but especially for the strong friendships he made and sustained, and that sense of humor that is so rare, but so much a part of the character of a confident, grounded man.  We will miss him.