By: Anna Gibson

The ocean of politics seems so deeply filled with corruption, personal gain and tweets. Yet, in the midsts of political corruption, we find there are those who strive to put their country first. John McCain was a war veteran turned politician who put policy over party.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) lost his fight to a rare brain cancer, glioblastoma, Saturday evening at age 81. This comes just one day after the announcement that he would discontinue the cancer treatment. Before his big role in politics, he was a war hero serving his country and almost losing his life in 1967. Gunned down and taken as a prisoner by the Vietnamese for over five years. There he was torchered regularly and attempted suicide twice. Although he was released, the memories as well as the physical damage stayed with him, leaving him unable to put his hands over his head.

Years later when He retired from the Navy, McCain and his family moved to Arizona where his political journey began. Here he ran and won two terms as a Representative and then went on the win six terms in the Senate. In 2000 he ran in the presidential campaign, but was beaten in the Primary elections by Georg W. Bush, who went on to win the presidency. McCain came back in 2008 to run again, this time winning the primary and represented the republican party as their nominee. This was going to be a tough race to win going head to head against the then young senator Barack Obama. McCain choose Gov. Sarah Palin as his Vice President running mate and severely hurt his campaign in doing so. Losing the Presidency to Obama, McCain returned to his senate duties where 

McCain was considered to be a Maverick, often siding with the best policy even if it was against his party. While in the senate, he joined the Gang of Eight, a bipartisan group of senators who wrote the Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. During Trump's rise to the presidency, McCain was one of the few powerful Republicans to speak out against him. Even when he was diagnosed with brain cancer early July 2017, he still attended a senate meeting to give the now famous “thumbs down” to the repeal and replace of the Affordable Care Act, going against the Republican Party.

McCain’s death has brought many of his fellow colleagues great sadness. Sen. Lindsey Graham giving an emotional speech on the senate floor and many others expressing their sorrow for this great loss. McCain will be remembered for the courageous service he gave to his country.

“Nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than yourself, something that encompasses you but is not defined by your existence alone.”