91直播

An era was swept away when Sen. John McCain took his last trip down the steps of the United States Capitol in a casket draped in an American flag Saturday. On Sunday, he was buried in the cemetery at the U.S. Naval Academy where it all started 64 years ago when he was a plebe.

McCain鈥檚 burial ended a five-day celebration of his life as a former prisoner of war and longtime U.S. Senator from Arizona. It was his final tour of duty, a mission to send a message to America that people have more in common than they think, and that they should strive to find common ground.

He got the chance to plan it all and did so almost with a sense of glee, those close to him said.

鈥淗e had a way of making difficult things easy,鈥� his former campaign manager, Rick Davis, said on national television Saturday. McCain started planning his funeral 鈥渁lmost instantaneously鈥� after being diagnosed with brain cancer, said Davis, who was a pallbearer.

鈥淗e was really excited about it and there was no detail left unturned,鈥� Davis said.

The first day was Wednesday with a visitation at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix. Thursday was a ceremony at North Phoenix Baptist Church before his body was transported to Washington D.C. where he lied in state at the U.S. Capitol. He made a stop at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Saturday before his public funeral. It all ended Sunday with a private service and burial at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

At every stop, he was remembered as an American hero who lived a remarkable life. A Vietnamese prisoner of war for five and a half years, he suffered a grueling captivity in a war camp referred to as the 鈥淗anoi Hilton.鈥� He was tortured, lost 100 pounds and left permanently unable to lift his arms over his head.

He went on to be a statesman for more than three decades. He escaped at least two bouts with cancer. An aggressive form of it, glioblastoma, finally took his life Aug. 25.

During his long public service, the navy brat and son and grandson of two military admirals, was a champion for soldiers. His record is too long to list but his causes included a strong military, Native American sovereignty, Arizona鈥檚 beauty, and veterans鈥� healthcare.

Before his funeral, his widow, Cindy, laid a wreath of red and white roses with purple flowers interspersed at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall to honor those who did not come home.

Afterward, his funeral was telecast from the National Cathedral, stunning in its architecture. It was filled with a bipartisan crowd of politicians, world dignitaries, celebrities, and family. McCain鈥檚 widow, Cindy, his 106-year old mother, Roberta McCain, and his seven children attended including his two sons who wore their military best.

President Trump鈥檚 daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner attended. So did retired generals White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. 聽

Former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton sat in a front row pew with their wives. and gave eulogies. So did McCain鈥檚 daughter, , and a frail Henry Kissinger, 95, who was U.S. secretary of state when McCain was a war prisoner.

Meghan McCain gave a fiery, tearful speech. Though Trump鈥檚 name was not mentioned, it was clear who she was speaking of when she delivered several bruising attacks. 聽

鈥淭he America of John McCain does not need to be made great again because America was always great,鈥� she said.

She said her father was 鈥渁 great fire who burned bright.鈥�

鈥淲e gather here to mourn the passing of American greatness,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he real thing. Not cheap rhetoric from men who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly nor the opportunistic appropriation of those who live lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served.鈥�

When Obama and Bush spoke, they called McCain a warrior, statesman and patriot. Obama said he 鈥渆mbodied so much that is best in America.鈥� He also was an 鈥渦npredictable contrarian鈥� with a 鈥渕ischievous sense of humor鈥� who got the last laugh. 聽聽

鈥淲hat better way than to make George (Bush) and I say nice things about him to a national audience?鈥� Obama said.

Bush spoke of McCain as an honored friend who could 鈥渇rustrate me but he also made me better鈥� and made America better as well.

To think of him gone is hard, Bush said.

鈥淗is absence is tangible, like the silence after a mighty roar.鈥�

On Sunday, McCain鈥檚 last wish was granted. To be laid to rest next to his best friend, 鈥渨ingman鈥� and fellow plebe , Adm. Chuck Larson, where it all began. 聽