‘Every life has to end one way or another.’
Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning, Arizona senator John McCain told Jake Tapper that he was battling a “very virulent form” of cancer, but struck a philosophical tone on mortality.
“Every life has to end one way or another, ” McCain said, invoking a playful quote from the playwright William Saroyan on the subject: “Everybody has to die, but I always believed an exception would be made in my case.”
McCain said he would undergo an MRI on Monday, and that new technology bettered his prognosis, but that he didn’ t want to paint a “rosy picture” of the outlook.
Tapper said he hoped this wouldn’ t be his last interview with McCain, and asked, “How do you want the American people to remember you?”
“He served his country, ” McCain replied. “And not always right. Made a lot of mistakes. Made a lot of errors. But served his country, and I hope we could add ‘honorably.’ ”
The Arizona senator was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor known as glioblastoma in July. A week later, he traveled to Washington to cast the dramatic, deciding vote that prevented Republicans from moving forward in their quest to repeal Obamacare.
