Former Vice President Joe Biden spoke forcefully as he said politics wasn't what was most important to Sen. John McCain, it was the underlying values that mattered.
Biden said Thursday at the memorial service for the longtime Arizona senator that McCain "could not stand the abuse of power wherever he saw it, in whatever form, in whatever country."
He says McCain embodied basic values including fairness, honesty and respect.
Biden referenced how McCain fought for civility between politicians even if they disagree.
Biden also noted that the same aggressive brain cancer that claimed McCain also claimed their friend Ted Kennedy and Biden's son Beau.
Biden told McCain's family he understood that there was nothing anyone could do to ease their pain.
He said, "I pray you take some comfort knowing that because you shared John with all of us your whole life, the world now shares with you the ache of John's death."
Biden said he thought of Sen. John McCain as a brother, with 'a lot of family fights.'
The Democrat dabbed his eyes early in his speech Thursday at the Phoenix memorial service for the longtime Republican senator.
Biden said the two men got to know each other while making overseas trips together. They'd talk about family, politics and international relations. Biden says they were both "cock-eyed optimists."
Biden said that they understood it's all about trust and that he would trust John with his life.
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