Name: Cindy McCain talks about John McCain's friendship with Joe Biden in Democratic National Convention video
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Cindy McCain talks about John McCain's friendship with Joe Biden in Democratic National Convention video

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Arizona RepublicView Comments Cindy McCain&nbsp;highlighted&nbsp;the late Sen. John McCain's close friendship with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in another high-profile instance of a Republican lending her voice to the Democratic National Convention.The video, first reported on by The Associated Press, featured&nbsp;key moments of the Biden-McCain&nbsp;friendship, with photos and video clips of the two men. did not&nbsp;contain an explicit Cindy McCain endorsement of Biden over Republican President Donald Trump but helped to serve as an impassioned recollection of the unbreakable bond shared by Biden and McCain&nbsp;— a bond that held, even when they disagreed. The video also made the larger point of reminding&nbsp;voters of Biden's long history of bipartisanship in Washington, D.C."My husband and Vice President Biden enjoyed a 30+ year friendship dating back to before their years serving together in the Senate, so I was honored to accept the invitation from the Biden campaign to participate in a video celebrating their relationship," Cindy McCain wrote on Twitter&nbsp;ahead of the night's video presentation, which played right before Jill Biden delivered her remarks.In the video, Cindy McCain&nbsp;talked&nbsp; about the two families that grew close, as her husband and Biden worked together and&nbsp;traveled thousands of miles together.McCain&nbsp;said&nbsp;the two men grew close when Biden, a senator from Delaware at the time, met John McCain "It was a friendship that shouldn't have worked," Cindy said in the video. "John, a former Navy pilot just released form a North Vietnamese prison. Joe, a young senator from Delaware. But in the 1970s, Joe was assigned a&nbsp;military aide for a trip overseas."The late senator's voice breaks in: "I was a Navy Senate liaison and used to carry your bags on overseas trips."Biden says, "The son-of-a-gun never carried my bags! He was supposed to carry my bags, dammit, but he never carried my bags."&nbsp;Over the years, as their families grew close, Cindy said,&nbsp;“They would just sit and joke. It was like a comedy show, sometimes, to watch the two of them."After McCain was elected to the Senate, he and Biden&nbsp;found themselves on opposing sides.Although they hailed from different parties, they worked across party lines out of respect for the institution, and each other, to disagree cordially, even when deals seemed out of reach. The video included comments by others, including Biden's former chief of staff,&nbsp;Ron Klain and Cecilia Muñoz, former director of the White House Domestic Policy Council."It was a style of legislating and leadership that you don't find much any more," Cindy McCain said.The video featured&nbsp;McCain's 2017 decision to cross party lines and give a thumbs-down vote on the floor of the Senate, casting the deciding vote that blocked Republicans' efforts to repeal portions of the Affordable Care Act. That vote helped preserve health care for millions of Americans.&nbsp;The video closed with words from McCain: "You're an example of how to remain the same good guy that you were when you first got here. Most of all, for your friendship, my life and the lives of many, have been enriched by it."Cindy&nbsp;McCain's virtual presence on the second night of the convention, where Democrats and Republicans are seeking to make the case for Biden's bid, comes after prominent Republicans on Monday expressed their dissatisfaction with Trump's first term, including&nbsp;former Ohio Gov.&nbsp;John Kasich and former Rep. Susan Molinari.&nbsp;McCain, along with her daughter, TV commentator&nbsp;Meghan McCain, have been at times outspoken critics against Trump, whose feud with the late senator dates to 2015, when Trump launched his first bid for president. The McCain women occasionally speak out against Trump, but these days, they tend to only speak out when he re-airs his grievances.McCain's support of Biden through the video should come as no surprise, given the families' long-standing friendship. But it's a reminder of the type of politics the late senator practiced.&nbsp;McCain, a retired Navy captain and Vietnam prisoner of war, had become a fixture in American and global politics before&nbsp;his death on Aug. 25, 2018, at the age of 81 after a battle with cancer.&nbsp;Cindy McCain was asked in 2019 if she expected to get involved in politics during the 2020 presidential election."I think I’m going to sit back and kind of see what happens," she said. "We’re still trying to put our family back together."News of her participation in the Democratic convention broke as Trump was wrapping up an appearance in Yuma, where he attacked Biden and showcased his policies on border security and illegal immigration.&nbsp;Trump was joined by the state's top Republicans, including Gov. Doug Ducey and Sen. Martha McSally, who was eventually appointed to the seat McCain once held after losing her race for the state's other Senate seat in 2018.Cindy McCain's support of Biden is a boost for Biden's efforts to carry Arizona and could have implications down-ballot.Have news to share about Arizona's U.S. senators or national politics?&nbsp;Reach the reporter on and . Contact her at and 602-444-4712.Support local journalism.&nbsp;.Subscribe for free to The Gaggle&nbsp;political podcast on , , or wherever you listen to audio content.View Comments

Arizona RepublicView Comments Cindy McCain&nbsp;highlighted&nbsp;the late Sen. John McCain's close friendship with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in another high-profile instance of a Republican lending her voice to the Democratic National Convention.The video, first reported on by The Associated Press, featured&nbsp;key moments of the Biden-McCain&nbsp;friendship, with photos and video clips of the two men. did not&nbsp;contain an explicit Cindy McCain endorsement of Biden over Republican President Donald Trump but helped to serve as an impassioned recollection of the...

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Cindy McCain talks about John McCain's friendship with Joe Biden in Democratic National Convention video

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