captioning sponsored by cbs >> brennan: i'm margaret brennan this is "face the nation." american loses a towering figure in politics. republican war here hoe john mccain dies after 13 month a little been brain cancer. as the 81-year-old decorated vietnam veteran, two time pat tall and maverick politics left his arizona ranch for the last time condolences poured in. some lives ever so vivid it is difficult to iman in them ended george w. bush, wrote from president obama, few of us have been tested john once was or required to show the kind of tournament that he d. we'll hear

remember answer from mccain's friends. jeff flake and dick durbin. mccape set a record op our broadcast with 11 appearance on "face the nation." >> i'm sorry, thank you. >> i have more to say. >> our bob schieffer hand john dickerson reflects on a political giant. john kerry who once considered john mccape to be a candidate. stories from some of the journalists who knew him next on "face the nation." color clear good morning, welcome to "face the nation." there has been an outpouring of emotion following the death of john mccain. cbs news chief congressional

correspondent is in sedona near the homhe plans to honor the senator's live? >> good morning. as you can see, constituents and neighbors have already come by with nows and flags as farewell gesture. the state will have chance to say god bye when he lies in state at the he'll be eulogized by joe boyd enand other close friends service in phoenix then taken to washington where he will lie in state u.s. capital where he served for 36 years. also be service at the national cathedral. he never got tired that hethe bs class at the u.s. naval academy he asked to be buried there in annapolis, maryland, near the grave of a close friend. >> nancy, thank you.othe than se

history of john mccain was our most frequent guest. bob offers us this appreciation of the life of john mccain. >> americans first came to know john mccain as a navy pilot shot down in 1967 over north vietnam as a prisoner of war his captors tortured him for five and a half years. when they learned he was a famous admiral son, but he refused to go until the other prisoners were freed it was such courage that marked his long political life, with two if the tall campaigns he became one of the best known politicianswara o crosrtylines. >> independents, libertarians,

vegetarians, come on over. >> in 1985 he made his first appearance. >> joining us or arizona congress. >> by 2008 he set report for most appearances on the broadcast. >> welcome, john mccain to his 65 terse appearance on "face the nation." >> he set the record on sunday after winning the presidential nomination which what may have been the most unusual strategy. >> he lost the trust. american people when some republicans. >> he told the convention his party lost its way. >> came to priority change and washington changed us. >> the general election campaign proved to be as unusual as his fight for the republican nomination. he found himself defending his opponent, barack obama's honor.

>> he is a decent supporter. >> no ma'am, he's a a decent family man, sit ten that i just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues that's what this campaign is all about. >> he hoped to win the presidency by, he toyed with making independent joe lobar m man. advisors talked him out of it. >> the next vice president of the night stated. >> instead they recommended a little known alaska governor sarah palin. >> you can actually see russia from land here open alaska. >> her campaign ended whatever chance he has to win independents. add on to that a bad economy he lost in a landslide. mccain got over it by plunging into his work in the senate where he championed causes large and small. sometimes causes his own party

wanted no part of it. it was former prisoner of war mccahoook never condone torture. >> it's not about them. it's about us. it's about us. what we were, what were were and what we should be that's a nation that does not engage in these kinds of violations of the fopped mental basic human rights that we guaranteed. >> americans were shocked during the 2016 campaign when republican candidate donald trump attacked mcdane. saying -- >> he was captured. i like people that weren't captured. >> merry christmas cane stayed above the frayed but his relationship with trump was never warm. he was deciding vote that killed the new president's plan to pealcare.

for mccain it was always about the issues seldom about who sided with him. he could be the worsest critic. >> we're getting nothing done. we're getting nothing done. >> but he loved the plagues, repped the rules and maintained friendships. like the late democratic senator ted kennedy. >> we had some of the great bouts but i remember we had a huge fight, we drove them from the floor and afterwards we were walking another the floor he said we did a good thing. >> when he and democratic senator chuck schumer were working to find a compromisegrit time they appeared together. what i didn't say it of the mccain who convinced schumer to cancel travel plan hfavoritep

mc is she your different democrat? >> actually i hope this program is blacked out innards. in aired. i -- innards. i system senator clinton we have had disagreements on number of issues but i think it's my job to work with every president if she is regrettably if she attains the presidency. >> as chairman of the armed services committee mccain flew to battlefields and trouble spots around the world. when ukraine became dangerous i questioned his decision to go to kiev. >> i know you think you're bulletproof, are you safe there? >> i always feel safe. i told you understand past i know i'm going to die. >> i always felt john merry

christmas cane had no nor fear of death and to the end, he fought every fight with every ounce of energy that i'm aloud he was still fighting when time ran it. >> i'm sorry, thank you. >> i have more to say. >> john mccain's voice is still but how he lived his life will speak volumes. our obligation to others most of all about having the courage no matter consequence to stand up for what we believe is right. john mccain appeared on "face the nation" 112 times. that is bob schieffer. >> brennan: a fitting in there without. we're joined now by fellow senator from arizona jeff flake. senator flake served with mccain in congress or 1 degrees and called him both a prepared and a mentor.

senator mcdane spent some 40 years in the u.s. congress, senator flake, how would you describe his impact on american politics? >> nothing short of huge. he had an out sized impact on -- particularly in the last several years he was the conscious of the city of boston at, he really was. so i i don't think you can over state importance or impact of his impact on thed with eye. >> brennan: you saw him just a day or so ago. what was that like for you? >> well, to be there with the family as they w h ne end was just a privilege. and to thank him. i don't know how much he could appreciate at that point but to thank him for especially

speaking out in that last year when we needed his voice the most. and i thanked his family or good care and allowing him and helping him to speak out when we needed to hear also voice. >> you've called him the conscience of the senate, in machine man he's ways, you have you are a straight talker but you're retearing, who becomes that voice for america now? >> i think there will be people who are there and others who will rise up. the last long conversations i had with john was a few months ago sitting there watching oak creek roll by he expressed such admiration for arizona leaders in the past who stood up. those arizona figures like goldwater and mo udall and others and expressed time his optimism.

that at some point the voters would value people who can govern and who reach acrossoo ir opponents. i think that is his legacy and i do believe that others will stand up. >> brennan: along with that idea, the senator has asked two of the men who defeated him in his bid for the presidency, barack obama and george w. bush to speak at his fun hall. president trump will not be participating. what does that signify to you? >> well, it says all you need to know about john mccain that the two, these were bitter contests, both of them. and to did them to speak at your fun radio for them to be honored at the opportunity that tells you all you need to know. he was quick to forgive. certainly put the good of the country above himself and the

fact that his former opponents will be there speaking says all we need to know. >> do you see any glimpse of the kind of bipart sap spirit that you talked about mccain, his ability to reach across theccaps his frustration, his regret that things like immigration reform were ask just not possible. >> yes. we're going to have. to senate is structured in a way that you have to reach across the aisle that's why john mccain engod the senate so much. it forced that. lately we've done our best to make it a partisan body, it has to change. there's no other way, we need to govern, there's some big issues that we need to solve. that can only be solved if we reach across the aisle,ope dot .

he never shied tough issues. coming from arizona, immigration is something that is polarizing and difficult but he dug right in. i participated with him in gang of eight, those negotiations in 2013 he led those negotiations he knew it was something that noded to be done. that is going to 'ploy to the number of issues going forward, i don't think we have choice but to go that direction. >> top democrat chuck schumer will introduce to the office building named after, opposed civil rights. and rename it for john mccain do you think that is a fitting tribute? what is the tribute you would look for? >> i want to be the first republican cosponsor for that resolution, that would be fitting tribute, there are many other things that we need to do

but that's a good one. john mccain had his office right near mine in the russell building that's where he was the entear time i think that is a fit tribute. >> john merry christmas cane long time aide, march salter has a very touching eulogy to the senator today i want to read a line. he says mccain was romantic about his causes and a is in he can 'brought the world. but he fought moral ail lure. what does that make you think? >> well, i mean, that's john. he was passionate. he was passionate about american leadership. he wasn't willing to accept that people anywhere on the globe could live in a situation where they had no chance for freedom, that's why he was never apologetic about our values and

our involvement in the world. that says a lot about john. he lived that right until the end. he was always passionate about america and leadership in the world. >> brennan: this is a did he have cult morning for you. and you are feeling the loss we thank you for joining us. tnk y. >> brennan: we'll be back in one minute with a lot more "face the nation." map

we're part of it. this is our era. this is america's energy era. >> brennan: we're back with dick durbin, along time colleague of john mccain. he joins us from white water, wisconsin, this morning, senator, thank you for joining us. how would you describe john mccain's impact? >> he always was a voice of clarity and vision and courage but i remember those moments of

uncommon decency which is uncommon. i can recall when he barack obn very few expected him to. conlast with what we went to in the lassiel. john spoke out colorly against the white supremacist in virginia. and made itided him to be cowari can remember when he stood up for immigration, not an easy issue not a conservative republican from arizona. we spent six months negotiating a bill for democrats, for republicans, john was our leader we knew with him in charge we were going to finish the job right. >> brennan: you heard as senator flake referenced to get immigration done. one of his great regrets that it failed. i want to read you this, it really speaks to his maverick rick reputation.

to get it either democrats need to retake the house or republican leaders break and bring a bill to the floor for vote. is that what it would take to get immigration reform done? >> i hope not. because john mccain used to say to me personally and to republicans especially, look to the future. this is a very diverse nation. if the republican party the going to have a future in the southwest of our nation we better be attent testify to the needs of immigration. we need border security, but let's have a sensible, rational plan instead of this mess of laws that we have on immigrati immigration. john used to call meetings of this gang of eight, you never knew quite what you'd run in to, he'd who miss top get that look in his eye you think to yourself i don't want to be around them. he'd calm down, we're moving

into an area of agreement. he was widely respected but he knew what the goal was, the goal was to make this a better nati nation. >> brennan: he also was very frustrated that return he made to the step at floor, right after ha diagnosis he said that congress is getting nothing dong for the american people. do you see any spark of bipartisanship that comes from his passing? >> well, i can tell you that there are possibilities. glimmers of hope within the senate now i'm just hope thong both sides will take inspiration from john's live message. i stayed on the floor, i have seen lot of votes in the house and senate one that particulars was after 2:00 p.m. when johnmcs just leaving phone call from the president of the united states he walked up to that table, he could barely move his arm because of the injured he

suffered he pushed his thumb down said, no. with that vote he saved health continues from millions of americans. it was a political courage that isn't displayed very often. >> brennan: we know that moment certainly success stht mind of president trump. we know that the president will not be part of the tribute to senator mccain. what dos that signify to you? >> the president is disrespected many people but when he disrespected john mccain and other prisoners of war it was a moment i'm never forget. john handled it with such class he do have roared back at this president turned the veterans of the united states against the president but he was very quiet. he knew that the enduring legacy of his is he 'tis to our country along with others was going to seseshnd nasty words by pump.

>> do you see anyone that that rename russell building after senator mccain? any republicans? i dot spea republican side but i heard jeff flake earlier, jeff can another worthy representative of the of arizona, i am sure that he and i and many others can make this a bipartisan effort. even more important, that is important, i 'grow with senator schumer even more important that we rep o remember what john mccain's message was to us. do something for america, you're elected to solve problems, tackle the problems. that was what i heard. that i hope is the enduring legacy mccain's service. >> brennan: there are sparks of hope we'll satan see but i want to ask you to see the same question, this was who is 9 voice, who is the conscious of the senate now?

>> i don't know that it's any one person. john stood out from so many of us because of his extraordinary the e and senate just thevice i way he conducted himself, but each and everyone of us have to play that role. i'm thought sure there's one person that is going to grab the banner and move forward if we take a lesson from his life and his public life we can make a difference. >> brennan: we'll be back in a moment. if you have moderate to severe

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i needed to find my own passion. and my fiance meredith, helped drive me towards making my own beer. with what's available online, we were able to learn how to make the beer, craft a business plan, and do all the other things we needed to do to help people find us. it's a lot of hard work but being a part of the community here using our beer as a platform to give back, it makes it all worthwhile. >> brennan: take a moment to hear from john mccain enhis own words from his recent book. >> the world is a fine place and worth fighting for and i hate very much to leave it, spoke my hero for whom the bell tolls, i do, too. i hate to leave it. but i don't have a complaint. not one. it's been quite a ride, i've known great passions and amazing

wonders, fought in the war, helped make the peace. i've live very well. i've been as lonely as a person can be and i've opioid the company of heroes. i've suffered the deepest despair and experienced the highest ex hill takes, i made a small place in the story of america. >> brennan: we'll be right back. back. behalf l service brokerage like ours, that's tough to do. schwab does it. next question. do you offer a satisfaction guarantee? a what now? a satisfaction guarantee. like schwab does. man: (scoffing) what are you teaching these kids? ask your broker if they offer award-winning full service and low costs, backed by a satisfaction guarantee. if you don't like their answer, ask again at schwab.

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>> brennan: welcome back to face the nation. perhaps one of the most surprising enterprises for former prisoner of war in vietnam was senator john mccain's efforts to make peace l. his partner ship with that massachusetts democratic senator john dear. he writes about it in his upcoming memoir. >> i write a lot about john mccain and my journey in reaching back to vietnam because that story is a story of keeping

faith with soldiers, it's a story of keeping faith with the american people. it's also a story of two guys who had different point of view about a major event in american history who found way to come together. so pow and protester found a way to be able to make the system work and find common ground. what is happening in the country and the journey is relevant to how we try to fix our country. you don't just speak out, what i did, but you work to implement our democracy by reaching out by building relationships. by believing in the better age he was of american value system. i believe he did that. it's the journey we all went through where vietnam tore the country apart. we had differences how we found

each otheraries common ground. >> one of the most consequential conversations of our entower career, why? >> it resulted in this partnership which sometimes had tensions but got things done. >> brennan: you say you even considered with the idea at least of -- >> we sat down and talked there were difficult issues. we flirted but didn't go on a date. in credibly courageous and strong individual, he's a very special patriot. >> brennan: we'll hear more from senator kerry about his work next sunday on "face the nation" and cbs sunday morning, we'll be right back. if you have moderate to severe

plaque psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, little things can be a big deal. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats differently. for psoriasis, 75% clearer skin is achievable, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. and for psoriatic arthritis, otezla is proven to reduce joint swelling, tenderness, and pain. and the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. otezla may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. tell your doctor if these occur. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may op tatmeloss. other side effects include upper respiratory tract infection and headache. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take

and if you'll make my morning, buty the price ruin my day.ou? complicated relationship with milk? pour on the lactaid, 100% real milk, just without that annoying lactose. mmm, that's good. >> brennan: my predecessor interviewed john mccape but spent hours one on one with candidate mccain as a reporter when he was on the straight talk express back in 20 0. joining us now from chicago is of course john dickerson, thank you for joining us this morning. >> good to be with you. >> you spent so many hours with the senator what it was like to be part of that campaign? >> well, the campaign was the message of the mccape presidency. he started out as he said so well in the polls that the margin of error he might actually have been in negative

territory. he's famous and being lauded now, back then he didn't have a shot he was running against the establishment of hess party. he was running against george w. bush who had all the money and all the endorsements what he said, washington is corrupt, too much money in washington my campaign by taking on the establishment will show what you is possible in washington. where weigh can break down the fact that money has influence on all pieces. it's extraordinary he was in the senate and saying that all of his colleagues were corrupt. that he himself had been corrupted be money. the fact that he ten was able to take that long shot campaign was evidence ha is that it was paying off with the voters. >> brennan: as you say, the senator was front about his own flaws. it wasn't something he tried to hide. >> he was. this was something that when, i don't know, millions of

interviews i must have done witm in new hampshire, in 10 0 he did the same thing he would be frank about is his feelings. being caught up in campaign finance candle motivated him to be ferocious. this is why when people talk about his character and discipline and honor it is endurable character, it has scuff marks, it's out in the real world. not encased, he failed a lot he he talked about his failure, beat himself up even office course he was trying to get back on course whichs why so many people looked at his life on the campaign trail thought this was model for way politicians should behave. >> brennan: reporters spent so many hours with candidates as

you did, some of off the record i know you've said that sometimes had to guide the senator to go off the record because he was so colorful in os candor got him in trouble in 2000 some of the days you'd be in conversation with him over nine hours. so he would, this is the pre-internet. in the service of making a larger point shorthand things in ways that wouldn't make -- wouldn't look good if you spliced the comment. but what got through to voters when they saw him, curious abut this person was he was a celebrity candidate. not since ronald reagan, but celebrity that had this durable thing. thing that was durable what sustained him in the dark box. it wasn't just running on his miami, a set of values.

when he talked about it he talked about the people he served with. the conneck of their duty, honor and service in difficult time and connected to real life. he said, there are still great causes. whenever there's a person who is poor, that's a great cause. whenever their's an old person who lacks insurance or hope that is a great cause. and he was trying to make this transaction to say that things that allowed me to get through those years of torture can still sustain you now. that's what made people stand up and applaud far those ideas even 13 if you disagreed with i am ha. >> brennan: yet at the end of his career he was still a maverick can go to toe to toe with president trump head of his own party. do you see any voice out there like mccain's right now who is willing to take the chances you describe?

>> in the conversations i've had since his passing therefore are there are lot of people who think this is not just dying of a senate icon but dying of a set of principles. he would argue against that. just know the way he used to go after this legislation is box at the naval academy, just run into the middle of the ring start throwing punches. he sometimes that worked? times he got knocked on his behind. but always getting up is the key thing. but in terms of whether that still exists i think his argument would be, all he did was plug his life into a set of american values that have been with the country. the idea of self sacrifice. he got out of prison he didn't talk about his great deeds. not taking credit for himself. recognizing even if somebody is in another party they are still human beings all of those things are available to all americans. while john mccain had life trying to follow those,

everybody can plug into that. >> there may not be one person his argument would be there are whole nation full of people who have all of those things, qualities, that they can grab ahold of and live a life that might measure the way people are saying john mccain did. >> the angels still live. thank you very much. we'll be right back with hear more from journalists who also knew and covered john mccain throughout his senate a career.

>> brennan: for political panel this morning we've gathered three writers from the hometown paper so to speak here in the nation's call tap tool the "washington post," to talk about senator john mccain. dan balz, michael gerson is nationally indicated columnist and come omanis, wrote the papers lead story this morning on the life of john mccain. i know you've been working on this for some amazing anecdotes. one is mccain as child you

said. he had such stubbornness, held his breath until he almost passed out? >> he actually did. his personality became clear very early he would have these tantrums hold his breath until he passed out his mother went to a navy doctor who said, next time that happens, just take him fully clothed and drop him in a tub of cold water. so that's how she would deal with it. >> brennan: i don't think it worked. i don't think that really changed the character. john dickerson our colleague there was sharing what he had heard which was last night in arizona as senator thought he was being taken from his home people just gathered on the side of the road saluting him. one last time. informal trick but to john mccain. dan, we talk a lot about the sparring he's doing with the current president but there is

still that deep respect that some coming there you saw last night in arizona. >> think you're seeing it everywhere. not just from from politicians and kinds of statements that we're hearing from everyone who has had their life touched by john mccain. i got an e-mail from a friend who is upstate new york who was at a diner for breakfast and people were talking about mccain there, what a pay tree out he was. i i thinks impact goes way beyond the political system. people look at it as what he was, a patriot and american. that set of values is something that i think people find in short supply today they look at mccain's life and his example and they think, we need more of that. >> there's a little bit of desperation in this of some that we don't have as much as we need. this is a time when we need hero this is a hero passing from the scene. he was the polar opposite to the

president on many things. >> i also think that what we're seeing here is the passing of a generation when it was expected that our national leaders would have in their lives served, john mccain is one of the last of that breed, too. >> brennan: you heard john dickerson say that some republicans refer referred to this as a dying of principle not just dying of patriot. what do you make of that? >> i think he would have rejected it. america in a certain way as place of ideals and principles not just a land, not just a piece of property, but the carrier of human ideal. this is what he talked about the reason was critical, he was a voice for people around the world. he could have just been a hawk

and defense hawk as a senator. he spoke out for people of vietnam, he spoke out for the people around asia who knew his name from radio erica some is somebody who cares. that was really a great role that he played. about extending american values. >> a role he put himself in the empty past year since the election of president trump i'm thinking going to the munich conference despite not -- saying basically, don't forget us i'm going to stand up for western values, america is still here. who is that voice now? >> i think it remains to be seen who that voice is. but i also think this it is much more difficult to do what john mccain has done throughout his life in the current era. one of the things his passing represents is the passing of a certain air remarks he operated at a time when he had principles that he lived in ways that other

politicians didn't yet at the same time there was a greater acceptance of the kinds of ambitions and values that he was trying to represent. working across partylines to get things done, recognizing that compromise is a way to get progress and ability to have fights with people and move on and we're in a different time. it is a much more as we've talked allot about auc poisonous time politically. i think that senator mccape's passing reminds us how difficult to step into those shoes. >> karen, the president is not part of this tribute that was a choice. that was a choice. what do you make that have? >> i think that the -- this president and john mccape are just polar opposites in so many ways. one thing is in the sort of code of honor with which john mccain lived, the was both

defined him and hundred him. the lowest moments of his life were when he betrayed his own principles, in vietnam, it wasn't being beaten having his arms broken but signing a forced confession that they admitted to black crime was that was the single most moment. we don't see, donald trump prides himself on never apologizing for anything, never looking back that is the exact opposite of john mccain who was always sort of trying to perfect himself to the point where he could live up to his own code of honor. >> you wrote about that saying it pained him to think that that moment of breaking might have hurt his father and caused him great embarrassment yet he used that to go on and fight his own party even at times on this issue of enhanced interrogation techniques and torture. >> it was again, he was -- john

the third, he was named after his father and grandfather, twoe four star admirals. the weight of that name and what it represented also was just part of who he was. >> i also think invitation to george w. bush to give a speech is important one. you helpinged torture, they disagreed about that. this is one of the toughest rivalries. >> pretty tough tight. >> on the other side of that mccain expressed in found thought it was going to run us over. >> over the years, mccain and george w. bush have talked on the phone quite a bit. even more in the period during his illness, i think about old times, like former football players. they talk about old rivalries but it became very warm, i think

genuine friendship and senator mccainsked president bush to give eulogy months ago. as he was thinking about who he wanted at his own funeral. so i think it's a sign of reconciliation in a lot of ways. a good one. >> he asked george w. bush, barack obama the two men who defeated him in bids for presidency, what is the message that this the senator was going for in choosing those twosome. >> i any the message he always moved on. he didn't live in yesterday with all of the recrimination. >> yet president trump. >> moved on to the next stage. i think that this represents that. these were rivals but these were the kind of rivals where they believed the other side was go willing to serve the country. they had different views but similar goals i think we're losing some of that. >> the conflict with president

trump is interesting because from president trump to john mccain is personal attack. he's not a here hoe just because he got shot down that's the way he has gone at that. john mccain has opposed president trump on principles. president trump says america first, john mccain is country first. there's a real difference in that. i think that that is the way each of these politicians has approach the way they try to do their jobs and i think it says everything about the difference between the two. >> in that final memoir of john mccain he talked about what trump has really represented some of those threats that i says to that country first principle. that the nativism he talks about his frustration with the ability to get i am breaks reform through, his frustration with the country in many ways, but he is still an optimist. >> he is an optimist, a realist, but i think that at his heart he's a fighter. and he's a fighter for the

principles that he as believed in. ment this motion of fighting for a cause larger than yourself can sound corn why and cliche he lived that. that's why why the bottle, is that he has been engaged with before president trump throw out of the same things. >> brennan: in the president's mind but also he writes about in the memoir is the decision to bl dossier and to be the one who brought that to the fbi and hand it to jim comey. >> but that really was senator mccain doing the responsible thing. and again, very much of a contrast with the meeting in trump tower where a foreign adversary is offering the trump campaign dirt on hillary clinton they say the meeting. senator mccain's impulse was

to turn it over to law enforcement. and writes that that is why he chose that, justification for it. yet in this environment it is filtered as just a political choice not one of principle here. >> so much of it, everything today is filtered through that political lens. and people -- there are people who take issue with john mccain for variety of reasons. and whenever there is a moment in which john mccain is in the news, those people come out to trash him, but as i say i think that the way mccain approached his life and approached everything he did was to stand up for america, to stand up as mike said for oppressed people, for the underdog and to keep fighting and keep fighting. and even when losing to get back up and keep going. >> senator flake of arizona when i asked him who takes up this

mantle said, there are many people who can. there's a very real question who takes senator mccain's seat in congress and end up, being fought right now in arizona ultimately take the seat that jeff flake is retiring from some. >> i don't know that we can say that anybody can take the mantle. somebody can fill the seat but that's quite different. that has to be in the heart and soul of other people as they watch these last days in which we will be talking about john mccain day in and day out and thinking about the example that he had. it will be up to others to try to summon up some of what mccain representedded see if they can take it on. >> is it offer stating things to call it the death of conservatism? >> think think there is generational rell meant. i wa john mccain in the last days of the 1996 campaign.

during 96 hours we spent straight, bob dole went straight. dole was going to lose but the mccain.n the plane with him was he had a bowling alley at 2:00 a.m. where dole lost his voice and mccain had to provide that voice. the points he made about service and sacrifice in praising that, it was just extraordinary. who has the ability, the standing to be that voice that is an owe question. >> yet i think you look at his concession speech with he's celebrating that the country had reach, he's conceding defeat, he was a remarkable man. >> brennan: we will all be watching as he is honored this week. thank you for sharing your stories about him. thank all of you for joining us this morning.

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>> brennan: that's it for us today. there will be continuing coverage. life and legacy of john mccain all this week here on cbs news and on our digital network, cbsn. until next sunday for face the nation, i'm margaret brennan. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org

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