President Joe Biden paid tribute to the late Arizona Sen. John McCain Thursday while campaigning for a second term during a Tempe speech.
The president announced “new federal funds” will be being directed to build the McCain Library at Arizona State University, the Associated Press reported.
“The money comes from a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed in the early months of Biden’s presidency, and the project is in partnership with the with the McCain Institute and Arizona State University,” the AP story said.
McCain’s wife, Cindy, introduced the president and said Biden and his wife first introduced Cindy to McCain while at a meeting in Hawaii.
Biden — who said he was friends with McCain for some 40 years — said he thought of his late friend during a recent trip to Vietnam. McCain, who spent nearly six years in a prisoner of war camp during the Vietnam War, put his country first and had the vision to put democracy first, Biden said.
The president said he worked well with the late senator — a Republican — on various issues where the two men came together.
“...Democracy is still at risk,” the president said during a Tempe speech broadcast on the PBS website.
Biden claimed some are “openly promoting” attacks on democracy. At one point, Biden pointed to a specific instance where former President Donald Trump is said to have called American servicemen who died for their country as “suckers and losers,” Biden said.
“It’s not only wrong, it’s un-American,” Biden said.
Biden encouraged students in attendance to vote and said McCain would have believed “we could meet” this moment of democracy being threatened.
“...The soul of America depends on the souls of all Americans,” Biden said.
Biden spoke in Maricopa County — where there were allegations the last U.S. presidential election was stolen. Biden won the state by slightly more than 10,000 votes.
Brent Ruffner
Lead News Reporter | Phoenix
BRuffner@iniusa.org
Meet Brent
Brent Ruffner joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2021 where he writes about developments at TSMC and Maricopa County issues, including election topics.
He's written about stories that range from accusations that a Mesa monkey breeding facility is unsafe to what to do if you encounter a rattlesnake in the desert.
Community: He is a supporter of the American Cancer Society.
Education: Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, May 2007.
Random Fact: He met former San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays at a Phoenix Firebird game after winning a contest for an autographed baseball.
Hobbies: Hiking in the woods and collecting sports memorabilia.
By 
