Local lawmakers react to death of Senator John McCain
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Just hours after the announcement of John McCain's death, flags at the White House were lowered to half staff to honor the Vietnam War hero and public servant.
For lawmakers in Washington and beyond it is a personal loss.
For New York's senior senator Chuck Schumer, his relationship with John McCain is a relationship that dates back decades.
He talked often with the Republican Arizona Senator...the maverick.
Schumer says after he spoke Friday night with Senator McCain's wife, Cindy, he knew the end was near.
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"I would call him every so often when he was recuperating... kept telling him he was a fighter...kept telling him how much he needed him," said Schumer.
And that is a Democrat talking about his genuine bond and respect for his friend across the aisle.
It is a bond Republican congressman Peter King knows as well.
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo saying in part... "He was a warrior and a statesman, in the old-fashioned sense. In his own way, he spoke truth to power."
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, weighed in, saying, "Our nation has lost a hero and a guiding light."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said "John McCain served our nation with honor, first in the Navy, then as a representative and finally as a senator."
Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is considering a 2020 presidential run, said,
"John McCain's life is proof that some truths are timeless. Character. Courage. Integrity. Honor. A life lived embodying those truths casts a long, long shadow. John McCain will cast a long shadow. His impact on America hasn't ended. Not even close. It will go on for many years to come."
John McCain was a true American hero.
America will miss John McCain.
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