Biden announces library for John McCain in speech warning against MAGA extremism
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U.S. Sen. John McCain and former Vice President Joe Biden in Philadelphia in October 2017. Photo: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images
During an impassioned speech about the future of democracy on Thursday, President Biden announced federal funding to create a library and community facility at Arizona State University to honor the late Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
What's happening: The McCain Library will be a "multipurpose facility that will provide Arizonans a place to learn, research, develop and work," according to the McCain Institute, a partner in the project.
- It will be constructed with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act — the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package passed in 2021.
Context: Biden and McCain served in the Senate together for decades and forged an unlikely friendship despite their differing political views.
- McCain died of brain cancer in 2018, the same disease that killed Biden's son Beau three years earlier. Biden delivered McCain's eulogy at his Arizona memorial service.
What they're saying: In a sometimes emotional address on Thursday, Biden reflected on McCain's military service and time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He urged Americans to stand up to domestic threats to democracy.
- "Very few of us will ever be asked to endure what John McCain endured, but all of us are being asked right now: 'What will we do to maintain our democracy?'" Biden said.
Zoom out: The future of democracy is a cornerstone of the president's reelection campaign, telling supporters earlier this month, "I'm running because democracy is at stake."
- He spent more than a half-hour Thursday contrasting McCain's conservative legacy with today's Trump-aligned Republican faction.
Between the lines: Biden took direct shots at the former president, calling his brand of conservatism "a threat to the brick-and-mortar of our democratic institutions."
- He blasted Trump for referring to military service members who died in combat as "suckers" and "losers."
- "Was John a sucker? Was my son Beau, who lived next to a burn pit for a year and came home and died, was he a sucker for volunteering to serve his country?" Biden said.
Flashback: Earlier this month, Biden visited the John Sidney McCain III Memorial in Hanoi, Vietnam, where McCain was held prisoner for more than five years after his aircraft was shot down in 1967, during the Vietnam War.
- "As I stood there paying my respects, I thought about how much I missed my friend. I thought of something else as well," Biden said Thursday. "I thought about how much America missed John right now."
Zoom in: "Our family is honored to be a part of this special effort to build a lasting tribute to my husband, a library we believe will serve the State of Arizona and its people the way John served his country," U.S. Ambassador Cindy McCain said in a statement.
- "This effort started with the enthusiastic support of Gov. Doug Ducey and continued with the equally strong support of Gov. Katie Hobbs. A true bipartisan effort that we greatly appreciate," she said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.
