John McCain

More later after I ruminate on it, but it's striking the differences and similarities of the national observance of the passing of John McCain with the first televised observance of a national leader, John F Kennedy's funeral and observances 55 years ago.

Differences are perhaps more stark. JFK's death was unexpected, even startling. McCain's was long awaited following announcement of its probable inevitability one year earlier. McCain left a retiring hero who had accomplished about all he could be expected to accomplish. JFK was taken early in his Camelot-like first term of his presidency while it was still very unclear how successful he might be and while he was not perceived as particularly bipartisan. McCain was a politician who could straddle the partisan divide like none of his contemporaries.

But there are also similarities. The world wondered how things might have been different if JFK had not been taken when he was. Similarly, many ponder what might have transpired had McCain lasted another year. The nation sat and watched the unfolding events of the funeral and burial and return to “regular order” in the political world in the winter of 1963. Late August of 2018 all network channels and basic cable news stations simultaneously carry the memorial services and funeral for McCain and fill in the time gaps with prognostications of a return to “regular order” in the political world this Fall.

More after Sunday when it's all over.