U.S. Sen. John McCain, throughout his long public life, often reflected that he had been blessed.

From a military career and the horrible years of Vietnam where he was a prisoner in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison, McCain arose from physical and mental torment to assume a role of leadership for the nation. A two-time candidate for president, McCain always lost with grace.

In his final year of service, McCain used his steadying viewpoint to call out President Donald Trump on sensitive issues and didn’t flinch under criticism.

But aside from stories political battles, McCain leaves a lasting voice of reason and courage to remember. Some of his most poignant views came in defeat or reflections on his failures in leadership.

In his concession speech after losing to President Obama, McCain said:

“I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.”

Upon the Senate floor in 2017, McCain noted: “We’ve all played some role in it. Certainly I have. Sometimes, I’ve let my passion rule my reason. Sometimes, I made it harder to find common ground because of something harsh I said to a colleague. Sometimes, I wanted to win more for the sake of winning than to achieve a contested policy.”

The honesty of his flaws was always balanced by the love of country and American freedoms that he valued deeply. The same year he reflected on his failures, McCain also came strongly to bat for the First Amendment against those who have sought to undermine or weaken the media.

“We need a free press. We must have it. It’s vital,” McCain said. “If you want to preserve — I’m very serious now — if you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free press and many times adversarial press. And without it, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. That’s how dictators get started.”

McCain won praises from both Democrats and Republicans as he matured as a politician and leader. He understood the value of political parties and opposing views as ingredients that give Americans a unique voice in the direction of government. In that understanding of America’s often contentious political fabric, he also carried a deep respect for the core values that make the founding and preservation of the United States astutely valuable for the world.

In an age of deeply polarizing politics, McCain rose to the top in his remaining time as a leader. He held on to his conservative values, but he reached out across the aisle with respect and considered points of view that somewhat conflicted or varied widely from his own.

McCain leaves the nation with the kind of honesty, vulnerability and passion that makes statesmanship and effective government.

We join with others who admired a person who gave so much of his life, in war, and in service to his country up until his last moments. R.I.P., Sen. John McCain.