Obama Honors McCain at Bipartisan Dinner

On the eve of the inauguration, Barack Obama honored Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz — the man he defeated in the race for the White House.  "…What makes John such a rare and courageous public servant is not the accomplishments themselves, but the true motivation behind them," Obama said. "It has not been a quest for fame or vanity that has driven this man…It is rather a pure and deeply felt love of his country that comes from the painful knowledge of what life is like without it." In the first of three bipartisan dinners honoring those who have reached across the aisle, Obama thanked McCain for his service, accomplishments and strong values. He called on all in government to replace trends of political partisanship with cooperation. "There is no doubt that throughout the summer and the fall, John and I were fierce competitors who engaged in a vigorous and sometimes heated debate over the issues of the day," Obama said. “But…after the season of campaigning has ended, each of us in public life has a responsibility to usher in a new season of cooperation built on those things we hold in common. Not as Democrats. Not as Republicans. But as Americans." Obama, who built his campaign on bringing change to Washington, sought to set the stage in his speech. In a sign of unity, McCain joined Obama onstage and the former rivals hugged. "We will not always agree on everything in the months to come, and we will have our share of arguments and debates. But let us strive always to find that common ground, and to defend together those common ideals, for it is the only way we can meet the very big and very serious challenges that we face right now," Obama said. The President-elect will hold two more bipartisan dinners honoring Biden and former Republican Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell. While Sen. McCain did not address the crowd, his wife, Cindy McCain spoke out about her impressions of the campaign and inauguration in an interview posted on The Daily Beast’s website. "It’s bittersweet," she said in an atypical interview with her daughter Megan, posted on the website today. "I was talking to your dad today, both of us are supportive of the administration because we believe in this country. We want President-elect Obama to succeed because it’s what is best for the country. But for me it is a very bittersweet moment and I believe your father would have made a good president."