Like his district-mate, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Leahy was among the 51 senators to oppose Republicans’ last-ditch repeal measure.
The senior senator was clearly fatigued as he held a press conference at the Burlington International Airport. “I wore a tie only because you guys are here,” he told reporters. “Halfway to Middlesex, this tie is gonna be off, let me tell you.”
It had been a long, long night, to be sure. But Leahy had borne a heavier burden than most, due to his long friendship with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who had cast the deciding vote against his own party’s bill.
Leahy and McCain have known each other for more than 30 years and have bonded over — of all things — skin cancer. Both McCain and Leahy’s wife, Marcelle, are skin cancer survivors who have had to maintain constant vigilance against the disease’s return. And now McCain is in the fight of his life against brain cancer.
The Arizona Republican’s vote early Friday morning was a bit anticlimactic for Vermont’s senior senator. “Many of us had talked with him,” Leahy said. “Those of us who knew him well knew how he was going to vote.”
For Leahy, the real emotional moment came on Tuesday, when McCain returned to the Senate only 10 days after undergoing the surgery that revealed his cancer.
“He walked out. We were thrilled to see him,” Leahy recalled after pausing to collect his thoughts. “He was having a difficult time. I went over and hugged him, and you could just feel the weight he’d lost. The speech he gave, one of the most moving and memorable. But all I could think of was, it was a farewell speech.”
“He’s always kept his word to me, and I have to him. Some things we agree on, some we disagree on. But you know, he’s a good man,” Leahy said. “And I’m hoping that some people on both sides of the aisle will say, ‘Let’s be grownups.'”
Sanders, who has refused Seven Days‘ interview requests for 27 months, did not respond to a request for comment Friday. His office posted on Facebook an early-morning video of the senator addressing a crowd of anti-repeal protesters outside the Capitol.
“Tonight was a victory for the American people,” Sanders told the crowd. “It was a victory for 15 million people who would have been thrown off of health care. It was a victory for people who will not have to pay a 20 percent increase in their premiums. But tonight is just the first start. We’ve got a long way to go, and our goal must be to join the rest of the industrialized world and guarantee health care for every man, woman and child in this country.”
Gov. Phil Scott was unavailable for an interview Friday, according to spokesperson Rebecca Kelley. In a written statement, Scott said that the Senate “did the right thing last night.”
“But what we really need is bipartisan collaboration on health care reform — they shouldn’t repeat the mistake of forcing a party line vote on the [Affordable Care Act],” he said. “We need leaders in Washington to come together to find a solution to this problem … and I will continue to pursue opportunities on this front.”
It must be pointed out that the “mistake of forcing a party line vote” on the ACA in 2010 came after months of Republican refusals to take part in the process — and months of Democratic offers of compromise. That’s a far cry from the rushed, secretive process the Republicans pursued this year, when Democrats were given no opportunity to take an active role.
In any case, Leahy agreed with Scott on the need for bipartisan collaboration on health care reform.
“Why don’t we go back and find what works and keep it?” he said. “If there are parts that don’t work, then change it … We can do that. Same thing with Medicare. We can do it.”
Leahy didn’t say it in so many words, but the implication was there: If this is farewell for John McCain, a return to the Senate’s bipartisan traditions would be a fitting memorial.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
One can only imagine the kind of pressure and arm twisting that was exerted upon John McCain.
He should be added to a new edition of Kennedy’s “Profiles in Courage”.
Thank you John McCain.
Hopefully McCain is going away..nothing but a traitor to the Military and Country..and the Republican party..nothing but a Rhino and liar..and SONGBIRD.!!!!
Donna, your comments make less and less sense each day.
Donna your comments make perfect sense to those of us with brains. McCain is already showing signs that his cancer has turned his brain to mush, let’s hope he retires soon before he and his lefty comrades destroy what is left of our great country. Maybe when he retires he can take Patrick and Bernie with him. Lets hope McCain gets treated at a VA so he is sure to get the best treatmemt in the shortest time. #Timetovotethebaldguysout
@ Will Skolochenko the only reason you can’t understand is you have no idea who McCain is..he is a traitor to our country…he’s a SONGBIRD!!! Ask any Veteran/soldier what that word means if you don’t know !!!. You have no idea what truth is..he’s not a Republican he’s a democRAT..
some hateful speak tossed around at a dying man, who has been nothing but honorable in his service to his country. name calling with absolutely no legitimate fact based argument is childish and ignorant at best, Donna
Name calling and no facts isn’t that how liberals report all their “news”? And funny when McCain was running for president he was evil just like Trump but now that he has sided with the truly evil left he is an angle. You guys on the left are a bunch of flip flops.
Personally, I wish people would stop celebrating McCain and recognize the votes of Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins. Perhaps they’ll also be painted as traitors but this may at least open up the possibility of a bipartisan effort to reform healthcare.
I also agree that Leahy has been there long enough. But the same could be said for most of the old guys in congress.
When I hear talk about healthcare in the news it amazes me that all the politicians and the media discuss is our current system.
Every other developed country in the world has some form of universal health care.
No other country spends near as much as we do per capita. Many less than half.
Most have higher birthweights, longer life expectancy.
No person in this country does not need healthcare at some point.
We pay for roads, military spending, lots of government and other things jointly for the benefit of all of us.
Why is this thing we all need not in the same class.
Pete F – You are foolish ! How are the Koch brothers and their minions going to keep collecting additional billions if everybody has universal ( otherwise known as Socialist ) health care .They need the latest tax cut .. And what about all the lobbyists ? Who is going to keep them clothed and fed . You haven’t thought this through !
I think folks need to watch and listen to McCain’s speech. The big take away was some this important and this profound of an impact should have bi-partisan support and by a wide margin. He and couple other brave republicans voted to stop the stupidity of cramming a poorly thought out healthcare reform bill down our throats.
Several years ago Leahy and Sanders both voted along party lines to cram a similarly poorly thought out healthcare reform bill down our throats. Vt is now saddled with a 300+M dollar system that does not function properly and the previous nuts in office have set the stage for healthcare rationing in Vt. Other states are in equally bad shape and it’s only going to get worse.
Every one needs to take a close look at the quality of care provided by the VA because the very same incompetent managerial system is about to be foisted on all of us.
Way to go Pat and Bernie. You haven’t done anyone any favors.