Senator John McCain died yesterday. Newspapers and television news programs are providing well-earned tributes across the country and around the world.

In Vietnam he flew 22 successful sorties before being shot down and winding up as a prisoner of war for more than 5 years. I wonder how his life would have turned out if he had continued successful bombing runs and left the Navy as an aviation hero without enduring the physical and mental torture as a POW.

When he ran for President in 2008, he was admired by the press for his “straight talk,” openness, fairness, honesty and humor. They loved him as a candidate. But in the 2008 election a large majority of these same journalists and commentators voted for the other guy (Obama).

Although defeated, McCain was still a Senator and those same journalists continued to admire him, partly because he was known as a maverick who refused to follow the mandates of his fellow Republicans.

It may seem odd that Democrats are proposing to change the name of the Richard Russell Senate Office Building to honor John McCain. They not only liked Sen. McCain for his “middle-of-the-road” votes, but for Democrats today, Senator Russell of Georgia, who served from 1933 until his death in 1971, was far too conservative to be aligned with current Democrat policies. Removing his name may not be the same as tearing down a Robert E. Lee statue, but it’s pretty close. Honoring Senator McCain by renaming the building for him would be a well-deserved gesture, but don’t be surprised if Georgia opposes the change.

The Mueller investigation of Trump/Russia continues and they caught a couple of big fish this week. At least seven Americans and 25 Russians have pleaded guilty or been charged. Mueller is tight-lipped about progress of the investigation, but a syndicated columnist in “The Columbus Dispatch” today stated, “We know without a doubt Russia did interfere.” Maybe Mueller should interview this columnist, who also stated, “It is illegal for candidates to accept help from foreign governments.” Yes, but which candidate?

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“The trouble with Senators is that the ones that ought to get out, don’t.” WA #323, March 3, 1929

“All we got to do in this country to find out anything is wrong is just to investigate it.” DT #1577, Aug. 12, 1931

“Our investigations have always contributed more to amusement than they have to knowledge.” DT #1878, Aug. 11, 1932