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Former President Barack Obama eulogized Sen. John McCain as a feisty, irreverent and principled patriot who fought for what he believed in.

“We come to celebrate an extraordinary man — a warrior, a statesman, a patriot,” Obama said.

Obama recalled McCain calling earlier this year, asking the former president to speak at the event after his death. It was a “precious and singular honor.” And it was a move that Obama said showed McCain’s sense of humor.

“What better way to get the last laugh than to get George and I to say nice things about him to a national audience?” Obama said, referencing McCain’s request that George W. Bush also speak at the event.

Obama said McCain was a patriot who “embodied so much that is best in America,” including his “largenesss of spirit” and ability to find common ground with political opponents.

“John believed in honest argument and hearing other views,” he said. “He understood that if we get in the habit of bending the truth to suit political expediency or party orthodoxy, our democracy will not work. That’s why he was willing to buck his own party at times.”

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Source: USA Today