Huge turnout to McCain service

PHOENIX: An estimated 3500 mourners crowded into an Arizona church to remember US senator John McCain, after a motorcade bearing his body made its way past people waving flags and campaignstyle signs.

Family members watched in silence as uniformed military members removed the Republican senator’s flagdraped coffin from a hearse and carried it into the North Phoenix Baptist church for yesterday’s commemoration.

Twentyfour sitting US senators, four former senators and other leaders from Arizona were expected at the church to pay tribute to the maverick politician, former prisoner of war and twotime presidential candidate.

Former vicepresident Joe Biden, a Democrat, told the service he thought of John McCain as a brother; they had ‘‘a lot of family fights’’.

The two men got to know each other while making overseas trips together and would talk about family, politics and international relations.

Biden said they were both ‘‘cockeyed optimists’’, and he would trust McCain with his life.

McCain died last Saturday of brain cancer aged 81.

Michael Fellars was among those awaiting the motorcade outside the church.

‘‘He was about the only politician I have ever known who cared for the people in his country — he tried his level best to make it a better place in which to live,’’ he said. — BPA