Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., shared high praise for his Republican colleague Sen. John McCain, who is in his "finest hour" because of his willingness to speak out against President Trump.

During an interview Friday on HBO's "Real Time," Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, was asked by host Bill Maher to react to the latest wave of town halls in which Republicans have faced fierce backlash over the Obamacare repeal and Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey.

Schiff used this frustration as a pitch to "change" Congress and stress the importance of a Democratic House or Senate or both because "this president needs a restraint."

"They must be shitting their pants," Maher quipped.

"You can say it, I can't," Schiff replied.

Schiff said Republicans "all want something from this president before the wheels come completely off the wagon," listing off tax cuts and the repeal of mining regulations as examples. "And then they'll find their spine," he said.

He did concede that there are a few Republicans speaking out, including McCain.

"I think frankly, This is John McCain's finest hour," Schiff said. "Probably his most important public service since Vietnam is what he is doing now. I wish we had more Republicans in the House or maybe even one in the House who is willing to follow his example."



McCain, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, and Trump have a long, often bitter feud, dating back to the campaign when Trump dissed McCain's time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, saying "I like people who weren't captured" and said he is not a war hero. The Arizona Republican later revoked his endorsement of Trump due to his vulgar comments about women. McCain has opposed some of Trump's policy pushes in office, including his travel ban.

McCain's reaction to Comey's ouster this week was one of concern. He said of the FBI's investigation into ties between Trump and Russia that "there will be more shoes to drop." While admitting that Trump had the legal authority to fire Comey, he "can't help but think that this is not a good thing for America."

Asked if Trump might be going to prison in a couple years, referring to the FBI's Russia probe, Schiff said he doesn't know where the investigation will end up. But he did express support for it, despite the leadership vacuum at the top and calls from others for an independent special prosecutor. He said the agency has "the scope" and "the resources" to conduct a proper worldwide investigation and that his committee will continue to oversee it while it conducts its own probe.