Transcript for Sen. McCain discontinues treatment after yearlong battle with brain cancer

We appreciate it. Tuw to words of country this morning for nator John mn. McCain's family announcing he is discontng medical treatment after a year battle witain cancer a ABC's senior national correspondent in sedonaarizona, right near the senator's home. Rry, good mornin REPD morning, guys. It's the predawn H beautiful, peaceful place. The McCain Fam fries thering hen he loves so St a couple of miles the last good fight of his remarkable life, a fight that itseems now has reacits final days. After a year-long battle wit brain cancer, John McCain's family reveal aply personal DNA senator has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment. His ly saying in statement, John has surpassed expectations for survival. But the progress of disease and the exorable ace of age render their verdict. With his usual strength of willas nowsen to discontinue meeatment. His wife Cindy a love mysband withll my heart. God blesne who has cared for my hnd along this journey. McCain's friends in congress are sending THR love and support too. Connecticuna Lieberman sayiecoming John McCain's friend one of prayior him and his fa senator Lindsey grah, the entire McCain clan is do exactly what the McCains H dohr generations, rise to meet the challenge. The 81-year-old senator has T his life servihe country he loves. The Republican nation in 28, a staunch Republican and fierce conservative. Nd up, stand up fight. Reporter: McCain already defeated cancer back in 20n he was dgn with brain cancer in 2017. Take on either party and fight for what heieved in. Days after brain surgery turning to senate fl trump's attempt to repeal and replace obamac the man known as a maverick making his final appearance last au giving an emotional speech in iladelphia I'mkiest guy on ea I have served America's cause.I see now that I P soimportant. Rep and now he has spent his final months with his family and issued one last plea for civility. I'd like ee our polics begin to rn to the pposes practices that distinguish our history from the histof ottions. I'd like to see ec nse that we're malike than fferent. Reportehat is pure McCain, isn't it? A reminder of who we reallve been, can asricans even in this slightly hysterical men. If you think about it, in that encouragt F his last public statements for all of the best vsion of rselves as CITS, John McCain still Servi count Let'sr and heed that Messa. Y Moran in sedonhank let'alk more about John H ABC chiefpolitical analyst Matthew dowd O is in this morning and ABC newsitical commentator cokie robe.c. Good morning to both of you. Good G, Dan. When peoplel him a maverick, what do they mean? Didn't always tow the party. Now, when he arred in Washington in 1982, during the reagea a very staunch partisan, but something someone was Mo Udall, the fellow arizonan who was a liberal Democrat and a lovely mnd he took McCain under his wing and McCain always talked aboutit how Udall just brought him back to the stat anincluded hn things would say, and John was this and McCain said I didn't KNOE was talk about but he gave me credit for it and he learned that roe things hpen. And he was much more willing as he served in congress to reach out toemocrats, to Somes thumb his nose quite puby at pastill being a very staunch partisan. Ncluding quite famously on campaign finance reform. Right. Matt, let me go over to you.he strikes me as an unusual Polian in many but one ththt unusual he's been willing especially in these final daeak franabout his mies or what he S to be his MI including hys the nomion of sarapalin. How un it for a politician to tab their errors? Ighly unusual, Dan, but very much needed at this point in time. I er somebody D me once, what oneiece of advice would you give politician running for office. Id, make a once a month and apologize it and we don't see that in O Politis. And John McCain was the first person to say ade mistakes and he de was many documentr the time. Imperfectut he tried to the St talk express in 2000 when we wish were rungainst him and he was traveling throughout the country throughout new hampshire,e would just about himself, he would spea about other mistakes but H one of the few polns which I we need wi some sense of humili andbleness which is such atrast O what we see out ofhe white today to say he's made mistakes and done wront started,ugh, when he was a P.O.W. And, of course, that expere was so important in his lng and he saiou know, eveerson has a breaking point and I reached mine and there W things he sahat he was re sorry about and he said iterwards. I thmost interesting G that he's aped is in that that Matt is talking aboure was a dispute about the confederate flag flying on the capitol in uth Carolina and hnd of cillated on that because he didn't want to come down one or the otr and he said that was wrong. That was just plain won should have come out against that fla Matt, we conds here, do you have any optimism THA ica will hees or Washington will heed hl for more civilit Well, I think John McCain much more in touch with where a majority of coy is which doesn't want tribalism, which wantat people with respect and dignity into move in that direction our leaders in Washington won't. I think it'se but the great thing about today and yesterday and moving the day forward is the contrast between John McCain's life of a guy of service and a guy of character and Y who could stakes to what we see out of Washington couldn't be more dramati I think that's a good thing to UT. Matthew dowd and cokie Y appreciate youanalysis on a saay morning. Thank you both. Good to be with you.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.