Remembering John McCain: Theme of the Week

This Week Was John McCain Week

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Senator John McCain died this week, ending a long and exemplary life as one of the most important and colorful political figures of our era. Bloomberg Opinion writers, including Bloomberg LP founder Mike Bloomberg, had a lot to say about the man, his legacy — and the disappointing reaction of his late-life political adversary, President Donald Trump.

John McCain Was a True American Hero — Mike Bloomberg

“To me, John wasn’t only a hero in war. He was also a hero in politics. Over the years, we disagreed on many issues, but I always admired his determination to do what he believed was right, even if it carried a political cost — as it so often did. The strong independent streak he demonstrated time and again, and his willingness to pay the price for it, defined his political career.” Read the whole thing.

Rename the Russell Senate Office Building for McCain — Bloomberg’s Editors

Trump’s Snub of McCain Reflects a Toxic White House — Jonathan Bernstein

Russia Needed an Opponent Like John McCain — Leonid Bershidsky

McCain Was the Senator Whom No One Could Ignore — Al Hunt

McCain Embodied America’s Revolutionary Conscience – Eli Lake

One Testament to McCain: Senators Really Liked Him — Jonathan Bernstein

John McCain’s Favorite Story About Ted Williams — Al Hunt

This Week Was Also Trade Deal Week

While the rest of Washington mourned McCain, Trump rushed to cut a trade deal with Mexico to replace Nafta, which the president has often criticized. He ended the week trying to bang out a similar pact with Canada. Bloomberg Opinion writers were quick to analyze the deal’s impact, including its effect on business and on still-growing trade tensions with Europe and China.

Rebranding Nafta Is Better Than Dismantling It — Bloomberg’s Editors

Trump’s Mexico Trade Deal Reveals Another Deficit — Joe Nocera

Trump’s Mexico Trade Deal Looks Like a Lemon — David Fickling and Anjani Trivedi

Next Steps for Trump’s Trade Negotiations — Mohamed El-Erian

U.S.-Mexico Pact Could Turn the Tables on China — Christopher Balding

Trump’s Nafta Deal Is Hardly Worth the Price — Tyler Cowen

Nafta Do-Over Distracts From the Big Trade Problem — Noah Smith

This is the Theme of the Week edition of Bloomberg Opinion Today, Sunday’s roundup of our biggest commentary topic this week. New subscribers to the newsletter can sign up here.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Mark Gongloff is an editor with Bloomberg Opinion. He previously was a managing editor of Fortune.com, ran the Huffington Post's business and technology coverage, and was a columnist, reporter and editor for the Wall Street Journal.

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