--- title: John McCain Thanks Supporters After Cancer Diagnosis description: The GOP senator has been back home in his home state of Arizona undergoing treatment since his last appearance in the Senate chamber canonical: https://time.com/4894674/john-mccain-cancer-thank-you-video/ author: Aric Jenkins article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-08-09T22:39:42.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T16:55:44.308Z article:section: Politics og:title: John McCain Thanks Supporters After Cancer Diagnosis og:description: "Even those that want me to die don't want me to die right away, so that's good" og:url: https://time.com/4894674/john-mccain-cancer-thank-you-video/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt78fc69b3c3aee1a4/6988d799cf40a8352bc48bf1/john-mccain-cancer-treatment-arizona.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2863 og:image:height: 1610 og:image:alt: Congress Russia Sanctions og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: John McCain Thanks Supporters After Cancer Diagnosis twitter:description: "Even those that want me to die don't want me to die right away, so that's good" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt78fc69b3c3aee1a4/6988d799cf40a8352bc48bf1/john-mccain-cancer-treatment-arizona.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # John McCain Thanks Supporters After Cancer Diagnosis: I Am 'The Luckiest Guy on Earth' > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Aric Jenkins](https://time.com/author/aric-jenkins/) ## Aric Jenkins Aug 9, 2017 10:39 PM UTC  Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2017. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2017. Cliff Owen—AP by [Aric Jenkins](https://time.com/author/aric-jenkins/) ## Aric Jenkins Aug 9, 2017 10:39 PM UTC John McCain has largely stayed under the radar ever since he dramatically returned to the Senate floor to [vote against the Republican-led health care repeal](http://time.com/4873455/john-mccain-health-care-vote-speech/) late last month. But he made a quick appearance Wednesday to thank supporters for their well-wishes following his [brain cancer diagnosis. ](http://time.com/4865775/john-mccain-brain-cancer-tumor-glioblastoma/) “Thanks for your letters, thanks for your phone calls, thanks for your outpouring of affection,” McCain said in a brief video obtained by NBC News. “Even those that want me to die don’t want me to die right away, so that’s good. “Overall, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for your friendship, thank you for your loyalty, thank you for everything you’ve done for literally the luckiest guy on Earth,” he added. > [](https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/895366585690357760) The GOP senator has been back home in his home state of Arizona undergoing treatment since his last appearance in the Senate chamber on July 28. That night, he, along with Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, voted against the so-called “skinny repeal” of Obamacare. All three were going against the will of their party, and McCain’s vote — which came towards the end of the late night gathering — [drew audible gasps throughout the Senate chamber.](http://time.com/4878038/john-mccain-vote-video/) McCain has been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. 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