Huffington Magazine Issue 42 | Page 49

DOUGLAS GRAHAM/CQ ROLL CALL/GETTY IMAGES AGING BULL Democrats and independents. But because Washington is more polarized than ever, McCain is in some ways more indispensable than ever inside the very place he called the “city of Satan” during an Arizona town hall meeting in February. He is willing to work across the aisle and use his sizable clout to get things done, and he has less to lose than younger lawmakers HUFFINGTON 03.31.13 and can take greater risks. A senior Democratic Senate aide involved in the process said that any immigration effort would have been suspect without McCain’s involvement, since he was a leader on the issue in 2007. “From a perception point of view, the seriousness of the group would be questioned if he weren’t involved. But because he is, they know this is the real effort,” said the aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “Nobody is expecting other efforts to spring up.” McCain addresses the media after the Senate Select Intelligence Committee Hearing on the Benghazi attacks.