He was a darling of the media provided he wasn't running for president. Agree with you 100%.

He became especially popular with the media when the feud between him and Trump escalated.

McCain was a man of high ideals/principles and extremely patriotic. He was willing to give his life up for his country. He was extraordinarily supportive of our military. 

Those are good traits to have...............ordinarily and generally speaking. However, his way of thinking has gotten more brave soldiers killed in dumb, political wars in recent decades then it has had benefits. 

One of the reasons that I voted for Obama in 2008 was a "Never McCain/Palin" position. This turned into a never Obama, then never Clinton position the following 2 elections. 

Too bad that one of the things that McCain will be remembered for by some is his betraying his constituents in AZ on the Obama Care issue. He campaigned for re election this last time on repealing Obama Care. Arizona health care premiums had doubled quickly because of this and so he used it to get votes.

In 2017, when it came time to act on this promise in his platform for re election and vote to repeal Obama Care under President Trumps plan (to fulfill one of Trumps campaign promises-repeal Obama Care), he shocked many by voting to keep Obama Care in order to defeat Trumps bill.........because of his personal hatred for Trump.

Of course he came out with a laughable statement on how the bill didn't go far enough and that's why he voted against it.............which would be like a starving person, who needs massive calories and nutrition  to restore good health,  turning down a hamburger because they need more food than that.

It's great that he would risk his own life for his personal ideals on how the US should impose its will on other countries. It's not cool when people with his power, decide that millions of others Americans have to do the same thing..........against their will in some cases and end up getting killed in really dumb wars(like Vietnam and Iraq).