I think all this needed to be said — not least because many people were/are thinking it in a far less cogent way. So thank you for taking on the task Caitlin.
I have had several friends die of brain cancer and so I am aware of several aspects of that illness which have not yet been raised here (or anywhere, as far as I know). The brain is an organ that enables thought, and so any illness in that organ may affect the thinking processes of the person concerned. Also, brain cancer does not magically appear in an instant. McCain must have had this problem developing for a while.
So to what extent might his expressed thoughts and behaviour have been attributable to this growing cerebral problem? Certainly I thought much of what came out of his mouth recently was madness, but then my politics were clearly very different.
For some this will be a circular argument, as many believe that a person’s (in this case “death loving”) thoughts are eventually expressed in the body. But even to those who do not think that, now would be a good time to reflect on the objective value of McCain’s (at least recent) statements. Perhaps they were the result of a diseased brain. If people are looking for a kind way to look at his murderous acts and statements, this might be a helpful explanation.