[Max Baucus, , Former U.s. Ambassador To China & Former Senator:] I think it's internal consumption. I think President Kim every once in a while he does this, stirs up the people in his country with some outrageous charge against the United States. I think that's basically it. He also might be a little bit piqued that President Trump withdrew Pompeo's visit over to the region, but this is standard North Korean operation.
[Wolf Blitzer, Cnn:] Does it complicate the relationship between the U.S. and North Korea?
[Baucus:] No question the relationship is much more complicated, in part, though, because the United States is losing its stature. I think we're in a worse position now compared to where we were before Singapore. That is Singapore, nothing has happened. China and Russia are starting to amp up a little more of their help to North Korea. Trump looks even more inconsistent. I think because the United States is perceived as losing a little bit of mojo that that's giving a little more impetus to Kim to be a little stronger than he has been in the past. I just we've got a real problem ahead of us, the United States does, in dealing with North Korea and we're not doing a good job.
[Blitzer:] Yes, it's a serious issue. The stakes are clearly enormous. While I have you, Senator, I want to switch gears. I know you and Senator John McCain were very close friends, former colleagues for many, many years in the U.S. Senate. You worked for him for nearly 30 years. Give us a thought or two about this extraordinary man.
[Baucus:] John McCain had a very strong code of conduct, military code of conduct in his DNA. That enabled him to stand up to the military, that is say when he thought the military was doing wrong. John McCain had the credibility. Second, he's a real patriot. People knew that he was standing up for America, didn't have an ulterior motive. Add to that because of his strong code of conduct, he was trusted, no guile, not a deceptive bone in his body. Now, he had strong views and sometimes they were not totally accurate and sometimes he'd lose his temper and blow up, but he always came back when he realized he made a mistake and wanted to do the right thing. There's nobody like him. It's going to be very hard to find somebody to replace John McCain. A great example is what he did on Obamacare. He stood up, he did what he thought was right and that was not repeal Obamacare because he felt that was the right thing to do. In part, maybe because he knew his health was a little bit shaky, but he says what he thinks, and, man, oh man, do we need more of that.
[Blitzer:] We certainly do. Senator, Ambassador, thank you so much. Used to be a Senator, used to be an ambassador. Appreciate it very much.
[Baucus:] You bet. Thanks, Wolf. Good luck.
[Blitzer:] Rick Davis, who served as John McCain's campaign manager and long-time aide, is speaking out about funeral arrangements for the Senator right now. I briefly wanting to listen in.
[Unidentified Reporter:] Cindy McCain is under consideration to fill the Senate seat. Can you talk about that at all?
[Rick Davis, Former Campaign Manager & Aide To John Mccain:] No, I'm not going to address that at all. Yes, ma'am?
[Unidentiied Reporter:] I'm with the local ABC station.
[Unidentified Reporter:] Along with vein, let me ask you this. Has the Senator talked about what kind of person he hopes comes after him in serving Arizona in the U.S. Senate?
[Davis:] You know, I think throughout the years he would he would contemplate what a succession would look like. I think he had a different plan in mind in those days. I think he was looking forward to retiring after this last term of office and enjoying that back porch in Sedona. But it's hard to say. You know, he's always been someone who has encouraged participation in politics, especially in the Republican Party with minorities, women. I think a Hispanic woman probably would have been his pick for a successor if he had lived long enough to do the opportunity. But it's just too sad to say what that would have looked like because he never got that far. Go ahead. Hey, Brian.
[Unidentified Reporter:] He welcomed Joe Biden into the family.
[Davis:] Yes.
[Unidentified Reporter:] How did his relationship with Senator McCain start and continue over the years?
[Davis:] They have known each other for a very long time. At one point, in time, in the Navy, he was the Navy liaison to the United States Senate and one of the people he befriended was Joe Biden. Long before John had any political ambition, he was exposed to people like Senator Cohen, Senator Biden, some of the great luminaries as the chairman of committees that he worked with. So he's always had an incredibly close and personal relationship with Joe Biden. It has been tested over the years on issue after issue. And yet, they remain steadfast in their personal relationship. If there's any better exemplification of what you can accomplish in politics to debating vociferously and then at the end of the day maintaining a relationship with the people you do battle with is the model of governance that John McCain so much adhered to. And that relationship with Joe Biden was clearly in that category. I would say bar none, Joe Biden has been an incredible comfort to the family, a source of wonderful amount of information about the disease when John McCain was first diagnosed with glioblastoma. And I know Cindy and Meghan and the whole family have been comforted by his prayers and counsel, and for that reason they have asked him to be here at the first stop along the way. Yes, ma'am? Yes, ma'am.
[Unidentified Reporter:] How is the family holding up?
[Davis:] Well, they have been steeled by fire. This is a family that's been in the public for as long as they can remember. And it's almost as if the Senator prepared them for this moment. They are tough. But even talking about it makes you a little weak-kneed. They're doing great. They appreciate so much the reporting that you all are doing about John's life and the prayers and the well wishes that they see every day. On the street, the memorials at the funeral home, there's a memorial at his office. People have just poured out their sympathies to the McCains and they greatly appreciate it. Over here. Yes.
[Unidentified Reporter:] Also will Mr. McCain's mother attend any of these ceremonies?
[Davis:] Good question. Keep trying on that Web site. It probably got more traffic than even we had anticipated. So the best I can tell you is just keep pounding away on it. It's getting more information on it updated a lot, so they take it down sometimes or freeze it in order to be able to fill that information in, so you might be just experiencing some of those things. But just keep trying. It's really the best single opportunity to get credentialed and that kind of thing. If at all, you continue to have problems, we have a lot of the team here to help you with what you need.
[Blitzer:] Rick Davis, Senator McCain's long-time very close aide, the former campaign manager for his presidential campaign, outlining some of the details of the upcoming funeral arrangements. And here they are. Let me put them up on the screen. You can see, on Wednesday, Senator McCain's body will lie in state at the Arizona state capitol. Thursday morning, there will be a memorial service at the North Phoenix Baptist Church. We understand that former Vice President Biden will be speaking there. And then Senator McCain's casket will be flown to Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington, D.C. On Friday, Senator McCain will lie in state at the U.S. capitol rotunda. There will be a formal memorial service at the National Cathedral here in Washington Saturday. Former President Obama, former President George W. Bush, they will both be speaking there, along with family members. On Sunday, Senator McCain will be laid to rest at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. We'll be right back.