Clintons praise McCain as 'skilled' and 'tough'

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are paying tribute to Sen. John McCain as a “skilled, tough politician” who often set aside partisanship “to do what he thought was best for the country.”

The Clintons say in a statement after McCain's death that the Arizona senator “believed that every citizen has a responsibility to make something of the freedoms given by our Constitution.”

Bill Clinton says he is grateful to McCain for his leadership in helping the U.S. normalize relations with Vietnam during his presidency. McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for more than five years.

McCain served alongside Hillary Clinton in the Senate. The Clintons say McCain was “never afraid to break the mold if it was the right thing to do.”