Biden consoles Meghan McCain over father’s cancer on ‘The View’

Former Vice President Joe Biden comforted Meghan McCain on “The View” Wednesday after the panelist and daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) became emotional while discussing her father’s brain cancer diagnosis.

McCain’s father was diagnosed earlier this year with the same cancer that killed Biden’s son Beau Biden in 2015. Biden appeared on “The View” to promote his new memoir, “Promise Me, Dad,” which focuses on his late son, who served as Delaware’s attorney general.

“I couldn’t get through your book, I tried,” McCain said, tearing up. “I think about Beau almost every day, and I was told that this doesn’t get easier.”

Biden moved from his spot at the other end of the table to sit beside McCain and take her hand while he spoke about his close friendship with her father and Beau Biden’s admiration for the senator, whom he first met as a young man.

{mosads}“One of the things that gave Beau courage … was John,” Biden said. “Your dad took care of my Beau .. became friends with Beau. Beau talked about your dad’s courage. Not about illness, but about his courage.”

Biden, who has devoted time since leaving office to helping cancer research, also brought up several medical breakthroughs and ongoing projects that he said should give “hope” to anyone who faces this particular diagnosis.

“There’s a lot of hope there,” Biden said. “And if anybody can make it, [it’s] your dad.”

Biden has been a longtime friend of McCain, and tweeted a message of support after the senator’s diagnosis in July.

John and I have been friends for 40 years. He’s gotten through so much difficulty with so much grace. He is strong – and he will beat this.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 19, 2017

On Wednesday, McCain offered his thanks to Biden on Twitter, saying the former Delaware senator was a “source of strength.”

Thank you @JoeBiden & the entire Biden family for serving as an example & source of strength for my own family. https://t.co/qmmw5rjdUj

— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) December 13, 2017

— Updated at 12:49 p.m.