An Emotional Night for McCain As He Returns To Arizona

(CBS)

(PRESCOTT, ARIZ.) – Her voice cracking with emotion, the normally calm and collected Cindy McCain had a hard time introducing her husband at their final rally of the day here.

"I am so proud to introduce to you tonight, my husband John McCain," she said, fighting back tears.

Today alone, the McCain's have travelled over 3500 miles, campaigned for 20 hours, and held seven rallies. As McCain stood on the steps of the Yavapai County courthouse, he tried to lighten the mood by telling a story about the thwarted presidential dreams of Arizonans.

"Another guy that ran for president was a guy named Mo Udall, and he said, he used to ask sympathy for the families of the state of Arizona, because Barry Goldwater from Arizona ran for president and Morris Udall ran for president and Bruce Babbitt from Arizona ran for president, and I from Arizona ran for president. And he used to say Arizona might be the only state in America where mothers don't tell their children that someday they can grow up and be president of the United States," McCain said. "Tomorrow, we're going to reverse that unhappy tradition and I'm going to be the president of the United States."

Prescott is a historic town in the annals of Arizona politics. It became the first permanent territorial capital in 1864, and it was where McCain's political idol Barry Goldwater began and ended his own presidential run. It's also where McCain wrapped up his bio tour in April of formative places across the country, and it was clearly an emotional night for their entire family.

"I thank you for coming out tonight, from the bottom of my heart. I thank you for the years you have allowed me to serve the state of Arizona," McCain said. "I will never be able to repay you, except to say to you that I will never ever let you down. And I haven't and I won't. God bless you. Let's go out and win this election and get our country going again."