Obama was trying to pretend he was in the same grade as Senator McCain with that approach. It didn’t work.
Can’t stand Kennedy but McCain wishing him well was just an example of politeness and good manners - if nothing else - that McCain exhibits. As first responder, BO certainly had an opportunity to upstage McCain on this one but didn’t. Wonder why I didn’t hear anybody pick up on it. BO doesn’t know McCain well enough to call him by his first name!