Page 16 - HOH updated

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 21 March 2019

Trump aims new blasts at McCain, claims credit for funeral

By LAURIE KELLMAN he says it again,” Isakson
Associated Press continued in remarks on
WASHINGTON (AP) — Cast- Georgia Public Broadcast-
ing aside rare censure from ing’s Political Rewind radio
Republican lawmakers, show, “and I will continue
President Donald Trump to speak out.”
aimed new blasts of invec- Utah Sen. Mitt Romney,
tive at the late John Mc- the GOP’s 2012 presiden-
Cain Wednesday, even tial nominee whom Trump
claiming credit for the briefly considered nominat-
senator’s moving Washing- ing as secretary of state,
ton funeral and complain- tweeted praise for McCain
ing he was never properly on Tuesday — and criticism
thanked. of Trump.
By the time the president “I can’t understand why
began his anti-McCain ti- the President would, once
rade in Ohio, several lead- again, disparage a man
ing Republicans had sig- as exemplary as my friend
naled a new willingness to John McCain: heroic, cou-
defy Trump by defending rageous, patriotic, honor-
the Vietnam War veteran able, self-effacing, self-sac-
as a hero seven months af- rificing, empathetic, and
ter he died of brain cancer. driven by duty to family,
One GOP senator called country, and God,” Rom-
Trump’s remarks “deplor- In this Nov. 3, 208 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. speaks ney wrote.
able.” at a rally outside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Pushback also came from
Trump then launched a Associated Press Sen. Martha McSally, a Re-
lengthy rant in which he has not appeared to alien- served in the military and ary for several Republicans. publican Air Force veteran
claimed without citing evi- ate core supporters, some obtained a series of defer- Senate Majority Leader appointed to McCain’s
dence that McCain had of whom had soured on ments to avoid going to Mitch McConnell called seat from Arizona.
pushed for a war and failed the senator by the time of Vietnam, including one at- McCain “a rare patriot and “John McCain is an Ameri-
America’s veterans. his death. Aware of this, tained with a physician’s genuine American hero in can hero and I am thank-
“I gave him the kind of fu- GOP lawmakers until now letter stating that he suf- the Senate.” McConnell ful for his life of service and
neral that he wanted,” have stayed subdued or fered from bone spurs in his tweeted, “His memory con- legacy to our country and
Trump told reporters at silent though Trump some- feet. tinues to remind me every Arizona,” she tweeted
a campaign-style rally in times infuriated them with One McCain Senate vote day that our nation is sus- Wednesday. “Everyone
Lima, Ohio. “I didn’t get (a) his comments on their late in particular is the thumbs- tained by the sacrifices of should give him and his
thank you but that’s OK.” colleague. down Trump can’t seem to heroes.” family the respect, admira-
In fact, McCain’s family McCain’s allies suggest- forget. The Arizona sena- The Kentucky Republican, tion, and peace they de-
made clear that Trump was ed it was time for that to tor in 2017 sank the GOP who is up for re-election serve.”
not welcome during the change. effort to repeal Obama’s next year, never mentioned That McSally declined to
week-long, cross-country “I hope (Trump’s) inde- health care law. Trump Trump, but others weren’t criticize Trump directly re-
ceremonies that the sena- cency to John’s memory was furious, and it showed so shy. flected the broader wari-
tor had planned himself. and to the McCain fam- even in the days after Mc- Sen. Johnny Isakson of ness among Republicans
Instead, McCain invited ily will convince more of- Cain’s death last August. Georgia said not only the to cross a president famous
former Presidents George ficeholders that they can’t The administration lowered McCain family but the na- for mobilizing his followers
W. Bush, who defeated ignore the damage Trump the American flag over the tion “deserves better” than against GOP lawmakers
McCain during the 2000 is doing to politics and to White House to half-staff Trump’s disparagement. he deems disloyal. But this
GOP nomination fight, and the country’s well-being or when McCain died on a “I don’t care if he’s presi- week, Trump seemed to
Barack Obama, who de- remain silent despite their Saturday, but then raised dent of the United States, inspire a new determina-
feated him in 2008, to deliv- concerns,” said Mark Salt- it by Monday. After public owns all the real estate in tion among some to draw
er eulogies on the value of er, McCain’s biographer. outcry, the White House New York, or is building the a line, however delicately.
pursuing goals greater than “They must speak up.” flags were again lowered. greatest immigration sys- Sen. Lindsey Graham, who
oneself. Trump signed off Trump has said for years This week, Trump unloaded tem in the world,” Isakson wept openly on the Senate
on the military transport of that he doesn’t think Mc- a new series of anti-McCain told The Bulwark, a con- floor after McCain died but
McCain’s body, went golf- Cain is a hero because the tweets in which he said he servative news and opin- has allied himself strongly
ing and was uncharacteris- senator was captured in never had been “a fan” ion website. Later, Isakson with Trump, said, “I think
tically quiet on Twitter dur- Vietnam. McCain was tor- and never would be. called Trump’s remarks the president’s comments
ing the Washington events. tured and held prisoner for His relentless new targeting “deplorable.” about Sen. McCain hurt
Trump’s publicly nursed more than five years. of the deceased senator “It will (be) deplorable him more than they hurt the
grudge against McCain The president has never seemed to cross a bound- seven months from now if legacy of Sen. McCain.”q