John McCain Demands Donald Trump Make Amends to Veterans

[Rob L 3,811]

Photo

Senator John McCain of Arizona at the Capitol in Washington in February. He said Donald J. Trump needed to “heal many of the wounds” of the primary season.Credit Zach Gibson/The New York Times

Senator John McCain of Arizona called on Donald J. Trump to make amends to veterans for his belittling comments about prisoners of war and suggested he would be unlikely to appear on a stage with Mr. Trump until that happened.

Mr. McCain has committed to supporting Mr. Trump as the Republican nominee for president. But in an interview that aired on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, Mr. McCain expressed deep dismay at the tenor of the Republican presidential race, saying Mr. Trump make amends to “a body of American heroes” he had offended.

Mr. Trump mocked Mr. McCain last summer for having been captured and imprisoned during the Vietnam War, saying that he preferred “people who weren’t captured.”

Mr. McCain, who was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, told CNN that he was personally indifferent to Mr. Trump’s ridicule but that he could not abide the affront to veterans in general. Asked if he would appear on the campaign trail with Mr. Trump, Mr. McCain said “a lot of things would have to happen” first.

“I think it’s important for Donald Trump to express his appreciation for veterans — not John McCain, but veterans who were incarcerated as prisoners of war,” Mr. McCain said. “When he said, ‘I don’t like people who were captured,’ then there’s a body of American heroes that I’d like to see him retract that statement — not about me, but about the others.”

Mr. McCain’s comments add to the already extraordinary pressure on Mr. Trump to mend his relationships across the Republican Party and win over a range of party leaders he has alienated in the 2016 campaign. One of Mr. McCain’s closest friends in the Senate, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, has already announced that he will not vote for Mr. Trump under any circumstances.

Mr. McCain said it was incumbent on Mr. Trump to “heal many of the wounds” from the primary season. The senator said the “personalization” of the 2016 race was like nothing he had ever seen, “where people’s integrity and character are questioned.”

Noting the rift that had opened in the Republican Party, Mr. McCain said the party’s leaders had lost touch with many voters in Mr. Trump’s constituency — mainly, he said, older, white, blue-collar workers who see no job prospects.

“There is some distance, if not a disconnect, between party leadership and members of Congress,” Mr. McCain said,“and many of the voters who have selected Donald Trump to be the nominee of the party.”

Find out what you need to know about the 2016 presidential race today, and get politics news updates via Facebook, Twitter and the First Draft newsletter.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

To you know where with John M and Mitt. Sore loses that had there shot and failed becuse they did more of the same

[Jacque67 7,328]

To you know where with John M and Mitt. Sore loses that had there shot and failed becuse they did more of the same

?

[Rob L 3,811]

To you know where with John M and Mitt. Sore loses that had there shot and failed becuse they did more of the same

John McCain has earned the right to defend our veterans, draft dodger Don has done nothing.

[eieio 1,594]

The truth is getting captured does not make you a war hero. The word hero gets thrown around to easily imo.

[yuna628 9,758]

The truth is getting captured does not make you a war hero. The word hero gets thrown around to easily imo.

So you are suggesting that a man who decided to lay down his own life for the sake of his people and country, who earned medals of highest honor, who was wounded during his service trying to save the lives of other soldiers, was captured, physically and psychologically tortured, and was left with permanent injuries - isn't a hero?

[Rob L 3,811]

So you are suggesting that a man who decided to lay down his own life for the sake of his people and country, who earned medals of highest honor, who was wounded during his service trying to save the lives of other soldiers, was captured, physically and psychologically tortured, and was left with permanent injuries - isn't a hero?

Seriously, Does McCain have any Hotels or Walls with is name on it ? Does he have steaks?

[eieio 1,594]

So you are suggesting that a man who decided to lay down his own life for the sake of his people and country, who earned medals of highest honor, who was wounded during his service trying to save the lives of other soldiers, was captured, physically and psychologically tortured, and was left with permanent injuries - isn't a hero?

I was making a blanket statement. Would you consider the Iraqis who surrendered in the gulf war as heroes?

I don't know enough about mccains war history to say he is or is not a war hero. I have nothing against him. Just saying a POW does not equal war hero.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

The truth is getting captured does not make you a war hero. The word hero gets thrown around to easily imo.

Having a dad who could have kept you out of harms way in Vietnam but choosing to fight anyway is heroic. What did the golden Tribble be-topped DayGlo Mussolini do?

[Rob L 3,811]

I was making a blanket statement. Would you consider the Iraqis who surrendered in the gulf war as heroes?

I don't know enough about mccains war history to say he is or is not a war hero. I have nothing against him. Just saying a POW does not equal war hero.

You didn't vote in three 2008 election?

[lostinblue 1,989]

Having a dad who could have kept you out of harms way in Vietnam but choosing to fight anyway is heroic. What did the golden Tribble be-topped DayGlo Mussolini do?

You throw your weight behind this guy

[Jacque67 7,328]

Pfft.

[Dakine10 5,452]

You throw your weight behind this guy

[Teddy B 17,252]

That looks like the drawing of a terrorist to me. Reported!

[GandD 5,966]

To you know where with John M and Mitt. Sore loses that had there shot and failed becuse they did more of the same

#VeteransWhoSupportTrump