Cross-posted from RestoreReason.com.
Senator John McCain recently said of Donald Trump’s comments about Khizr Khan’s remarks at the Democratic National Convention “I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers, or candidates.” Uh, wait a minute John, yes they do. Trump’s remarks do represent the views of the Republican Party, its officers and candidates because…wait for it…Donald Trump is THE GOP NOMINEE for President of the United States. And, more than that, Donald Trump represents all those GOP leaders who have either endorsed him or not denounced him, which includes…again, wait for it…Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and yes, YOU!
There was a time I could have voted for John McCain. Admittedly, I didn’t live in Arizona at the time, but I believed in his “maverick” status; I thought he was a standup guy who did what he thought was right, despite the prevailing winds. Then came his failed bid for President, which included his huge misstep in selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate. This, I thought, is what selling your soul looks like.
Since then, McCain has continued to slide in stature in both my book and I think, for many Americans. He appears bitter about the lost presidential race and his bitterness permeates his service. McCain reached a new, very deep low however when he allowed Trump to basically call him a loser for being captured as a prisoner of war and then, McCain went on to endorse Trump anyway. Remember, Trump said of McCain, “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” This, by a man who sought and got five deferments to service. This, by a man who claims he has had more military training than most of our service members because he attended a military prep school. This, by a man who claims he knows more about ISIS than do our generals.
Yet, McCain not only didn’t repudiate Trump, he actively ENDORSED him! Talk about stooping to a new low. And now, even though McCain has “forcefully condemned Trump’s slander of Gold Star parents Khizr and Ghazala Khan, he hasn’t pulled his endorsement of the candidate. Yes, McCain’s admonishment to Trump is much, much more than anything Ryan or McConnell offered in response to this debacle, but I still would like to see McCain stand up and be the man I once thought he was.
In his admonishment statement, McCain said, “he challenged the nominee to set the example for what our country can and should represent.” Well, I say to Senator McCain, withdraw your endorsement and support for Donald Trump. You know he does not represent the ideals of the GOP, you know he does not represent all that is good about America and you know he is not prepared to serve as President of these United States. Reestablish your legacy John; go out on a high note, #BeTheMaverick once again.
President Obama at his press conference today said what most Republican politicians are thinking, but are too afraid to say out loud because they fear the GOP crazy base. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/obama-trump-unfit-gop-endorsements
President Obama on Tuesday called out Republicans who distanced themselves from Donald Trump’s attacks on Khizr and Ghazala Khan, but who have not withdrawn their endorsement of the GOP nominee.
“I think what’s been interesting is the repeated denunciations of his statements by leading Republicans,” he said in a press conference. “The question I think they have to ask themselves is, if you are repeatedly having to say in very strong terms that what he has said is unacceptable, why are you still endorsing him? What does this say about your party that this is your standard-bearer? This isn’t a situation where you have an episodic gaffe. This is daily and weekly where they are distancing themselves from statements he’s making.”
Obama wondered what comment from Trump would actually force Republicans to withdraw their support for the Republican nominee.
“There has to be a point in which you say this is not somebody I can support for President of the United States, even if he purports to be a member of my party. The fact that that has not yet happened makes some of these denunciations ring hollow. I don’t doubt their sincerity. I don’t doubt they were outraged about some of the statements that Mr. Trump and his supporters made about the Khan family,” he said. “But there has to come a point in which you say somebody who makes those kinds of statements doesn’t have the judgment, the temperament, the understanding to occupy the most powerful position in the world because a lot of people depend on the White House getting stuff right.”
He noted that the denunciations coming from Republicans differ from the typical policy disagreements between Democrats and Republicans.
“I think I was right and Mitt Romney and John McCain were wrong on certain policy issues, but I never thought that they couldn’t do the job. And had they won, I would have been disappointed, but I would have said to all Americans, this is our president, and I know they’re going to abide by certain norms and rules and common sense, will observe basic decency, will have enough knowledge about economic policy and foreign policy, and our constitutional traditions and rule of law that our government will work,” Obama said. “But that’s not the situation here.”
“There has to come a point in which you say, enough,” Obama told Republicans.
The President also said that Trump is “unfit” to be president in light of his attacks on the Khans, who are the parents of a Muslim-American soldier who died in combat.
“Yes, I think the Republican nominee is unfit to serve as president,” he said at a press conference when asked if he questions Trump’s fitness to serve given his comments on the Khan family and on Russia. “I said so last week. And he keeps on proving it. The notion that he would attack a Gold Star family that had made such extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of our country, the fact that he doesn’t appear to have basic knowledge around critical issues in Europe, in the middle east, in Asia means that he’s woefully unprepared to do this job.”
Thanks for your read and comments AZ Blue! It is hard to imagine “worse than Trump”, but I really believe those GOP leaders who know he is unfit for the Presidency and are still endorsing him, are just that. They are putting party and power ahead of country and that is despicable.
The whole Maverick thing was always just PR. He moved to AZ just to run for office, and when accused of being a carpetbagger (he was) he used his time as a POW against his critics.
“In fact, the longest I ever lived anywhere was Hanoi”.
In other words, you can’t criticize him for anything, ever, no matter what he does, because of his war record.
Now here were are, McCain supporting Trump, and Trump mocking POWs and Gold Star families.
McCain is as sleazy and as morally bankrupt as the next politician, and always has been.
In the interest of full disclosure, McCain owes me 50 grand from his Keating Five days.
Wow FSNT! Thanks for the read and comments. As is usually the case, there is obviously much more to the story. Sorry about the 50 Gs, that would make anyone a “hater.”