John McCain: Donald Trump Is Not The GOP [Video]
Arizona Senator John McCain, a Republican, has spoken out against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the wake of the latter’s disparaging comments about the family of a Muslim U.S. military hero. Last week, Khizr Khan, the father of fallen Army Captain Humayun Khan, spoke at the Democratic National Convention. He spoke of his son’s bravery and sacrifice, and of how his Muslim immigrant family would have been denied entry to the United States under a President Trump.
“Have you ever been to Arlington Cemetery? Go look at the graves of brave patriots who died defending the United States of America. You will see all faiths, genders, and ethnicities. You have sacrificed nothing and no one.”
Read John McCain's blistering statement to Donald Trump over Khizr Khan https://t.co/TxmXGUGwKh pic.twitter.com/0qJPOKjEZ0
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 1, 2016
As Vox reports, Donald Trump responded to the grieving father’s heartfelt speech by further disparaging Muslims in general and deceased veteran Humayun Khan’s family in particular. Rather than responding to the Khan family’s questions about his proposed immigration law changes, Donald Trump directly insulted the fallen vet’s mother.
“If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me.”
In a nutshell, Donald Trump inferred that a Muslim wife wasn’t allowed to have a voice. Rather than address the issue at hand, he took the opportunity to insult the family of a dead Army Captain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljHX6zO6Ev0
The outrage of many on both sides of the political aisle was immediate and extreme. Politicians and pundits alike were quick to call out Trump for remarks that many called slanderous and others saw as simply unbelievable. In the face of widespread criticism, Donald Trump opted to draw attention to his own “sacrifice” rather than to apologize for remarks he made about an American hero.
“I’ve made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve had tremendous success. I think I’ve done a lot.”
On Monday, former prisoner of war John McCain joined the chorus of voices that has come out publicly against Donald Trump and his unthinkable words about the Khan family. As CNN reports, Senator John McCain pulled no punches when he commented on Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric directed at the Khans. John McCain even went so far as to declare that Trump doesn’t represent the Republican Party.
“I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump’s statement. I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers, or candidates.”
And that is how a decent man should sound. What a tragedy for the Rep party & McCain clearly knows it.
— Kate Austin (@kateaustin496) August 1, 2016
Donald Trump and John McCain have a fairly contentious history, with Donald Trump having publicly disparaged Senator McCain’s military service record in the past. According to Trump, John McCain isn’t a war hero because he was captured while serving in Vietnam. Apparently, that potential president Trump doesn’t believe U.S. prisoners of war are honorable.
Donald Trump lies not being able to go to Vietnam because he was to ill but he could play sports. pic.twitter.com/CYExEFsTT1
— AC Morgan (@therealACMorgan) July 27, 2016
Ironically, Donald Trump himself never served in Vietnam (or any other U.S. military endeavor). Indeed, while Trump has repeatedly insisted that the reason he didn’t serve was a “high lottery number,” the true fact of the matter is that Trump received at least four medical deferments to keep him safe and sound while John McCain was in a military prison, reports ABC News.
vietnam draft dodger, dont talk the talk ,with no balls to walk the walk. #donald trump
— sissy boy don (@sissyboydon) August 1, 2016
Despite Donald Trump’s lack of military service and despite his harsh criticism of Senator McCain’s time spent as a prisoner of war, John McCain recently took the high road and opted to endorse Donald Trump for POTUS. Following Trump’s harsh, some say discriminatory, words about fallen soldier Humayun Khan’s family, it appears that Senator John McCain might be rethinking his support for Trump.
“While our Party has bestowed upon him the nomination, it is not accompanied by unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us.”
In John McCain’s Monday statement, he addressed both the Khan family and the memory of their fallen soldier son. He was unambiguous in his praise for the Khans, and rather than being critical of the immigrant family’s religious background, he honored them for the ultimate sacrifice made by their son, Humayun.
“I’d like to say to Mr. and Mrs. Khan: thank you for immigrating to America. We’re a better country because of you. And you are certainly right; your son was the best of America, and the memory of his sacrifice will make us a better nation — and he will never be forgotten.”
What do you think? Did Trump go too far in criticizing the family and memory of a fallen U.S. soldier? Is John McCain correct in stating that Donald Trump is not the GOP?
[Image via Christopher Halloran/Shutterstock]
