John McCain’s Former Running Mate, Sarah Palin, Was Not Invited To The Late Senator’s Memorial

Aside from President Donald Trump, there’s another well-known political figure who did not make the cut for John McCain’s memorial services — Sarah Palin.

While John McCain and Sarah Palin joined forces and ran together against Barack Obama in the presidential race in 2008, many found it surprising that she did not snag an invite to his memorial. A source close to Capitol Hill, who has knowledge of the late senator’s funeral plans, tells People that Sarah Palin did not make the cut for the guest list.

“Two names you won’t see on the guest list: Trump and Palin.”

Carla Eudy, who has been a friend of the McCain family for years, confirmed the news, saying that invitations to President Trump and Sarah Palin were not extended. Eudy did not share if it was McCain himself who had made the requests prior to his passing or if it was the request of the family, though it is being widely speculated in Washington that the requests to keep both Palin and Trump off the guest list were that of the McCain family.

“My guess is, it came from Cindy. She is very protective of John’s memory and legacy. She’s also a grieving widow. I think she wants to get through this as best she can,” a source close to the McCain family said.

The source also made a point to make it clear that if Trump and Palin were to show up, they would not be turned away.

“Donald Trump and Sarah Palin were not served official notice outright. I want to make that clear. It wasn’t a no-trespass order. They won’t be turned away by guards if they show up at the funeral.”

Sarah Palin was reportedly not invited to John McCain’s memorial services https://t.co/Oyn6G1jujF

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) August 29, 2018

A source close to Sarah Palin claims that she and McCain had a good friendship in the years following their political campaign, noting that “it’s sad” that she wasn’t invited to the services. But Trump and Palin were reportedly not the only ones who were snubbed an invite. The source also shared that several other McCain staffers were taken off the invite list in recent weeks though it is unclear why.

John McCain passed away just a few days shy of his 82nd birthday after a long and hard-fought battle with brain cancer. The day before he lost his battle, the family announced to the public that he had stopped getting treatment for the terminal illness. After that, John’s wife Cindy thanked everyone who treated her husband along the journey while his daughter, Meghan McCain, thanked everyone for their prayers.

McCain will be remembered at the Arizona State Capitol and then at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda before being buried at U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis on Sunday.