Susan Wright on the Right
Again, I have to point out how I understand Donald Trump’s problem with Senator John McCain.
McCain’s sacrifice for his country, both as a Vietnam POW and a senator is a measure of manhood that a man so lacking in moral fiber, such as Trump, could never hope to rise to.
McCain was no nonsense. He saw Donald Trump for the conman he was, and he called him on it, early and often.
When Donald Trump said on the campaign trail that John McCain was only considered a hero because he was captured and that he preferred those who weren’t, it said a lot about who he was.
Over and over, Trump, when faced with who Senator McCain was, was forced to face his insecurities and his low self-esteem.
He could never measure up.
When the news was announced that McCain was ending his fight against the aggressive brain cancer that he’d battled for the past year, well-wishes and warm thoughts came from across Washington, from Republicans and Democrats, alike.
Donald Trump was silent.
He was even asked if he regretted the hateful things he’d said about the senator in the past. He didn’t. At all.
Immediately after those comments, I asked Trump at a press conference if he wanted to apologize to McCain. Trump said: “No, not at all.” When I asked him he was familiar with what happened to McCain during his captivity, Trump said: “It’s irrelevant.” https://t.co/r8n9psJndB
— Stephen Hayes (@stephenfhayes) August 25, 2018
That’s just petty.
Reports are that White House aides wanted to craft a gracious message of support, in memory of Senator McCain, but a petty Trump squashed the idea.
Trump reportedly told his aides that he preferred to tweet his condolence, and tweeted out a pared-down statement in which he did not offer praise of the Arizona Republican.
“My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain,” Trump tweeted after reports confirmed that McCain had died. “Our hearts and prayers are with you!”
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, chief of staff John Kelly and other White House aides advocated for a detailed official statement that referred to McCain as a “hero” and gave him accolades for his military service, the Post reported. Aides wrote the statement and Sanders edited it over the weekend.
Trump declined to release the statement.
I get it. He didn’t like McCain, and McCain didn’t like him. In fact, in making his funeral plans, Senator McCain asked for former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama to speak at his funeral, while some insist that he didn’t even want Trump to show up.
This was the perfect chance for President Trump to be the bigger person and put somebody else above himself.
Who are we kidding?
If he ever put anyone above his own selfish and petulant ego, it wouldn’t be Donald Trump.
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