If you wondered whether Donald Trump would continue his grudge against John McCain after the senator’s death… you may not have been paying attention.
Trump — who got out of serving with the questionable diagnosis of on-again, off-again “bone spurs” and later said his own personal Vietnam was avoiding STDs — has been shading McCain’s service record for 20 years.
Related: Celebs & Politicians Say Goodbye To John McCain
McCain was shot down, captured, and held as a POW for over 5 years. But every time someone refers to him as a hero, Trump says something to the effect that it’s not heroic to get caught.
After McCain’s passing this weekend, Trump did offer his condolences on Twitter:
My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2018
Seems perfectly fine. It may in fact be the most respectful thing ever on the President’s Twitter.
But it’s what Trump refused to say where you find the shade continuing.
The Washington Post is reporting the White House drafted “an official statement that gave the decorated Vietnam War POW plaudits for his military and Senate service and called him a ‘hero'” — but Trump rejected it!
Despite the urging of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, John Kelly, and other aides, Trump said his tweet would be enough.
The tweet didn’t reference the late senator’s accomplishments or service to our country.
But the Instagram version is even more egregious:
It’s just a photo of Trump!
He wouldn’t even allow a photo of the man on his feed!
Not only that, the flag at the White House was raised back to full staff — which typically, after the passing of sitting senators, it remains at half mast until their burial. After criticism, the flag returned to half-staff Monday afternoon.
Fairly striking image — all of the flags surrounding the Washington Monument are at half-staff, though the flag atop the White House was raised to full staff just after midnight. pic.twitter.com/BwKRbqKk0G
— Alex Mallin (@alex_mallin) August 27, 2018
Then on Monday when asked about McCain, Trump refused to even answer:
"Why won't you say anything about John McCain?"@jonkarl asked Pres. Trump ten times today to comment on Senator John McCain, who passed away this weekend at age 81. The president did not respond. https://t.co/HebITj8csN pic.twitter.com/iwKYhGRaNj
— ABC News (@ABC) August 27, 2018
Instead, he released this:
JUST IN: Pres. Trump: "Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country and, in his honor, have signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of his interment." https://t.co/yD2r82zSbW pic.twitter.com/GBeHKNHJDf
— Good Morning America (@GMA) August 27, 2018
CNN is reporting McCain chose George W. Bush and Trump’s nemesis Barack Obama to eulogize him — and the sitting POTUS is not welcome at the funeral.
In his final message to the nation, as delivered by his friend Rick Davis in his home state of Arizona, McCain wrote:
“We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all corners of the globe.
We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.”
Many are taking the “walls” comment as a reference to Trump and horrible ideas, which it may well be.
But to be fair, any time you praise peace and understanding, it seems like a dig at this president.
What do YOU think, Perezcious readers?
[Image via NBC/Johnny Louis/WENN.]
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