Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), publicly denounced former President Donald Trump for his derogatory comments about her father’s war-related injuries.
What Happened: Trump, during a campaign event in Iowa, ridiculed the late senator’s arm injuries, which he sustained during his five-and-a-half-year captivity in North Vietnam from 1967 to 1973. Trump associated McCain’s physical condition with the unsuccessful 2017 repeal of Obamacare.
At a recent campaign event in Iowa, Trump recounted the failed 2017 repeal bill, blaming McCain for its demise. “Obamacare is a catastrophe, nobody talks about it. You know, without John McCain, we would have had it done,” he said.
“But John McCain for some reason couldn’t get his arm up that day, remember?”
Trump replicated the thumbs-down “no” gesture that McCain famously demonstrated during the 2017 Senate vote.
“My dad was an American hero. An icon. A patriot that will be remembered throughout history. I cannot buy a bagel without someone approaching me about how much they loved and miss him,” she said. “Trump is a piece of sh*t, election-denying, huckster whose own wife won’t campaign with him.”
John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, served in the U.S. Senate from 1987 until his death in August 2018. His vote, along with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine.) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.), against the Obamacare repeal marked a notable setback for congressional Republicans.
Why It Matters: Trump has persistently branded Obamacare as ineffective and insisted on its replacement. In November, he promised "much better Healthcare than Obamacare for the American people.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a Democrat who secured victory in the 2020 special election for the seat previously occupied by McCain, strongly criticized Trump on X for his comments about the deceased senator. “Donald Trump doesn’t know anything about what it means to put others before yourself and sacrifice for your country,” Kelly wrote.
“That was how John McCain lived his life, and in Arizona, we’re proud of that.”
The former president is a leading contender in the Republican primary race. The latest weekly Morning Consult poll asked registered voters who they would select in a hypothetical matchup of Trump versus Biden. Trump received 42% of the vote and Biden received 41% of the vote. 11% of voters selected ‘Someone Else’ and 5% selected ‘Don’t Know.’
Read Next: Trump’s Niece Says AG Letitia James Has ‘Screwed’ Former President ‘More Than You Think’
This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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