Posted on 07/18/2015 10:16:30 AM PDT by servo1969
Donald Trump escalated his feud with Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain Saturday in a way that probably wasn’t the most politically astute.
Appearing at the 2015 Family Leadership Summit in Iowa, Trump decided to make the case that McCain is not a war hero. Asked by moderator Frank Luntz why he would call a war hero like McCain a “loser,” Trump replied, “He’s not a war hero.”
“He’s a war hero because he was captured,” Trump said sarcastically. “I like people who weren’t captured, I hate to tell you.”
McCain spent five and a half years in a North Vietnamese prison where he was routinely tortured after his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War.
After hearing boos from the crowd, Trump backed off a bit: “Perhaps he’s a war hero but right now he said some very bad things about a lot of people.”
Trump was referring to McCain calling the people who attended Trump’s recent immigration rally in Arizona “crazies.”
This performance with our friend out in Phoenix is very hurtful to me, McCain recently told the New Yorker magazine, speaking of Trump’s July 11 rally. Because what he did was he fired up the crazies.
The Washington Post reported Friday that Trump is trying to recruit a primary challenger in Arizona to try to defeat McCain in his 2016 re-election bid.
Another goof. As bad as McCain is to the Republican’s Trump had no right to disparage him.
I am no fan of either of the guys. But trump is simply wrong on this one. McCain did his job. Getting captured is not a surrender. Trump is sliding on thin ice with this one.
But,I am sure many have finally found that hill to die on. They were just waiting for something bigger than immigration, they found it.
Agree, bad move by Trump. McCain was shot down and seriously injured pressing an attack on the enemy. Not his fault.
That said, McCain, the son & grandson of admirals, was a dunce at Annapolis, and continues to be stupid as a senator.
Funny, I’ve often wondered how getting caught by the enemy made you a hero...
To he a hero don’t you have to do something heroic?
Just remember that most common Patton quotes were written by Coppolla.
I have never been convinced McCain’s Hanoi time was spent honorably. There’s something very fishy about McCain’s connection to Vietnam. Here’s a guy that supposedly spent years being brutalized by North Vietnam in Hanoi, and yet he went to bat for MFN for Vietnam against the families of POWs and veterans organizations.
Then that reunion with one of his old Vietnam guards????
Folks, he can play it off any way he likes, but NO North Vietnam guards were being nice to our POWs. In an atmosphere where captives are brutalized mercilessly, mind games to the max, and used as propaganda, it’s as dangerous for a guard to be nice to the captives as it is for the captives to act out.
McCain’s story about this buy being nice to him is pure horse stuff. IMO McCain is the closest we’ve come to a Manchurian Candidate.
Honorable? There are a lot of words to describe John McCain. That is not one of them.
I don’t like McCain’s politics but this is over the top. Trump is too much into personal shots. I don’t mind the political shots, but we don’t need elementary school taunts in a presidential candidate.
All for Trump, but to lump turncoat McCain in with all other POWs was going too far.
I have no PROOF that Johnny was a sellout at the Hanoi Hilton; only the accusations of some of his fellow prisoners. But I do have his record as a Senator all these years. In THAT department he has been a collaborating, backstabbing, two faced creep, to his Party, to his constituents and even to his VP Candidate, Sarah Palin. When the media wolves ganged up on her, he threw her TO them. He NEVER ONCE defended her from the media, or from the sniping snakes on his staff.
I've said repeatedly on other threads that sooner or later, Trump would say something so incredibly stupid it would derail his candidacy (if he were a serious candidate in the first place.)
Well, here it is.
I don't know many Conservatives who like John McCain, but disparaging the man's military service has always been a no-go zone.
Trump should've known better and the fact that he didn't and chose to "go there" after McCain's military service is a clear demonstration of the lack of discipline he has. The lack of discipline I and many others have said would derail his "campaign."
There is no defending Trump on this one unless one's a die-hard knee pad wearing sycophant.
Yeah, that wasn’t right to say.
Doesn’t change the fact that McCain is a POS, regardless of his past.
And the shark was in the Snake River.
Goole it, kiddies
I would caution against the dunce at USNa stance as well. Most people around could not come close to graduating a service academy. Not saying he is a genius, but it’s like the old joke: What do you call the guy who is last in his med school class? Doctor.
He could have said “I prefer war heroes who don’t blow up their own ship”
Former POWs deserve our respect and sympathy, some endured horrific abuse.
I never considered them war heros, though.
That is reserved for people who are awarded Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, Distiguished Service Cross and the like.
In McCain’s case, he has through his Senate “service” destroyed any residual claim to respect for his POW days.
His outright treason against the citizens, holding border security hostage until they get amnesty, is unforgiveable.
We believed them in 1986.
We had ample reason in 2006 not to believe them.
He still is trying to reward people who broke in with citizenship. He is despicable.
Not a good move for Trump politically, though.
I was comparing to how Patton slapped the battle fatigue guy he called a malingerer
He shot from the hip like Trump
Trump can’t have a series of comments like these or it will cause erosion
No matter our dislike of McCain
If he wanted to get personal he could hit Queeg on his treatment of Palin who is popular with the base
And McCain just like Kerry uses those wartime events as giving them entitlements.
How'd you get those Purple Hearts Mr. Kerry?? And how long were you in Nam??
Patton’s son was a POW. He launched an unsuccessful raid deep into German-held territory in an attempt to free him.
But Patton do not say tgat
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What Patton DID say, or DID NOT say is not the issue. What Patton, knowing his strength of character founded largely on his belief in God, WOULD HAVE SAID, is what we are talking about. Patton was a warrior. Those who did not have the warrior spirit were lacking in moral strength as far as he was concerned. Unfortunately, today the weak kneed, elastic backbone critters are worshiped by a people AFRAID to say anything that is not Politically Correct.
Patton DID say, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way!” I think this applies to most everything.
McCain and Kerry have milked their service far beyond what is acceptable. MANY served and MANY SUFFERED, and for their sacrifices they received nothing,not even the thanks of a “Grateful” nation!
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