Frank Luntz, who was leading the Q&A session, repeatedly protested, “He’s a war hero.”
Trump responded, “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, okay? I hate to tell you.” Trump re-iterated, “He’s a war hero because he was capture, okay? You can have — and I believe — perhaps he’s a war hero, but right now, he said some very bad things about a lot of people. So, what I said is, John McCain, I disagree with him, that these people aren’t crazy.”
But the transcript does show Trump implicitly criticizing McCain’s war record, and I would say gratuitously. A better response is to say “no one is question Senator McCain’s war record, but it is not relevant to issue of immigration.”
Trump is an amateur.
You aren't including the entire transcript. From Sharyl Attkisson herself:
"When a panelist characterized McCain as a “war hero,” the Post is accurate in reporting that Trump initially said McCain is “not a war hero.”"
What the MSM says Trump said and what Trump actually said. BTW, is any of this relevant to anything substantively important to the future of our country? No, except for the fact the MSM continues to lie with edited half-truths.
Remember, this was a staged interview and the two were arguing and talking over each other during some of this.
What the Washington Post reported:
Headline: “Trump slams McCain for being ‘captured’ in Vietnam...”
Lead paragraph: “Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump slammed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a decorated Vietnam War veteran, on Saturday by saying McCain was not a war hero because he was captured by the North Vietnamese [emphasis added].”
What actually happended:
Frank Luntz was leading the Q&A session
Luntz: “He’s a war hero...”
Trump: “He hit me...”
Luntz: “He’s a war hero...”
Trump: “He’s not...a war hero.”
Luntz: “He’s a war hero.”
Trump: “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, okay? I hate to tell you.”
Luntz: inaudible
Trump: “He’s a war hero because he was captured, okay? You can have — and I believe — perhaps he’s a war hero, but right now, he said some very bad things about a lot of people. So, what I said is, John McCain, I disagree with him, that these people aren’t crazy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USJAgIxhU6o
A tempest in a teapot. McCain and Trump are fighting each other. So what else is new. Get to the substantive issues. The Left NEVER wants to get to the substantive issues. Meanwhile, IMO, Trump should not back down becasue he didn’t do anything wrong, but he should know that he’s going to need a full-body asbestos suit to weather the firestorms from the Left (and from the Right, who here, I think are wrong).
How come McCain gets a free pass for his terrible record as a Senator because he was a POW? Time to stop the BS. Don’t back down to the bullies Trump.
Read point 2 in the article:
“2. When a panelist characterized McCain as a “war hero,” the Post is accurate in reporting that Trump initially said McCain is “not a war hero.” But then, Trump immediately modified his statement saying– four times– that McCain is a war hero:”
If you talk about “verbatim”, well, Trump said at one point as shown above but he modified his statement.