Washington – U.S. Senator John McCain rebukes President Donald Trump in a new memoir, accusing his fellow Republican of failing to uphold U.S. values by showering praise on international “tyrants,” discrediting the media, ignoring human rights and demeaning refugees.
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“Flattery secures his friendship, criticism his enmity,” wrote McCain in “The Restless Wave,” which he co-authored with longtime aide Mark Salter.
“It is hard to know what to expect from President Trump, what’s a pose, what’s legitimate,” McCain said in the book that is due to be released on May 22. An advance copy was sent to Reuters by publisher Simon & Schuster.
McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, remains one of the strongest voices in his party on foreign policy, despite a battle with brain cancer. He has been credited with championing civility and compromise in Congress during an era of acrid partisanship in U.S. politics.
The 81-year-old Arizona lawmaker, who has served in the Senate since 1987, has also been both a critic and target of Trump, who during his 2016 presidential campaign disparaged McCain’s war record by saying he was not a hero after enduring 5-1/2 years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.
In his memoir, McCain said Trump had appeared to mock the idea the United States should promote its values abroad and slammed him for threatening to kill the spouses and children of terrorists during his campaign.
“His lack of empathy for refugees, innocent, persecuted, desperate men, women and children is disturbing. The way he speaks about them is appalling,” said McCain, who still chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee despite his long medical absence from Washington.
At the same time, McCain noted Trump’s praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he “seems just as smitten” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, leaders whom McCain accused of repression.
“He has showered with praise some of the world’s worst tyrants,” McCain added.
He also accused Trump of failing to raise U.S. concerns about human rights.
“The world expects us to be concerned with the condition of humanity. We should be proud of that reputation,” McCain said. “I’m not sure the President understands that.”
Trump’s branding of unflattering news stories as fake news – regardless of their validity – was a technique “copied by autocrats who want to discredit and control a free press,” McCain said.
The White House did not immediately offer any comment on McCain’s accusations.
POLITE REBUFF
McCain was the central figure in one of the most dramatic moments in Congress of Trump’s presidency when he returned to Washington in July 2017, shortly after his brain cancer diagnosis, for a crucial middle-of-the-night vote.
Still bearing a black eye and scar from surgery, McCain gave a thumbs-down signal in a decisive vote to scuttle a Trump-backed bill to repeal the Obamacare healthcare law.
In the book, McCain recalled how Trump called him shortly before he cast his vote.
“I listened quietly as he asked me to reconsider. I don’t remember exactly how I responded, but it was a polite rebuff,” McCain wrote.
McCain mocked Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka – whom he called some of Trump’s “weirder” advisers – saying he was relieved they had left the administration.
“Bigger misfits haven’t been seen inside a White House since William Taft got stuck in his bathtub,” McCain wrote, referring to early 20th-century President William Howard Taft.
McCain concluded his memoir by citing Robert Jordan, the main character in Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” who said as his death approached: “The world is a fine place and worth fighting for and I hate very much to leave it.”
“And I do too,” McCain wrote. “But I don’t have a complaint. Not one. It’s been quite a ride.”
Time for McCain to cut the oresident some slack and say a good word on his leadership and N Korea stuff. Time to shut up a little.
The guy’s just jealous that Trump won what he wanted so bad
Showering praise on tyrants ?
Sometimes that’s good . The Middle East for example despite Brian Lehrer on wnyc all sad about Al sisi in charge of Egypt and supressing the hollier than thou free speech . Like really under morsi and the brotherhood as a democracy it’s better ? Tryanny is the only option with Muslims . Iraq and Lybia were better off with saddam and quadafi . Democracy only brought us tzarus.
He did mock fat rocket man though
Re sowing distrust with the media
Good they are our enemies . They lie and mock us . Of course it’s only facts . But they are shrewd news twisters . It’s the way the web the story together . Look at the failing nyt and how they lie about Israel . The media is our enemy .
Re refugees , for non Muslims he has a point . But compassion has to be weighed with our own neeeds . Can we afford to let in poor immigrants now that the govt offers social programs to the poor ? That’s even why they want to come . ( unlike our Ellis island ancestors who got no govt programs )
Most of his attributes that McCain mocks are silly and actually good that we have a president like this .
Interesting that the one thing unmentioned is Trumps lack of moral values . His immodesty is the one thing that irkes me most and should disturb every frum Jewish trump supporter. But liberals have a twisted mind . In fact they believe it’s ok to be immoral . LGBT , abortions etc ( most of the time an abortion is due to an affair ) So no suprise that even the McCains have distorted values .
I’m proud that I voted for McCain.
This lowlife has shown his true colors and now all his accomplishments have been diminished in the eyes of the American people. His hatred of Trump, and especially his jealousy, are quite obvious. He needs to shut up.