Most Americans rightfully view Sen. John McCain as a genuine war hero and American icon. That view is not shared by President Donald Trump’s supporters, it would appear. Kelly Sadler, a special assistant to the presidend, is under fire for telling staff that they should laugh off McCain’s opposition to Gina Haspel as CIA director over her record of torture because his opinion “doesn’t matter” since “he’s dying anyway.” On Fox Business, Thomas McInerney, a former Fox News military analyst, rebuked McCain by saying torture clearly “worked for John” and that is why is calling “Songbird John” for cracking under torture.
Sen. Lindsey Graham responded by saying that “no one is laughing in the Senate.”
McCain, 81, is suffering from incurable brain cancer. His wife issued a statement that was short and lethal for Sadler (who later called to apologize):
Cindy McCain
@cindymccain
@kellysadler45 May I remind you my husband has a family, 7 children and 5 grandchildren.
McInerney’s comments to Charles Payne has led him to be barred from any further appearances on Fox and Payne has apologized.
I have long shared McCain’s view of waterboarding and I do not support the Haspel nomination on that basis, including her destruction of tapes when investigations began into the torture program (To his credit, Trump at least is honest and refers to waterboarding as torture, but insists that he supports the use of torture). However, this is a more fundamental problem of civility and decency. The sheer hatred and anger often vented in our public debate is chilling. People no longer listen to others or care about how their words can be hurtful or hateful. We are losing not just our collective demeanor but our decency as a nation in these divisive political times.
@Insufferable May 16, 2018 at 7:24 PM
” ‘You already have my sympathy, Allan. Are you going for my pity?’
“You’re sweating fantasy and confirmation bias from your pores, but you fancy you should ‘pity’ us.”
My question was directed to Allan, but it’s interesting that you identify with him to such an extent. I’d given you a little more credit than that, but you know your limitations better than I do.
You stand condemned out of your own mouth by accusing me of two of the very things you so conspicuously manifest.
Please do give me at least one example of each of your projections, as you see them in me, in the areas of “fantasy and confirmation bias.”