Donald Trump criticizes John McCain’s war record, says ‘I like people who weren’t captured’
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump criticized Sen. John McCain’s military record at a conservative forum Saturday, saying the party’s 2008 nominee and former prisoner of war was a “war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
The comment drew some boos from some in the audience — and quick condemnation from rivals who have been waiting for such an opening to rein in the outspoken reality television personality. Trump has surged in polls recently, frustrating many in his party concerned that he has hijacked the 2016 Republican primary and damaged the GOP brand.
Trump and McCain traded barbs earlier this week. McCain said Trump’s controversial comments about immigrants and had “fired up the crazies” at a rally in Phoenix. Trump retorted that the Arizona Republican was “a dummy” who graduated at the bottom of his class at the U.S. Naval Academy.
McCain’s war record was a cornerstone of his 2008 bid for president. A Navy pilot during the Vietnam War, he was captured after his plane was shot down. He was held for more than five years as a prisoner of war.
On Saturday, speaking at a conference of religious conservatives, Trump was pressed on his description of McCain as “a dummy.” The moderator, Republican pollster Frank Luntz, described McCain as “a war hero.”
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Donald Trump says he likes people “who weren’t captured,” meaning he scorns those who served our country yet suffered in dignity. Trump is essentially calling these veterans “losers” while he repeatedly dodged serving our country at all, just like George W. Bush. Every veteran who served is a hero. Regardless of whether a veteran was captured or not, I like people who SERVED. That excludes Mr. Trump, a COWARD unfit to command those who he would place in harms way. Trump is a despicable bigot who’s only service has been to his own ego and enterprise. Is this the man who you would have lead and represent America? Perhaps this what much of our American leadership has already become, self-serving egotists attending to themselves rather than the needs of our country.