The American Navy pilot and Vietnam veteran who became known for surviving five years of imprisonment and torture at the hands of the North Vietnamese has passed away at age 81. Senator John McCain would eventually be returned to America, a physically broken man, but he did not let his time as a captive destroy his spirit.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A true American hero. RIP John McCain <br><br>1936-2018 <a href="https://t.co/cjPszefCPD">pic.twitter.com/cjPszefCPD</a></p>— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayCaruso/status/1033510191344574464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/27019-Hateful-John-McCain-to-Trump-Supporters-in-New-Book-Go-To-Hell">Hateful John McCain to Trump Supporters in New Book: “Go To Hell”</a>
McCain continued to be a political force for the Republicans, at times he had his disagreements with the party but was widely respected by the American people in general. After being diagnosed with brain cancer in July 2017, McCain ultimately decided to discontinue treatment of his deadly illness just days before his death.
The former POW represented Arizona in the Senate for decades and even tried running for president twice. McCain became unpopular among members of his own party for going against the GOP grain by advocating for campaign finance reform, liberalized immigration laws, and a ban on the CIA's "enhanced interrogation techniques" against terrorism suspects causing many to brand him a traitor. He even went on to tell Trump supporters in his new book, "Go To Hell!"
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">John McCain is gone. I won't even pretend that I am saddened by this. Not happy. Not sad. He was in many ways a traitor to the American people. Hopefully it will be a lot easier to advance America without McCain working to stop progress. I feel for his family.</p>— Brennamere (@Brennamere) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennamere/status/1033512058657099781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/25736-Sarah-Palin-Reacts-To-McCain-s-Regret-Of-Choosing-Her-As-Running-Mate">Sarah Palin Reacts To McCain’s ‘Regret’ Of Choosing Her As Running Mate</a>
Even President Trump has had his differences with the Republican senator tweeting against him several times over the last couple years.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The thousands of people that showed up for me in Phoenix were amazing Americans. <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnMcCain</a> called them "crazies"–must apologize!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/621780913161113600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The very foul mouthed Sen. John McCain begged for my support during his primary (I gave, he won), then dropped me over locker room remarks!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/785885793340448769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnMcCain</a> should be defeated in the primaries. Graduated last in his class at Annapolis–dummy!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/621781334592241665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
McCain and Trump's relationship became and more strained when the former POW criticized the president's threat to withdraw from NATO:
"To abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems, is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history."
-John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018)
<i>On Twitter:</i>
<a href="https://twitter.com/MAGASyndicate">@MAGASyndicate</a>
Tips? Info? Send me a message!
Twitter: #MAGA #JohnMcCain #RIP #POW #Republican #Senator #Arizona #Veteran #Traitor
