Jimmy McCain, the youngest son of the late Senator John McCain, expressed his disapproval of former President Donald Trump's presence at the Arlington National Cemetery memorial for fallen soldiers.
In an interview with CNN, McCain, who recently switched his political affiliation from independent to Democrat, described Trump's attendance at the wreath-laying ceremony as "a violation." This sentiment is particularly poignant given that his father, a presidential candidate in 2000 and 2008, had previously utilized images of himself at the same cemetery in a 1999 campaign advertisement.
According to The Post Millennial, the late Senator McCain faced significant backlash for this move, compelling him to remove the cemetery footage from his campaign advertisement. This controversy was highlighted by Collin Rugg, who cited a 1999 LA Times headline: "McCain to Remove Arlington Footage From Campaign Ad."
In his conversation with CNN's Jake Tapper, Jimmy McCain expressed his astonishment, stating, "These men and women that are laying in the ground there have no choice" to be or not be in a campaign ad. He further emphasized the selflessness of the soldiers, saying, "Its about these people who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of their country."
The LA Times report from 1999 stated, "Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain will remove footage of Arlington National Cemetery from his campaigns biographical television ad." The report further explained that the Army had not granted permission for the filming at the cemetery, as partisan activity is prohibited at Army installations.
The controversial ad featured Senator McCain walking among gravestones, with a voiceover emphasizing his military service and his commitment to "never forgetting those heroes with whom he served." It remains unclear whether Jimmy McCain's recent comments were intended to defend his father's past use of the cemetery for political purposes.
In his interview with Tapper, Jimmy McCain underscored the selfless service of the soldiers, stating, "They woke up one morning, they signed on the dotted line, they put their right hand up, and they chose to serve their country." He contrasted this with Trump's lack of military service, suggesting that this could be a point of contemplation for the former president.
In the same interview, McCain also expressed his frustration with Trump's presence at the memorial and his decision to switch political affiliations. He attributed his move to the Democrat Party to his desire to improve his country. He also revealed his intention to vote for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election. Despite Tapper's repetition of the debunked claim that Trump had referred to veterans as "suckers and losers," McCain maintained a tone of respect and admiration when speaking of his late father.
Login