WASHINGTON — The McCain family responded on Friday to a tasteless comment about Sen. John McCain. A White House staffer had made the comment in response to McCain’s opposition to President Trump’s nominee to head the CIA.
“I don’t understand what kind of environment you’re working in when that would be acceptable and then you can come to work the next day and still have a job,” Meghan McCain said on The View.
She was reacting to the comment made by White House communications aide Kelly Sadler. According to sources, in a staff meeting on Thursday, Sadler joked that McCain’s opposition to the president’s CIA director nominee doesn’t matter because “he’s dying anyway.”
McCain, who is being treated for terminal brain cancer, said he would oppose Gina Haspel’s nomination because of her involvement in a Bush-era enhanced interrogation program.
Sadler’s comments drew bipartisan condemnation.
Former Vice President Joe Biden wrote: “People have wondered when decency would hit rock bottom with this administration. It happened yesterday.”
“I certainly have respect for many of the things that he’s accomplished, and so much respect for his family,” said Sarah Palin, McCain’s former running mate.
And House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke out, saying: “Look, John McCain’s a hero. No two ways about it.”
That was a reference to comments Mr. Trump made about McCain in 2015, saying he wasn’t a war hero because “he was captured.”
Since taking office, Mr. Trump and McCain have frequently clashed. McCain famously voted down a White House-led effort to repeal Obamacare. On Friday, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Sadler was still on the job.
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