Senator John McCain is one of the most respected members of Congress when it comes to veterans’ issues. During the Vietnam War, the Senator served more than five years as a prisoner of war. When McCain speaks about the VA or about the issues faced by returning soldiers, people listen with respect.
So it came as a surprise to many when the Republican Senator decided to jump into the Democratic nomination fight.
McCain’s comments came as a reaction to a statement made by former Secretary of State Clinton on the Rachel Maddow Show. Clinton had claimed that wait times at VA hospitals were not as long as the Republicans had claimed. She accused the GOP of having a specific ideological agenda designed to make the VA fail.
In a phone interview shortly after those remarks, McCain spoke out about the former Secretary’s statement. According to The Hill, the GOP’s last nominee for the Presidency blasted Clinton and questioned her qualifications to lead the US military:
“I would say that if Hillary Clinton really believes the comments that she made, I don’t see how any veteran who cares about their fellow veterans could possibly have any good things, nor could support her quest for being commander-in-chief,” he said.
“[The] commander-in-chief not only sends the young men and women into conflicts, but [the] commander-in-chief has an obligation, as Abraham Lincoln so eloquently stated, about our care for the widows and the wounded,” he added.
“So, I would say that a veteran looking at her comments would question her qualifications to be commander-in-chief.”
McCain went on to say that Bernie Sanders has a better record of working to support the needs of veterans. The two Senators served together on the Veteran’s Affairs Committee, and McCain had this to say about that service:
“The fact is we were able to come together and pass legislation that was nearly unanimous in both the House and the Senate, so he does have a record of advocacy for our veterans. To my knowledge, I know of no activity, legislative or otherwise, that Hillary Clinton was engaged in during her time as a United States senator.”
Sounds like this particular Republican has some strong feelings about the Democratic frontrunner!
Featured image via Getty Images
