Tag: Arlington National Cemetery

Jimmy McCain Supports Kamala Harris Following Controversial Trump Visit to Arlington.

Late Senator John McCain’s son has spoken out against Donald Trump’s recent antics at Arlington National Cemetery and endorsed Kamala Harris for the upcoming presidential election.

In a surprising development, Jimmy McCain, son of late Republican Senator John McCain, has publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, expressing concern over former President Donald Trump’s recent behavior during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. The endorsement comes in the wake of the controversy involving Trump’s team and violations of the cemetery’s rules, which McCain has described as a “violation” of the sacred place.

Jimmy McCain, a former independent who has now changed his voter registration to Democrat, voiced his support during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper. “The purpose of Arlington Cemetery is to show respect to the men and women who have given their lives to this country,” he stressed. “When you make it political, you take away the respect of the people who are there.” McCain’s remarks reflect his deep personal connection to Arlington, where three generations of his family, including his father, are buried.

Controversy over Trump’s cemetery visit
The controversy began when Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery last week to commemorate American soldiers killed during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The former president’s visit was criticised for violating the rules of the site and its operations. According to reports, a Trump staffer pushed an Arlington employee who was attempting to warn him about restrictions on filming within the cemetery.

The Trump campaign has since defended its actions, saying it had obtained permission from the families of the fallen soldiers to film during the event. In a statement, the campaign noted that Trump was there to honour the sacrifice of the soldiers who lost their lives, rather than make a political statement. However, Jimmy McCain and others have expressed concerns that the visit crossed a line. McCain told CNN, “Show respect and walk away. There’s no need to video it.” A deeply personal stance

For McCain, the issue is more than just a political disagreement; it’s a matter of personal principle. As a Marine Corps intelligence officer since 2022, he has deep respect for military service and the ultimate sacrifice made by so many who rest at Arlington. “When you make it political, you take away the respect of the people who are there,” he said, reflecting on how Trump’s actions compromised the sanctity of the place.

McCain’s endorsement of Kamala Harris marks a significant shift in his political stance. He said he sees Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, as leaders who embody a vision for America that is forward-thinking and unifying. “I think Kamala Harris and Tim Walz represent a group of people who will help make this country better,” McCain said, adding that their approach to leadership is what the country needs right now.

Family divided over politics
The McCain family has long been known for its diverse political views, which sometimes lead to public disagreements. Meghan McCain, Jimmy’s sister and a prominent conservative commentator, also recently voiced her opinion on the current political climate. However, she made it clear that she does not plan to support either Trump or Harris in the upcoming election. “I greatly respect all of my family members’ different political opinions and love them all very much,” she wrote on Twitter’s X. “However, I remain a proud member of the Republican Party and look forward to better days in the future.”

The rift between the McCain siblings reflects a broader trend in American politics today, where even within families, divisions between parties and candidates can be stark and personal. Jimmy McCain’s decision to endorse Harris is particularly notable given his family’s Republican roots and the fact that his father, John McCain, was one of the most prominent GOP figures of his time.

A Complicated History Between Trump and McCain
The relationship between Donald Trump and the late John McCain was fraught with tension and animosity. From the beginning of his first presidential campaign, Trump took aim at Senator McCain, disparaging his war hero status by saying, “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” This comment, among other things, set the stage for a contentious relationship between Trump and the McCain family, with Meghan McCain and other members often criticizing the former president for his lack of respect and courtesy.

The late Senator McCain, a decorated Vietnam War veteran who was held as a prisoner of war for more than five years, was known for his integrity and commitment to bipartisan cooperation. He was one of Trump’s earliest and most vocal Republican critics.

“Trump Campaign’s Controversial Use of Arlington Cemetery Sparks Backlash”

Political campaigns are often fraught with controversy, but there are certain boundaries that candidates, historically, have been hesitant to cross. Arlington National Cemetery, a sacred place for many, where countless soldiers are buried, is one of those boundaries. However, a recent incident involving former President Donald J. Trump has challenged long-standing norms about how politicians engage with this revered site.

A troubling history of politicizing sacred ground:

Politicians, regardless of party affiliation, have sometimes crossed the line in using Arlington National Cemetery as a backdrop for a political message. One notable incident occurred in November 1999, when Senator John McCain, then the Republican presidential nominee, used footage of himself solemnly walking into Arlington in a campaign ad. It didn’t take long before the military pointed out that his campaign had not obtained the necessary permission to film on these hallowed grounds, insisting that Arlington was no place for partisan activities. McCain, known for his service as a Navy pilot and his reputation as a Vietnam War hero, immediately recognized the mistake. The campaign promptly removed the footage, and McCain publicly acknowledged the mistake, regretting the decision.

Trump’s different approach: Confrontation over reconciliation:

Fast forward to the present day, and a similar situation unfolded, but with a dramatically different outcome. During a recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery, Donald Trump’s campaign was reported to have filmed in a restricted area without permission. According to the military, such permission would never have been granted, as it would have violated federal law prohibiting partisan activities on military grounds.

Rather than following the path of candidates before him, who immediately corrected their course, Trump’s campaign took a confrontational approach. The military issued a rare public rebuke to Trump campaign officials for their conduct, specifically for allegedly shoving a cemetery worker who tried to stop the filming. Instead of admitting fault or apologizing, the campaign responded by criticizing the cemetery worker, accusing him of experiencing a “mental health episode.”

The fallout: A clash of norms and values:

The Trump campaign’s response has shocked people, not only for its disregard for rules but also for its apparent departure from the way previous candidates have handled similar situations. Other politicians who find themselves in similar situations — such as John Bel Edwards in 2015 — have quickly changed tack when faced with backlash. Edwards, a Democrat running for governor in Louisiana, removed an image of Arlington from a campaign ad after a grieving mother expressed discomfort at seeing the cemetery being used for political gain.

In contrast, Trump’s team has placed controversial images online, including photos and video of the former president laying flowers and giving a thumbs-up near the graves of Marines killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The footage also showed other graves, including the grave of a Green Beret who committed suicide, further fueling criticism.

History of defiance: Trump and military criticisms:

Trump’s handling of the incident is consistent with his broader history of challenging political norms, particularly those related to the military. During the 2016 presidential election campaign, Trump suggested that John McCain was not a war hero because he was captured in Vietnam, a statement that sparked widespread outrage. “I like people who weren’t captured,” Trump said at the time, dismissing McCain’s five-and-a-half-year sentence as a prisoner of war.

Trump’s interactions with veterans and their families have also sparked further controversy. In 2016, he criticized the parents of a Muslim soldier killed in Iraq who spoke at the Democratic National Convention. In 2017, he reportedly told the widow of a soldier killed in Niger that her husband “knew what he signed up for,” a comment that was widely condemned as insensitive. His former chief of staff, John F. Kelly, confirmed in 2023 that Trump had privately referred to American soldiers killed in combat as “losers” and “idiots” — a claim Trump has denied.

Expert opinion: Unprecedented territory in civil-military relations:

Political science experts such as Duke University’s Peter D. Feaver say political entanglements with the military are nothing new, but Trump’s approach in this particular case is unprecedented. Normally, when politicians get caught in such situations, they apologize or clarify misunderstandings. However, the Trump campaign’s decision to “double down” on its actions even after the military publicly called them out represents a new low in civil-military relations.

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