RNC Condemns Donald Trump’s Remarks About John McCain

FILE - In this Jan. 24, 2014 file photo, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is seen at the RNC winter meeting in Washington. Preibus acknowledges the GOP is “a tale of two parties,” in an inter... FILE - In this Jan. 24, 2014 file photo, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is seen at the RNC winter meeting in Washington. Preibus acknowledges the GOP is “a tale of two parties,” in an interview with the Associated Press. “We’ve got a midterm party that doesn’t lose, and a presidential party that’s having a hard time winning,” he said. But he declined to blame the split on policy, be it immigration or budget gridlock that House Republicans have helped bring about. Instead, he said the party has largely conceded minority and younger voters by not engaging them directly in their communities. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) MORE LESS

July 18, 2015 3:41 p.m.

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Updated Jul 18th 2015, 4:17 p.m. ET

Reacting swiftly to Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks Saturday about Sen. John McCain’s war service, the Republican National Committee issued a statement saying there was “no place in our party or our country” for such comments.

“Senator McCain is an American hero because he served his country and sacrificed more than most can imagine. Period,” said Sean Spicer, the RNC’s chief strategist and communications director. “There is no place in our party or our country for comments that disparage those who have served honorably.”

The RNC’s rebuke came after Trump made the comments during an appearance in Iowa at the Family Leader Summit, where many of the GOP presidential contenders were in attendance.

Trump said McCain “is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”

It was only last week that the RNC let it be known that its chairman, Reince Priebus, had told Trump during a private phone call to “tone down” his controversial remarks about immigration. Trump responded mockingly to the reports of the scolding from Priebus, saying that Priebus “knows better than to lecture me.”

“We’re not dealing with a five-star Army general,” Trump said.

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David Kurtz (@TPM_dk) is TPM's executive editor and Washington Bureau chief. He oversees the news operations of TPM.

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Notable Replies

artemisia says:

July 18, 2015

Trump calls Mexicans rapist- GOP goes “Mumble mutter mutter (tiny voice) he’s awful.”

Trump attacks John McCain GOP goes “Get the pitchforks and torches!”
beattycat says:

July 18, 2015

"There is no place in our party or our country for comments that disparage those who have served honorably.”

Agreed. The next time any Republican disparages any gay, lesbian, bi or trans service member, I’d like to hear you guys say this. Thank you.
artemisia says:

July 18, 2015

How about the next time they refuse to fix the VA or properly fund it? Does that work too?
beattycat says:

July 18, 2015

Artemisia:

How about the next time they refuse to fix the VA or properly fund it? Does that work too?

By all means! As a pretty far left progressive, I am appalled and deeply saddened the way our veterans are treated – and the way in which the armed forces seem to have little regard with how they expose service members to all sorts of toxins, poisons and shit. These folks did not sign up to be abused or unknowing guinea pigs.

In any society, nation, alliance, organization, etc., I judge them in large part by how well they value their individuals, how they treat them, how they take care of them and for them. It is only right.
steviedee111 says:

July 18, 2015

The RNC says there is no place in the GOP for the likes of Trump. Yet Trump leads many polls of likely GOP primary voters. Trump IS the GOP. Tough to square what the RNC is saying.