McCain, ‘honorable’ — Trump, ‘deplorable’

Like many others who write columns, I get tired of writing about President Trump.

A week or, for that matter, many weeks should go by and there should be no professional or occupational obligation to comment on Trump. I will attempt to heed my own advice and devote the coming weeks to other topics.

{mosads}There is plenty to talk about and the name “Trump” need not be highlighted or, if possible even mentioned. But this week, I want to forcibly draw the comparison between Trump and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

McCain is a true patriot and public servant. He is an admirable human being. Trump is clearly not any of these things.

McCain is exceptional and outstanding in many ways.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he became a Navy pilot and flew combat missions over North Vietnam. His plane was shot down and he was captured and was held as a prisoner of war for more than five years.

He was badly injured and tortured as a POW. He was offered early release due to his father’s high rank.

He refused that offer because he didn’t want to benefit while his fellow service members could not.

What did Donald Trump do during the Vietnam War?

He did not serve. He received a medical deferment. He has stated that it was due to an injury to some part of his leg. But he can’t recall which leg.

Trump had the colossal nerve during the 2016 campaign to say that McCain “was not a hero.” Why was McCain not a hero? You remember Trump’s explanation: “I like people who weren’t captured.”

Stupid. No other word fully describes Trump’s definition of heroism.

Why this comment of Trump alone did not instantly disqualify him from the Republican nomination, I will never, ever understand.

McCain first ran successfully for the House and then ran for the Senate. Just last year, the 80-year-old McCain won a sixth term.

In the Senate he has been an independent and courageous voice for the principles he believes in and stands for. He has not been afraid to vote against the wishes of his party’s leadership.

The most recent example being the last two votes on the terrible health care insurance legislation offered by the GOP.

Just this week, McCain received the Liberty Medal at the National Constitution Center.

He used that occasion to state his case for leadership in the world.

He assailed those who “refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain ‘the last best hope of earth’ for the sake of some half-baked spurious nationalism.”

McCain did not have to mention Trump by name. The audience clearly knew who he was referring to.

Now, Trump has warned McCain that he will be coming after him. Trump, always vengeful, never sensitive, without a trace of compassion for McCain’s serious health situation, has issued a threat: “You know, I’m being very nice. But at some point, I fight back, and it won’t be pretty.”

One final point: Can anyone even consider John McCain as president of the United States, saying to the widow of fallen hero Sgt. La David T. Johnson the words that her husband “knew what he was signing up for, but I guess it hurts anyway.” Trump denies saying that. I don’t believe him.

Nor would a President John McCain, when speaking to Sgt. Johnson’s widow, Myeshia, not call him by his name and do what Trump did, reportedly referring to the soldier as “your guy.”

Nor would a President John McCain say he had called “every family of somebody that’s died” when he had not. 

How can one ever compare John McCain and Donald Trump?

McCain has devoted his life to his country. Trump has never served or believed in anything but himself.

McCain is the living, breathing personification of the word “honorable.”

The only accurate word to describe Trump and his life, his persona and his presidency is, to quote Hillary Clinton, “deplorable.”

Mark Plotkin is a contributor to the BBC on American politics and a columnist for The Georgetowner. He previously worked as the political analyst for WAMU-FM, Washington’s NPR affiliate, and for WTOP-FM, Washington’s all-news radio station. He is a winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in writing.