The Worst Republican Senator

Let that sink in a minute. The person who played a role in re-establishing diplomatic relations with the North Vietnamese regime that tortured him for seven years refused to shake the hand of a fellow American citizen—a presidential appointee!—who merely dared to disagree with McCain on substantive grounds.

Donkey Hotey

Power Line  "There really ought to be a statute of limitations on how long John McCain can play the tortured war hero card. His war hero status was exhausted with me a decade ago over a single instance.

"Brad Smith, who as chairman of the Federal Election Commission and law professor dared to criticize the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law on constitutional grounds (later vindicated in several Supreme Court cases culminating in the glorious Citizens Uniteddecision), came before a Senate committee one day to testify about campaign finance laws. He had recently had surgery, and had to appear in a wheelchair.

"Smith wheeled himself up to McCain, whom he had never met, to introduce himself. He put out his hand, and McCain started to put out his hand as politicians naturally do, but then stopped when he heard Smith announce his name. McCain pulled his hand back and said: “I know who you are. I’m not going to shake your hand!” (This episode never got any press. I know several first-hand witnesses to this appalling, churlish behavior. Repulsive.)

"Let that sink in a minute. The person who played a role in re-establishing diplomatic relations with the North Vietnamese regime that tortured him for seven years refused to shake the hand of a fellow American citizen—a presidential appointee!—who merely dared to disagree with McCain on substantive grounds."
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