Hadley McGhee Donald Trump's Shameful Silence on John McCain

APUSH Current Events (Blog Post)                        Hadley McGhee

Donald Trump’s Shameful Silence on John McCain

    Our country has lost many amazing people within the last few weeks. During the week of her death, Aretha Franklin fans spray painted “Aretha” onto the Franklin Station sign in New York. Broadway radio stations played some of the songs from Neil Simon’s greatest works. And a PoW, war hero, and iconic politician got one day’s worth of half-staff flags at the White House. 

   Our president is so petty, that instead of releasing a standard statement on the great works of the late John McCain, he tweeted his condolences to the family without mentioning McCain’s accomplishments. In fact, several media outlets reported that Trump rejected a statement draft, and did not release anything of the sort until two days after McCain’s death. 

    While our country has had immeasurable political tension for decades, usually mortality and mourning can penetrate the divide. Some accounts say that Jefferson had some remorse for the death of Alexander Hamilton, though this is not proven. After John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Richard Nixon was able to find kind words in honor of his opponent. 

    Now, if Nixon - quite possibly the only president in history as inept as our sitting one - was able to find within himself respect for his late opponent, surely Trump would be able to do so accordingly. Nope.

        Well, at least not on time.

    It took Trump a day and a half to bring himself to release a remembrance statement with  the sincerity of a toddler’s apology for drawing on a wall. 

    However, this is not about our president’s lack of primeval compassion. This signifies how deep the holes in our political foundation run. 

    Our politics are so divided that even mourning can no longer draw us closer. Now, this is not to say that McCain has not retaliated. His family has confirmed that he did not want President Trump at his funeral whatsoever. However, this much is understandable. Funerals are meant to be sacred events, and solemn celebrations of the deceased. And Trump seems to be incapable of appreciating that which is sacred and recognizing situations in which solemnity is expected. 

         I digress. 

   Amidst the political pettiness is a nation mourning the loss of one of her most dedicated heroes, and no matter our political alignment, we recognize John McCain’s service and dedication to democracy.