U.S. ex-servicemen and women have long been a core element of Donald Trump’s support. But now that support appears to be crumbling, as a group of angry veterans arrived in Washington on Thursday to lobby Senator John McCain and demand Trump’s de-selection as the Republican Party candidate.
The group, from an organization known as Common Defense PAC, delivered a petition with more than 100,000 names which they claimed to have gathered in less than a day via MoveOn.org. Its headline reads:
“Donald Trump’s attacks on veterans and Gold Star families cannot go unchallenged. Republican leaders must immediately revoke their endorsement of Trump’s campaign and declare him unfit to be commander in chief.”
In a uniquely dreadful week for Trump, its outstanding horror has been his confrontation with Khizr and Ghazala Khan, parents of Muslim American Capt. Humayun Khan who died heroically in Iraq. This is undoubtedly the debate that is at the heart of the veterans’ grievance.
After handing in the petition at the Capitol offices, the veterans moved to a nearby lawn where they staged a rally. It was clear from the speeches that their emotion is deeply felt. Ex-Army sergeant Crystal Craven said:
“When Trump attacks the Khan family, he attacks all military families who have lived experiences that Trump will never know. Trump’s message seeks to divide our country, and a nation divided against itself cannot stand.
“Do not be afraid to condemn this man; he does not represent what this country stands for. Senator McCain, please stand with your fellow veterans, good men and women who sacrificed themselves for this country.”
Perry McCain, one of the petition’s organizers who saw active service in Afghanistan, took aim at Trump’s insensitive remarks this week about winning a Purple Heart:
“When he said he’s always wanted a Purple Heart, it showed he doesn’t know what a Purple Heart is. It’s like saying: ‘I want to be shot in the face’ or ‘I want to be blown up’. He doesn’t have a certain awareness that there are some things you don’t do or don’t say in this country. Even George W. Bush knew not to personally slander a Gold Star mother.”
The development puts Sen. McCain in an awkward position. As a decorated ex-veteran and prisoner of war, he moved quickly to voice his strong disagreement with Trump’s dealings with the Khans.
But so far, he has stopped short of a move to request Trump’s resignation, despite ever growing pressure. At a tense press conference on Wednesday in Arizona, he flatly refused to answer questions on the issue, telling reporters:
“Before you go any further, I have said everything that I want to say about the situation. I have severely criticized the actions, the words that were made about the Khan family, and I have been very clear about it. And, frankly, I’m not going to talk about it any more.”
See how Trump’s wisecracks about the Purple Heart fell flat:
Featured image: Pixabay available under CC Public Domain license.
