Senator John McCain went full Trump on Thursday, telling reporters that President Obama was “directly responsible” for the massacre in Orlando. Seriously?
He explained his remarks by saying that it was because Obama refused to call them "Radical Islamists" and therefore they didn't take the U.S. seriously. Yup, it all comes down to words. Obama wasn't tough enough with his choice of words.
Kidding. He actually said it was because Obama couldn't defeat ISIS and he made the mistake of withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq. You know, forces that GWB sent over, well before Obama took office. But who cares about those details, right?
But what is he talking about here, back in 2010?
Last American combat troops leave Iraq. I think President George W. Bush deserves some credit for victory.
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) August 19, 2010
Maybe McCain is angling for a job in the (ha ha) President Trump cabinet.
(My keyboard just started smoking as I typed that last sentence).
In all seriousness, using this tragedy, what appears to be a clear act of domestic terrorism by a potentially closeted and self loathing man, to bash our President is low. We are used to Trump using every chance to bash people, but Senator McCain? This is low.
Senator McCain tried to explain, sending out this tweet:
To clarify, I was referring to Pres Obama’s national security decisions that have led to rise of #ISIL, not to the President himself
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) June 16, 2016
Democrats responded swiftly, denouncing his statements.
Senator Reid tweeted that McCain's "unhinged comments are just the latest proof that Senate Republicans are puppets of Donald Trump."
But, mission accomplished, right? Trump's campaign official Corey Lewandowski tweeted this:
John McCain: Obama is ‘directly responsible’ for Orlando attack - The Washington Post https://t.co/hjh5ry2r3B
— Corey Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) June 16, 2016
Take off the tin hat, Senator McCain. Not everything is Obama's fault.
Update: Apparently the tinfoil hat didn't flatter Senator McCain, so he released a statement:
“I misspoke. I did not mean to imply that the President was personally responsible. I was referring to President Obama’s national security decisions, not the President himself. As I have said, President Obama’s decision to completely withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq in 2011 led to the rise of ISIL. I and others have long warned that the failure of the President’s policy to deny ISIL safe haven would allow the terrorist organization to inspire, plan, direct or conduct attacks on the United States and Europe as they have done in Paris, Brussels, San Bernardino and now Orlando.”
Blah, blah, blah.