We’re really surprised to see how the media has treated coverage of the John McCain funeral. All right, not surprised, exactly, but disappointed. Can you be “disappointed” with something that doesn’t surprise you in the least? Not sure, but it is still disconcerting to see how they praised Meghan McCain, Obama, and others for taking not-so-subtle shots at Trump throughout the service while somehow bashing Trump for remaining silent on the whole affair. No impartial observer can come to any other conclusion than this: Trump took the high road and McCain’s supporters went low. But for some reason, this time around, it’s okay.
“We gather here to mourn the passing of American greatness — the real thing, not cheap rhetoric from men who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly, nor the opportunistic appropriation of those who lived lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served,” McCain’s daughter said. “The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again because America was always great.”
Okay.
What was the need of this? Has Trump been on a month-long McCain-bashing tear on Twitter? No. He’s had nothing but respectful things to say about the late senator. It is a matter of public record that these two men despised each other. They’ve both taken their fair share of disrespectful shots at one another. That’s all fine and well. The fact remains that Trump has handled McCain’s passing with as much grace as he possibly can. He respected McCain’s wishes that he not show for the funeral, and the attendees should have returned the favor by keeping his name out of their mouths.
Frankly, we saw it as cheap and disrespectful – to John McCain – for the media to turn his death into just another Donald Trump story. Oh, he didn’t say enough on Twitter. Oh, he decided not to release a White House statement. Oh, he didn’t lower the flag for long enough. Oh, look what they all said at his funeral. It’s ridiculous. Would even McCain want to be remembered in this way? Was his feud with Trump the only important thing that ever happened in his life?
The media’s sudden love affair with McCain, of course, is entirely based around his feud with the president, which is why we are not in the least surprised that they covered his death and funeral this way. If they really had an ounce of respect for the lifelong Republican, they would have downplayed the last couple of years and focused on the parts of his life that were truly honorable.
