Republicans Like Sen. McCain Should Give the President a ‘Honeymoon’

Written by John Biver

Love him or hate him or somewhere in-between, President Donald Trump‘s raucous start has seen unprecedented press coverage of the opposition to his activities. Whether it is a federal district court judge, Democratic leaders in Congress, or rioters and protesters in the streets, the left-leaning media has enjoyed reporting it all.

The traditional presidential “honeymoon”? Not a chance — and that became clear only days into the transition back in November. As Jonathan S. Tobin wrote in the National Review, “everything Trump and the Republicans say or do is seen as a harbinger of the Apocalypse…” It is, as Tobin also said, “a uniquely hostile media environment.” That isn’t much of surprise based on how the media covered Trump since his campaign began.

What is troubling, however, is that there are Republican politicians in Washington wanting to join in the “anti-Trump” fray less than a month into his presidency. One of the more high-profile examples is the failed 2008 GOP presidential nominee U.S. Senator John McCain.

On the day that National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned, here was McCain’s Valentine to President Trump: “General Flynn’s resignation is a troubling indication of the dysfunction of the current national security apparatus.”

Intramural disagreement within a political party is absolutely normal and to be expected. One might question, however, why we have to read a headline like this only weeks into an administration: “John McCain has emerged as a leading Republican dissenter.”

Sen. McCain, who turned 80 back in August, publicly called the recent American military action in Yemen a failure. President Trump responded via text: “Sen. McCain should not be talking about the success or failure of a mission to the media. Only emboldens the enemy!”

Sen. McCain has suggested that he will not support Trump’s nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney. McCain believes Mulvaney want to slash defense spending, even though President Trump has repeatedly made rebuilding the military one of the pillars of his campaign.

Sen. McCain has provided Republican opposition fodder to the media on other issues as well, criticizing both Trump’s Executive Orders and Cabinet choices.

With Leftists growing hysteria in reaction to President Trump and the liberal media’s full cooperation in trying to undermine the new administration’s every step, it hardly seems necessary for Sen. McCain to be joining in so soon. Opposition from Democrats was expected on Day One. Republicans should give their new president a honeymoon period before piling on.

Take ACTION:  Contact U.S. Senator McCain’s office to ask him to STOP publicly undermining President Trump.

(202) 224-2235  Washington D.C.

(602) 952-2410  Phoneix, Arizona

Webform