Once again, the ghost of McCain bests Trump

Donald Trump lost, again, to John McCain, who passed away six months ago.

Even without McCain there to defend himself Trump lost.

And while the outcome of Trump’s foolish attack was never in doubt, his obsession with the late senator verges on the pathetic.

Why does Trump do it? It’s almost as if the ghost of McCain is whispering in the president’s ear, getting him to speak negatively and in a way that is meant to insult or denigrate the senator but only serves to prove what a petty, insecure man Trump can be.

This time, Trump chose to attempt to disparage McCain at a luncheon he hosted for TV news anchors on the day he delivered the State of the Union.

According to news reports, Trump again complained about the senator’s thumbs-down vote that saved the Affordable Care Act in 2017, preserving health-care benefits for untold Americans but costing Trump a win. (Which is all he cares about.)

Still upset by that vote the president decided to run down McCain mentioning, indirectly, McCain’s final memoir, “The Restless Wave.”

Trump said, “By the way, he wrote a book and the book bombed.”

It didn’t actually.

The book did quite well. And is continuing to do so.

Trump’s attempt at insult did bomb, however, outclassed and outshined this time by the ghost of a man he could not beat in life.

The senator’s daughter Mechan tweeted this about Trump’s remark:

The president’s obsession with my father 6 months after his death is pathetic and telling - even at a time when he should be focusing on his message to the American public and the state of our union - the greatness of my father’s life and legacy haunts you. McCain’s longtime co-author Mark Salter responded with a tweet reading:

If any of the president’s detractors would like to annoy him tonight may I offer a suggestion. Consider purchasing this two time #1 NYT bestseller. Amazon.com/Restless Wave.

Salter also suggested that interested readers check out Amazon’s bestseller list for “political leader biographies.” The last time I looked, McCain’s book was No. 10. Donald Trump’s “Art of the Deal” was No. 19.

Trump’s obsession with McCain was somewhat understandable when the senator was alive, given McCain’s criticism and obvious disdain for much of what Trump stands for.

But to continue chasing McCain’s legacy after the senator has passed away is just ... creepy.

Still, Trump foolishly wrestles with the spirit of McCain, and loses. It’s almost as if the title of McCain’s last book refers to Trump’s hair. Reach Montini at ed.montini@ arizonarepublic.com.