Trump wishes McCain the best
President: He’s missed in D.C.
President Donald Trump wished his ailing, sometimes-antagonist Sen. John McCain well Monday in his own way, calling the veteran Arizona Republican “a crusty voice in Washington.”
Trump, who has had an on-again, off-again, feud with McCain, gave McCain a shout out while condemning the Affordable Care Act during his “Made in America Product Showcase” in the White House’s East Room.
“But for our nation to really prosper, we must lower the tax on business — one of the highest in the world — and we must repeal job-killing ‘Obamacare,’” Trump said. “We have to do that. And I can tell you, we hope John McCain gets better very soon because we miss him. He’s a crusty voice in Washington. Plus, we need his vote. And he’ll be back. And he will be back sooner than somebody else would be back. He’ll be back soon.”
McCain’s absence from the Senate as he recovers from a surprise craniotomy Friday put
passage of the Republican-backed Better Care Reconciliation Act in jeopardy. The legislation, which would largely undo “Obamacare,” is one of Trump’s top priorities.
But by late Monday, it became clear that McCain’s presence likely would have been moot. Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., joined Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Susan Collins, RMaine, in opposition. The four GOP “no” votes are enough to scuttle the bill in the 100-member Senate that Republicans control with just a 52-member majority.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., could spare only two of his side’s votes given that all Senate Democrats also are voting no.
McCain, who this month predicted the bill’s death, issued a written statement reiterating his call for Republicans to reach out to Democrats to find a solution.
“One of the major problems with Obamacare was that it was written on a strict party-line basis and driven through Congress without a single Republican vote,” McCain said. “As this law continues to crumble in Arizona and states across the country, we must not repeat the original mistakes that led to Obamacare’s failure. The Congress must now return to regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties, and heed the recommendations of our nation’s governors so that we can produce a bill that finally provides Americans with access to quality and affordable health care.”
McCain, 80, underwent what his Mayo Clinic doctors described as “a minimally invasive craniotomy with an eyebrow incision.” The procedure, which included opening McCain’s skull to remove a a 5centimeter (roughly 2-inch) blood clot, was publicly disclosed Saturday. McCain is awaiting results of tissue pathology, which are expected within days.
McCain has been described as in good spirits as he recovers at his home for the next week and possibly longer, depending on advice he gets from his doctors.
The Associated Press reported Monday that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of McCain’s closest friends, talked to McCain and said, “It looks like everything is going to be A-OK.”
McCain’s doctors don’t want him flying back to Washington, D.C., too soon, Graham said, per the AP report.
McCain “wants to come back so bad he can’t stand it” and “would walk back if they would let him,” Graham told reporters.
Meanwhile, McCain’s daughter, political commentator Meghan McCain, tweeted Monday that after “a big Mexican fiesta” from Tee Pee Mexican Food restaurant in Phoenix Sunday night, “my Dad is feeling better than I am today.”
Nowicki is The Republic’s national political reporter. Follow him on Twitter, @dannowicki.