McCain: I Called Australian Ambassador To Express 'Unwavering Support'

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo



By ESME CRIBB Published FEBRUARY 2, 2017, 11:47 AM EDT

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said in a statement released Thursday that he called Australia's ambassador to express his "unwavering support" for the country's alliance with the United States, after a report came out Wednesday that President Donald Trump berated the Australian prime minister during a phone call the same day.

"Australia is one of America’s oldest friends and staunchest allies," the statement reads. "In that spirit, I called Australia’s Ambassador to the United States this morning to express my unwavering support for the U.S.-Australia alliance."

McCain wrote in the statement that the United States remains "committed to the safer, freer, and better world that Australia does far more than its fair share to protect and promote."

During a phone call on Wednesday with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Trump railed against a deal for the United States to accept more than 1,000 refugees from Australia, according to a Washington Post report.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mccain-says-he-called-australian-ambassador-after-trump-reports

[heaven05]

1. to hell with mccain

he is one that helped create these monsters, president bannon and his puppet boy-potus who would be fuhrer....these goddamn hypocrites are despicable and maddening.

[oberliner]

7. He is one of the very small number of Republicans who have stood up to Trump on any topic

We're going to need these folks if we are going to stop Trump from implementing his (Bannon's) agenda.

[heaven05]

10. yeah, he's standing up now

he's flip flopped during the whole campaign.....yeah we need him, watch and see whether he comes through on the side of right....I will as I always have. I called the boy-potus a nazi before it became popular, I could fucking feel it....mccain still, along with all the republiKKKKans, are not saying a thing about the anti-semite, racist co-president bannon. That's standing up, not this mealy mouthed BS flip flopping.

[oberliner]

18. Expectations for Republicans speaking out against Trump must be adjusted accordingly

Under the circumstances, we have to take what we can get. It will be a challenge to bring down this administration without help from mealy mouthed Republicans, unfortunately.

[NYC Liberal]

29. It goes back further. He completely sold out to the right-wing extremists in 2008.

His supporters were shouting "Kill him!" and "Terrorist!" when he would say Obama's name at his rallies, and he never offered nothing more than a mealy-mouthed "tsk-tsk" whenever he was confronted about it.

And lest we forget, he also infected the country with Sarah Palin.

[RegexReader]

32. and he'll flip flop with

the next wind change when they threaten to take his committee seats away from him where he cannot steer the pork to his state. No morals. Just another Repug pig.

[djg21]

25. He could be our salvation.

In all likelihood, he's serving his last term in office, which means he needn't kowtow to his base to raise campaign funds, and will want to cement his legacy and place in history. He can do that by going hard after Trump, which he seems to be doing.

[Doitnow]

13. They ALL vote the same. A bunch of gangsters who will turn on each other sooner or later.

[Dopers_Greed]

2. Watch out McCain

This will probably earn him further wrath from Dear Leader

[Big Blue Marble]

3. What a co-dependent! N/T

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Not enough, McCain. Sorry.

It's time to quit apologizing for Trump and TAKE HIM ON OPENLY AND PUBLICLY.

[PJMcK]

5. Senator McCain should offer his support for Americans

After all, he foisted Sarah Palin on us and things have never been the same.

[Lucinda]

6. Good. n/t

[ProudLib72]

8. Agreed

I'm sick of McCain's double standard. tRump screws Americans and it's ok. He screws Australians and it's so sorry. Time to start working for Americans primarily.

[ffr]

9. So am I understanding that tRump's second big negotiation has also failed.

[Freethinker65]

11. Which means nothing from McCain because he is effectively powerless

Nice gesture though

[Doitnow]

12. They will have to set up a Department of Apologies real soon and McCain can head it up.

[Bengus81]

14. So..why didn't a DEMOCRAT in Congress make the call??

I know...that might make Trump and the NEO CON Congress mad and we all sooooo badly just want to "get along".

[karynnj]

21. No -- no Democrat in the Congress is supporting Trump

The ONLY news that would have been made if a Democrat in Congress or from the previous administration made that call, is that the various Trump looneys would be screaming THE LOGAN ACT has been violated - even though that involves actually negotiating on the part of the US and it has not been actually invoked for centuries.

[ThoughtCriminal]

15. One of Putin's big objectives in getting Trump elected

Undermine Western alliances.

[etherealtruth]

30. Exactly ... it has worked spectacularly in under two weeks n/t

[yellowcanine]

16. McCain going maverick on Trump?

[Marthe48]

17. Not McCain's responsibility to speak to a foreign power on behalf of the U.S.

The Constitution is available. Everybody pretending to represent or serve our country, read it. Maybe you'll have a lightbulb go off and stop raping your country.

[karynnj]

22. He can not speak oon behalf of the US or negotiate, he can make a statement on policy -

though he will get a lot of flack from the right.

[meadowlander]

19. He's like the wife of an abusive husband

running around trying to smooth things over afterwards.

Just leave him, John. He's not good for you and he's not good for the country.

This reminds me of the bullshit they pulled during the Iranian nuclear talks where the senators sent a letter to Iran. The President represents the US overseas, McCain. If you don't like what he's doing, oppose him here.

[karynnj]

23. The letter was even worse as it told Iran that Obama and Kerry did not have the power to make a deal

because Congress would not allow it. Just goes to show, Obama and Kerry were much smarter as well as being men of character and integrity.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

20. Well hey at least it sends a signal that we are not united behind drumpfenfuhrer - at

this point lets first pull back from the precipice, THEN quibble about exact language and such.

its called coalition-building - learn to love the concept, or we're doomed.

[LuckyLib]

24. Cleaning up after the Drumpf -- one muffled Republican at a time.

[Squinch]

26. Whatever you think of McCain, this is a good thing. More Senators should do it. And Governors too.

[old guy]

27. If his credibility among Australians is the same as it is here,

the ambassadors first question probably was "What did you say your name was again"?

[PA Democrat]

28. Clean up in Aisle 10!!!!!

This is pathetic. A president who can't be trusted to conduct a CIVIL phone call with the leader of one of our biggest allies.

[Skittles]

31. CLEANUP ON AISLE TRUMP!

exactly what I was thinking