If calling constituents concerned about illegal immigration "crazies" is a term of endearment, what would be an insult?
On today's Morning Joe, John McCain refused to apologize to the thousands of Arizonans attending a Trump rally that McCain called "crazies." According to McCain, "crazies" is a "term of endearment" and a "term of affection."
Good on Joe Scarborough for having asked McCain if he would apologize. Earlier, Scarborough had criticized the "hypocrisy" of those now running to McCain's defense after Donald Trump's remarks. According to Scarborough, many of those same current McCain defenders have called McCain many ugly things in private.
Note: McCain took a modified, limited high road, saying that because he McCain is in the political arena, Trump doesn't need to apologize to him for saying he prefers people who don't get captured. Instead, Trump should apologize to the families of heroes who had been captured, said McCain. Savvy political move, one might say.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Can I ask you one final thing and then pass it on to Willie. Donald Trump keeps -- you can tell that you got under his skin when you called his supporters crazies. Do you regret doing that?
JOHN MCCAIN: Listen, you know my state is a very dynamic and divisive state. And we've got lots of arguments and lots of debates going on. I have hundreds of town hall meetings all over Arizona and I'm called crazy by the people that come there. I thought it was a term of endearment.
JOE: So, no -- so no apology for that?
MCCAIN: Listen, I love the debate and I love my people and so I meant it in a way that -- in a term of affection, to be honest with you.
