Speaking at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, Vance criticized the current administration’s handling of the southern border.“I do not believe for a second that if John McCain were alive today and saw what’s happening at the American southern border, he would support Kamala Harris and the damage she has caused,” Vance said. “I really don’t believe that.”
The Mexico–United States border crisis is an ongoing migrant issue in North America involving the illegal entry of migrants into the US.
Vance responds to McCain’s son endorsing Harris
In response to a reporter’s question about the endorsement from McCain’s son, Vance dismissed it, saying, “Who cares what somebody’s family thinks about a presidential race?” He emphasized that his focus was on the voters of Arizona. “John McCain died five, six, seven years ago. The media is making a story out of what John McCain’s family says about Donald Trump,” Vance continued. “I don’t know if anybody noticed, but pretty much every single member of Tim Walz’s family endorsed Donald Trump. Isn’t that a bigger story than what John McCain’s son said? I think so.”
Jimmy McCain reportedly registered as a Democrat and endorsed Vice President Harris following an incident involving Trump campaign staffers at Arlington National Cemetery. He told CNN that he decided to speak out after hearing accusations that Trump campaign staffers pushed an Army staffer at Arlington National Cemetery.
When asked about his thoughts on John McCain’s legacy, Vance acknowledged he had never met the senator but speculated on McCain’s values.
Vance reflects on Trump-McCain dispute
Donald Trump had previously mocked McCain, a Vietnam War prisoner of war, by claiming he preferred “people who weren’t captured.” The former president also questioned McCain’s military service as a naval aviator during Operation Rolling Thunder in the Vietnam War. Vance responded, stating, “I suspect he would have appreciated that McCain ‘didn’t let personal grievances get in the way’ of serving the country.”
Vance reiterated his focus on the electorate, saying, “Regardless of what John McCain’s family thinks or what McCain might have ultimately thought about Kamala Harris’ policies, my goal is to persuade every single person in this room and across Arizona that their lives will be better if they elect Donald J. Trump.”
Vance on school shootings
Vance also addressed the issue of school shootings in the US following a recent tragic incident in Georgia. “School shootings are a ‘fact of life,’ and the US needs to strengthen security,” he said, referring to the arrest of a 14-year-old charged with killing four people at a high school this week.
Who was John McCain?
John McCain, a revered senator from Arizona and the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, passed away in 2018 from brain cancer. Known as a critic of Donald Trump, McCain had requested that Trump not attend his funeral. Following McCain’s death, Trump, then president, did not issue a conventional eulogy.
Former state director speaks on politicizing the southern border issue
John McCain’s former state director, Wes Gullett, spoke on behalf of the Harris campaign, reflecting on McCain’s stance on the border issue. “John McCain was working towards a solution for the border, not just politicizing it,” Gullett commented.
Gullett suggested that McCain would have viewed Trump’s dismissal of the latest border legislation unfavorably. He stated, “John McCain would have considered Trump killing the most recent border bill ‘malarkey.’” Gullett highlighted the enduring significance of McCain’s legacy in Arizona, including Jimmy McCain’s contributions.