To one Republican senator, Monday’s flag flap was in part John McCain’s fault.
Sen. James Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican, said the two days of back and forth about the flag over the White House and President Trump’s statements on Mr. McCain’s death was the result of their being “strong willed people” and partially at the Arizona senator’s doorstep.
“Well, you know, frankly, I think that John McCain is partially to blame for that because he is very outspoken. He disagreed with the president in certain areas and wasn’t too courteous about it,” Mr. Inhofe said.
Mr. Inhofe, a member of Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke glowingly of Mr. McCain in a 30-minute floor speech and repeatedly called the late lawmaker his hero in an interview.
“John was not like anybody else,” Mr. Inhofe said. “He didn’t come to Congress to be a hero. He was already a hero … He himself, you could say, was an institution.”
But when a reporter asked the Oklahoman what he thought of Mr. Trump not using the word “hero,” Mr. Inhofe pooh-poohed that.
“Oh, let them have their thing,” he said. “I have no opinions about that. He was my hero.”
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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