- The Washington Times - Tuesday, February 5, 2019

President Trump ignored the maxim “speak no ill of the dead” Tuesday at a private lunch for TV anchors before he gave his State of the Union speech.

In a free-wheeling conversation, Mr. Trump repeatedly derided Democrats — calling Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer “a nasty son of a b—” and for Vice President Joseph R. Biden “dumb” — but also turned his fire on the late Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican.

He recounted what he called McCain’s betrayal by voting not to repeal Obamacare, and The New York Times reported that Mr. Trump remains upset.

“By the way,” the president said of McCain, “he wrote a book and the book bombed.”

Veterans groups weren’t impressed.

“We argued policy with Sen. McCain, but this is ugly and petty,” the liberal-leaning group VoteVets wrote in a tweet that also apologized to McCain’s widow Cindy and TV-host daughter Meghan.

The younger Ms. McCain also denounced Mr. Trump’s comments as “pathetic” and speaking poorly of the president’s character.

“The president’s obsession with my father 6 months after his death is pathetic and telling — even at a time when he should be focusing on his message to the American public and the state of our union — the greatness of my father’s life and legacy haunts you,” she tweeted.

• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.

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