One week after being diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer, John McCain rides back into Washington in epic – nay, historically epic fashion to cast the deciding vote opening debate on the repeal of Obamacare. The liberals despaired. How could this happen? The green mile had begun. Many wished him gone already, truth be told. How could a rich man with cancer vote against healthcare for the poor?
Fast forward one week. After 2 of the 3 main repeal proposals were soundly defeated in a majority Republican congress, the very same Mr. McCain walks up to the Majority Leader McConnell and looks him dead in the eye as he flashes his thumbs down, effectively killing healthcare repeal, maybe for good. The irony of his return, which some called heroic, leading to his deathblow of the repeal effort will likely linger in the halls of power until Trump is just an embarrassing memory. The same Republicans who toasted him only a week prior were now cursing his name. He had finally gone full rogue!
But dying men have a way be being honest – at least that’s my theory. And they have about as much tolerance for partisanship as a pilot does for anti-aircraft fire. McCain put his foot down knowing he wouldn’t own it for much longer.
Ever since McCain defended then-candidate Obama from a racist woman asking a racist question at one of his rallies, I’ve had respect for him, even if he did inflict Sarah Palin up on. Hopefully his noble actions will inspire some of his peers.