“He's Dying Anyway.”

Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., opposes the nomination of Gina Haspel to be permanent director of the CIA. 

 

McCain knows what torture is at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors during the Vietnam War. He is very concerned about Haspel's role in the CIA's use of brutal "enhanced" interrogation techniques.

 

"Ms. Haspel's role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing, Her refusal to acknowledge torture's immorality is disqualifying."

 

Here’s what Gina Haspel had to say about that: "I have the utmost respect for Senator McCain and I appreciate the thoughtfulness with which he has approached this nomination process."

 

Here’s what White House aide Kelly Sadler had to say about McCain’s opposition to Haspel: “He's dying anyway.” 

 

McCain is at home in Arizona with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer that by all accounts is very aggressive. It’s bad enough that McCain is actively planning his funeral including the guest list. Specifically, Donald Trump is not invited.  

 

McCain was first elected to the Senate in 1986 and is admired by many on both sides of the aisle.  Republicans were particularly dismayed by Ms. Sadler’s comments. 

 

“He's dying anyway.” 

 

Kelly Sadler’s not the only one being dismissive of Sen. McCain’s views on torture. 

 

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney was on (where else?) Fox defending harsh interrogation tactics, citing their effectiveness and used McCain as an example.  "The fact is, is John McCain — it worked on John. That's why they call him 'Songbird John.' "

 

By the way, there is no evidence McCain gave up any accurate information to his North Vietnamese captors. In his autobiography, McCain said he made-up information to mislead his captors.

 

Charles Payne, a host of the program on which McInerney was a guest, had this to say: “A guest made a very false and derogatory remark about Senator John McCain. As a proud military veteran and son of a Vietnam vet these words neither reflect my or the network's feelings about Senator McCain, or his remarkable service and sacrifice to this country.” 


What Charles Payne and Gina Haspel seem to grasp that seems beyond the understanding of Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney and Kelly Sadler are basic concepts of human decency and remember, Haspel has been linked to actually torturing people.


To McInerney, even if torture works and there's a whole ton of research that tells us that torture is a very ineffective means to get useful, accurate information, does that in and of itself make torture right? Chaining a human being to a wall and poking their genitals with an electric cattle prod is the about the lowest depths one can reach. Strapping a person to a table and filling their lungs with water is a despicable act of depravity. You may argue these actions are being taken against evil men with nefarious intent towards the safety and security of Americans. Your cause may be just, sir, but torture is still torture. It is the darkest of actions taken by one person against another.


Torture should be condemned, even if it is deployed as part of our arsenal to defend freedom and liberty. Torture should be anathema to the highest ideals of America. 


BREAKING NEWS: Fox Has Standards?!


“McInerney will no longer be on Fox Business Network or Fox News Channel,” a Fox Business Network spokeswoman confirmed Friday morning.


Wow. Who knew?  

And you, Kelly Sadler? “He's dying anyway.” 


It's almost hard to fault you given the culture you work in. Trump has long exacerbated an environment where nothing matters but one's value and loyalty to Trump. McCain follows his values, his loyalty is to his country, not to Trump. As such, McCain has little value to Trump. And that value is diminishing.


As Kelly Sadler put it, “He's dying anyway.” 


It's not too much of a stretch to imagine those same words have crossed Li'l Donnie's own small mind.