John McCain Loves the Tea Party; But Does He Owe Them an Apology?

By Scottie Hughes, CP Op-Ed Contributor Monday, July 20, 2015

Scottie Nell Hughes currently serves as the News Director for the Tea Party News Network, which was launched in November 2012.

Appearing on MSNBC Monday morning, Senator John McCain gave an unlikely explanation for his comments calling those who were following Trump "crazy."

"I thought it was a term of endearment," McCain said with a smile. "I meant it as a term of affection, I'll be honest with you."

Honestly, Senator McCain, do you think we in the movement believe that you have affection for us? Maybe I missed Hallmarks new "Crazy Card" section or the President changing Valentines Day into Crazy Day but I just don't believe you.

It could also be because of Senator McCain's track record of insulting members as well as assaulting the Tea Party movement for the past 7 years.

In December of 2014, Politico reported members of McCain's team were working with strategists and fundraisers to defeat conservatives in his state who could challenge his political future. One former Arizona GOP country chairman A.J. LaFaro told Politico McCain was guilty of engaging in the equivalent of "ethnic cleansing." "For John McCain to have been so vindictive in his actions … It's just amazing," he said. "It's been all-out war.

In an interview in July 2013 with the New Republic, Senator McCain called Fox News "schizophrenic" on immigration and continued his name calling on the tea party by saying members touted negative messages which were damaging to the Republican Party and ran counter to American's political will. He also in that interview said he would have "a tough choice" in regards to a presidential election which put Mrs. Clinton against Tea Party backed Senator Rand Paul according to The New Republic interview.

McCain also came up with a political insult in 2013 calling Rand Paul, Cruz, Amash, whoever wacko in regards to the arguments over drone policy.

"But I also think that when, you know, it's always the wacko birds on right and left that get the media megaphone."

Then one of my favorite examples of Senator McCain's showing of "endearment," came in 2011 when the Arizona Senator mocked Tea Party-allied Republicans in the House for believing (wrongly according to him) that President Obama and the Democrats would get the blame if Republicans refuse to raise the nation's debt ceiling.

By that logic Senator McCain continued, "Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced budget amendment and reform entitlements and the Tea Party Hobbits could return to Middle Earth," he said, quoting a Wall Street Journal editorial.

"This is the kind of crack political thinking that turned Sharron Angle and Christine O'Donnell into G.O.P. nominees," he jeered, referring to two losing Tea Party candidates for the Senate in 2010.

Senator McCain continues his track record of insulting members of the Tea Party all of the while forgetting that the only reason why he saw any rise in popularity and a chance at the Presidency in 2008 was after he chose Tea Party darling Sarah Palin as his running mate. Therefore, if he when given one of the largest political choices of his career in picking the other side of his ticket chose the Tea Party, then he must be one of the crazies himself.

If McCain is going to put himself out there and demand an apology from Mr. Trump for the Veterans over one misspoken comment, then I believe he owes a long apology to the members of the Tea Party for his continued list of insults to the group.

Scottie Nell Hughes is the news director and chief journalist for the Tea Party News Network as well as a contributor to Townhall and The Christian Post. She is also the author of Roar: The New Conservative Woman Speaks Out, to be released in the fall of 2014.