The late Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is arguably the most influential lawmaker to come out of Arizona in the history of modern politics.
McCain famously spent years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi during the Vietnam War. After returning to Arizona, McCain served in the House of Representatives then for decades in the Senate, representing his beloved home state.
McCain was largely regarded throughout both parties as a war hero, which is why Americans across the country bristled at what then-candidate Donald Trump had to say about the Senator during the 2016 campaign.
Trump said:
"He's not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured."
The President's hatred of McCain only deepened when, in 2017, McCain was the deciding Republican vote to block the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as "Obamacare," which Trump had spent years decrying.
In the days following McCain's death in 2018, Trump faced widespread criticism for initially refusing to lower flags at the White House to half staff.
Flash forward to 2020.
President-elect Joe Biden—who ran as part of a presidential ticket against McCain in 2008—has won not only the presidency, but McCain's home state of Arizona, after a notable endorsement from McCain's widow, Cindy McCain. It was the first time a Democrat won the state since 1996.
When reacting to the news, Meghan McCain—a conservative co-host on The Viewand John McCain's eldest daughter—used Trump's smears of McCain to troll him after losing Arizona.
In light of tonight's news....
*sorry I had to, the meme is too funny. pic.twitter.com/lo6xHqCbk0
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) November 13, 2020
And people largely agreed.
Don't be sorry, @MeghanMcCain. Trump's loss in AZ is the result of who he is and your father's leadership. https://t.co/Qa3Y6DywqR
— Jonathan Franks (@jonfranks) November 13, 2020
Love it! https://t.co/LQxabd1AFn pic.twitter.com/fSnPZfvK2g
— Tom Carroll (@tjgatto) November 13, 2020
.@MeghanMcCain - thumbs up on this tweet! 👍#IamMe #FridayMorning https://t.co/pSeBLNmWvI
— Pamela L. Owen, Esq. (@PamLOwen) November 13, 2020
This is poetic justice @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/jOHvYaVnR0
— Alecia (@AleciaBelle) November 13, 2020
McCain is having the last laugh! https://t.co/KhzzxmOU1U
— Mayo (@MayoIsSpicyy) November 13, 2020
John McCain was a good man and an American war hero. Trump is a sore loser, sucker and a wimp. He's a pathetic human being for not admitting he lost the election. He needs to get the hell out of the “People's House"! #BidenHarrisToSaveAmerica #donaldtrumpyourefired https://t.co/asrBwo3PS1
— Terry (@terry_sam6) November 13, 2020
Some of Trump's critics believe that the President's constant smears of McCain, even after his death, made for fitting poetic justice when Arizona flipped blue for the first time in decades.
Before & after their deaths, Donald Trump attacked both Sen. John McCain (nearly died for his country & spent years in captivity) and Congressman John Lewis (nearly beaten to death for voting rights).
Their states, Arizona & Georgia, voted Democratic for the 1st time in decades. https://t.co/ZTK3cYYMfb
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) November 13, 2020
There's something very poetic about Joe Biden winning back Arizona for the Democrats with the help of Cindy McCain. I hated the way Trump trash-talked John McCain - a true American hero - even after he died. Nice to see John have the last laugh. pic.twitter.com/DzuOI2QDO6
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 13, 2020
Trump grotesquely & indignantly trashed McCain. Thank you Arizona . Karma.
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) November 5, 2020
President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will begin governing at noon on January 20th.
