August 27, 2018 02:34 PM UTC

Trump Finally Says Nice-ish Things About McCain

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• by: Colorado Pols

As NBC News reports, President Trump got the message — after much chastising from other Republicans — that he should do more to acknowledge the late Senator John McCain (R-Arizona):

Following blistering criticism from lawmakers in both parties and veterans groups, President Donald Trump announced Monday he had signed a formal proclamation that would give Sen. John McCain his full honors.

In a statement, Trump said he’d signed the proclamation keeping the White House flag at half-mast through the Arizona Republican’s interment, scheduled for Sunday.

“Despite our differences on policy and politics, I respect Senator John McCain’s service to our country and, in his honor, have signed a proclamation to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff until the day of his interment,” Trump said…

…He added that he’d asked Vice President Mike Pence to offer an address at a Friday ceremony at the U.S. Capitol honoring McCain and that he’d authorized, “at the request of the McCain family,” military transportation of the late senator’s remains from Arizona to Washington, D.C., military pallbearers and band support, and a horse and caisson transport during the service at the United States Naval Academy.

Trump’s decision to issue a proclamation came less than a day after the White House had re-raised its flag Monday morning following McCain’s death on Saturday and just hours after veterans groups and lawmakers from both parties, were furious over the administration’s decision to prematurely re-raise the flag, demanded it be flown at half-mast for a longer period of time. [Pols emphasis]

Once again, ladies and gentlemen: The President of the United States of America.