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| John McCain takes aim at Donald Trump over Vietnam medical deferment | John McCain takes aim at Donald Trump over Vietnam medical deferment |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| John McCain took another shot at Donald Trump on Sunday night, with an angry reference to Americans who avoided the draft for the Vietnam war. | John McCain took another shot at Donald Trump on Sunday night, with an angry reference to Americans who avoided the draft for the Vietnam war. |
| Speaking to C-Span 3, American History TV, the Arizona senator did not mention the president by name. But he said: “One aspect of the conflict, by the way, that I will never ever countenance is that we drafted the lowest-income level of America and the highest-income level found a doctor that would say they had a bone spur. | Speaking to C-Span 3, American History TV, the Arizona senator did not mention the president by name. But he said: “One aspect of the conflict, by the way, that I will never ever countenance is that we drafted the lowest-income level of America and the highest-income level found a doctor that would say they had a bone spur. |
| “That is wrong. That is wrong. If we are going to ask every American to serve, every American should serve.” | “That is wrong. That is wrong. If we are going to ask every American to serve, every American should serve.” |
| Trump received five deferments from service in Vietnam: four for academic reasons and one for bone spurs – calcium buildups – in his heels. In 2015, he said at a news conference he couldn’t remember which heel the bone spurs had affected. His campaign said it was both. | Trump received five deferments from service in Vietnam: four for academic reasons and one for bone spurs – calcium buildups – in his heels. In 2015, he said at a news conference he couldn’t remember which heel the bone spurs had affected. His campaign said it was both. |
| In July 2016, Trump told the New York Times: “I had a doctor that gave me a letter – a very strong letter on the heels.” The problem had been “temporary” and “minor”, he said, adding: “Over a period of time, it healed up.” | In July 2016, Trump told the New York Times: “I had a doctor that gave me a letter – a very strong letter on the heels.” The problem had been “temporary” and “minor”, he said, adding: “Over a period of time, it healed up.” |
| TONIGHT - @SenJohnMcCain talks about the Vietnam War's legacy on C-SPAN, at 6 & 10pm ET. pic.twitter.com/WnZT0n8Mcn | |
| He also said: “You know, it was difficult from the long-term walking standpoint.” | He also said: “You know, it was difficult from the long-term walking standpoint.” |
| Vietnam has been an issue between Trump and McCain since July 2015 when Trump, then a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, questioned whether McCain was a war hero. | Vietnam has been an issue between Trump and McCain since July 2015 when Trump, then a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, questioned whether McCain was a war hero. |
| McCain, then a naval aviator, was badly injured in a crash in 1967, captured by the North Vietnamese, held for five years and tortured. He refused opportunities to be released for propaganda purposes. | McCain, then a naval aviator, was badly injured in a crash in 1967, captured by the North Vietnamese, held for five years and tortured. He refused opportunities to be released for propaganda purposes. |
| “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured? I like people who weren’t captured,” Trump said, at a campaign event in Iowa. | “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured? I like people who weren’t captured,” Trump said, at a campaign event in Iowa. |
| In July this year, McCain announced that he has brain cancer. On his return to the US Capitol, he dramatically sank a Republican healthcare bill backed by the White House. He also refused to support the bill’s successor. | In July this year, McCain announced that he has brain cancer. On his return to the US Capitol, he dramatically sank a Republican healthcare bill backed by the White House. He also refused to support the bill’s successor. |
| Recently McCain has led calls for greater transparency from the administration over the deaths of four US soldiers in Niger. | Recently McCain has led calls for greater transparency from the administration over the deaths of four US soldiers in Niger. |
| Last week, accepting the Liberty Medal in Philadelphia, the senator gave other remarks that were interpreted as an attack on Trump. | Last week, accepting the Liberty Medal in Philadelphia, the senator gave other remarks that were interpreted as an attack on Trump. |
| McCain criticised “half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems”. He also said: “We live in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil.” | McCain criticised “half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems”. He also said: “We live in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil.” |
| In response, Trump told a radio host: “People have to be careful because I fight back. I’m being very nice, very nice, but at some point I will fight back and it won’t be pretty.” | In response, Trump told a radio host: “People have to be careful because I fight back. I’m being very nice, very nice, but at some point I will fight back and it won’t be pretty.” |
| McCain replied: “It’s fine with me. I’ve faced some fairly significant adversaries in the past.” | McCain replied: “It’s fine with me. I’ve faced some fairly significant adversaries in the past.” |