The McCain Family's Opposition to Trump... Official Declaration of Support for Biden

Late Senator John McCain's Wife Cindy McCain Supports Biden
"We Are Americans Before Being Republicans"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Cindy McCain, wife of Senator John McCain, a former Republican presidential candidate, officially endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on the 22nd (local time).

Cindy McCain [Photo by AP Yonhap News]

On that day, Bloomberg News reported that McCain officially announced her support for Biden through Twitter. McCain said, "My husband lived by the rule that the country comes first," adding, "We are all Republicans, but first and foremost, we are Americans. In this election, there is only one candidate who represents our values as a nation. That candidate is Joe Biden." This statement implies that if Senator McCain were alive, he would have supported Biden.

The late Senator John McCain receiving the Medal of Freedom from 2017 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

McCain had previously introduced the special friendship between Biden and her late husband, Senator John McCain, through a virtual speech at the Democratic presidential nomination convention. This time, she expressed her support directly, going beyond indirect endorsement. It is rare in American political history for a distinguished Republican family, which has produced presidential candidates, to openly support a Democratic presidential candidate.

Senator McCain served as a senator from Arizona from 1987 to 2018 and was the Republican presidential nominee in the 2008 election. He was a former Navy pilot who participated in the Vietnam War and endured five years as a prisoner of war after his plane crashed. Notably, because he was the son of a Navy admiral, he was offered early release but famously refused to leave before other prisoners were freed. Senator McCain was also known for his conflicts with President Trump, who belonged to the same party. While many political figures attended Senator McCain’s funeral, President Trump was not invited.

Candidate Biden stated that McCain’s endorsement was largely influenced by President Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks about veterans. American media reported that in 2018, during a visit to France, President Trump referred to U.S. military veterans as "losers" and "suckers." Trump also mocked, saying, "Senator McCain is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured."