Trump Dismisses McCain s War Record Angers Fellow Republicans

By REUTERS

AMES, Iowa — Republican presidential contender Donald Trump disparaged U.S. Senator John McCain’s war record on Saturday, saying the former prisoner in North Vietnam was only considered a war hero because he was captured.

The confrontational real estate mogul, who has been feuding with the Republican senator from Arizona for days, also criticized McCain’s work in the Senate and called him “a loser” for his defeat in the 2008 White House race.

“He’s not a war hero,” Trump said at a gathering in Ames, Iowa, of religious conservatives after the event’s moderator, pollster Frank Luntz, used the phrase to describe McCain. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”

At a news conference later, Trump softened his comments, saying, “If a person is captured, they are a hero as far as I’m concerned.”

McCain, a Navy fighter pilot, spent more than five years during the Vietnam War in a Hanoi prison after being shot down, and was tortured by his captors.

Trump also criticized McCain for failing to do enough in the Senate for military veterans.

“John McCain talks a lot, but he doesn’t do anything,” Trump told reporters.

His comments drew swift denunciations from many rival Republican presidential contenders and became the latest in a series of controversies to engulf the publicity-loving billionaire since he jumped into the race with harsh rhetoric about Mexican immigrants.

The comments also were certain to remind party leaders, already nervous about Trump’s recent rise to the top of opinion polls, about his unpredictability ahead of the first Republican debate in early August.

The harsh reaction seemed to indicate that many Republicans had lost patience with Trump.

“There is no place in our party or our country for comments that disparage those who have served honorably,” said Sean Spicer, chief strategist for the Republican National Committee.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said on the campaign trail in Sioux City, Iowa, that McCain was clearly a hero. “Enough with the slanderous attacks,” former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said on Twitter.

“Donald Trump owes every American veteran, and in particular John McCain, an apology,” said former Texas Governor Rick Perry, who said Trump’s comments called into question his legitimacy as a potential president and commander in chief.

In a statement released after his appearance, Trump said he was “not a fan” of McCain and added: “I have great respect for all those who serve in our military, including those that weren’t captured and are also heroes.”

But Trump said at the news conference he would not apologize to McCain. McCain did not immediately respond to Trump.

Trump told reporters he used student deferments and later a medical deferment for what he said was a bone spur to avoid military service during the Vietnam War.

“I was not a big fan of the Vietnam War,” he said.

He made the McCain comments during the summit sponsored by Christian conservative groups. Iowa is the first state to vote in the nominating contests leading up to the November 2016 election.

Luntz, the event’s moderator, launched the discussion when he questioned Trump’s recent criticism of McCain as a “dummy,” which came after the senator said Trump’s candidacy had brought out the “crazies.”

“I supported McCain for president,” Trump said of the Arizonan’s 2008 run. “He lost and let us down. ... I’ve never liked him as much after that. I don’t like losers.”

貶馬侃戰功 「大嘴巴」川普掀眾怒

經常出言不遜卻在共和黨總統初選支持度頗高的富商川普，十八日又因發言闖禍，他輕蔑的貶低參議員馬侃，宣稱他不認為在越戰時被俘的馬侃是英雄，引起共和黨領袖和其他參選人同聲撻伐。

川普在越戰時期以就學、病痛為由多次獲得緩徵，從未服役。馬侃當年是海軍戰鬥機飛行員，1967年在越南遭擊落，在河內戰俘營度過5年多並慘遭刑求。川普在愛阿華州向三千名保守派行動分子宣稱，馬侃在越戰的表現不值得英雄稱譽。川普說：「他不是戰爭英雄。他是因被俘而成為戰爭英雄。我喜歡沒有被俘的人。」他宣稱，馬侃1958年從海軍官校「以全班最後一名畢業」。他更稱78歲的馬侃為「輸家」，因為馬侃2008年代表共和黨競選總統，敗給民主黨的歐巴馬。

傑布．布希推文說，這種詆毀攻擊已經夠了。威斯康辛州長渥克說，川普應該向馬侃和所有男女軍人道歉。

川普拒絕道歉，馬侃本人沒回應川普的談話，馬侃女兒梅根則氣憤痛斥川普「可惡」。

共和黨目前有十五人宣布參加總統初選，川普在某些民調中領先。不過，分析家說，隨選戰推進，走譁眾取寵路線的川普支持度將開始減退。

原文參照：
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/07/18/us/politics/18reuters-usa-election-republicans.html

2015-07-20．聯合報．A13．國際．編譯組