It's a speech that touched a nerve, inspiring some and repelling others as U.S. Sen. John McCain warned about "half-baked, spurious nationalism."
- Sen. John McCain presented with Liberty Medal
- McCain: Those who want to find scapegoats are unpatriotic
- McCain's speech created a strong reaction in the political world
On Monday night, the Arizona senator warned about "half-baked, spurious nationalism" and the direction the country may be headed as he accepted a prestigious award at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Former Vice President Joe Biden presented McCain with the Liberty Medal for his lifelong service to the country.
In addition to recalling his more than two decades of Navy service and his imprisonment in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp, McCain took a moment to go a step further than the night’s other speakers, who lamented what many described as a fractured political climate.
It's McCain's passionate speech as he took the podium that's creating a buzz.
"To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain 'the last best hope of earth' for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history,” McCain said.
While he mentioned no one by name, the Los Angeles Times wrote that the excerpt was a "thinly veiled shot" at former strategist Steve Bannon and others who push the “America First” nationalism.
Online, some cheered, including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
Thanks to the @ConstitutionCtr for honoring @SenJohnMcCain. Outstanding speech from a remarkable public servant and true hero and patriot. https://t.co/W5ulZ2Az3x
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) October 17, 2017
I disagree with McCain on most things, but this is 💯 https://t.co/eK4rvAUsYZ
— Dan Becker (@doofusdan) October 17, 2017
McCain has nothing to lose. I love when politicians finally speak their real truth.
— Joel Brame (@realJoelBrame) October 17, 2017
Others were not as moved.
John McCain might as well be a democrat, this is the perfect example of needing new blood in the GOP. True republican values. No RINO's
— Doomsday Library (@DoomsdayLibrary) October 17, 2017