Scottsdale, AZ – Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, publicly criticised Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday after Harris shared a personal story about an interaction she claimed to have had with the six-term senator.
While speaking at a Republicans for Harris event in Scottsdale, Arizona, Harris recalled a moment from her time in the Senate with John McCain, who represented Arizona until he died in 2018.
Harris claimed that McCain had offered her a compliment after a tense exchange during a committee hearing.
“I step onto the floor of the well of the Senate later that day — we had voted — and I passed by John McCain, and he looks at me and says, ‘Kid, come over here. You’re going to make a great senator,’” Harris recounted. “True story. True story.”
Harris also praised the late senator during her speech, calling him an “incredible American hero.” However, Meghan McCain found the anecdote suspicious and took to social media to express her doubts.
On Friday night, McCain posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), writing, “Now, I know Democrats want to reinvent history and turn my Dad into any illusion you guys need him to be depending on the political moment you need to bastardise his memory for… But please don’t make me start sharing what I remember him saying about Kamala Harris.” She added a warning, “And consider this my final warning shot; I will start spilling tea.”
Following backlash from her comments, McCain responded to critics on Saturday, calling them “lunatics” and defending her position. “A lot of really triggered Democrats in my timeline who claim they know more about my dad than, well…. his daughter,” McCain wrote. “Get a grip on reality, you lunatics.”
This exchange comes as Arizona, a critical battleground state, is closely contested ahead of the upcoming presidential election. Democrats have been focusing on attracting moderate Republican voters in the state, which could prove pivotal in the race.
In recent months, some Republican officials in Arizona have invoked John McCain’s name in support of the Democratic ticket, citing the late senator’s strained relationship with former President Donald Trump. During an August rally for Harris, Rep. Gregory Stanton (D-Ariz.) called on “John McCain Republicans” to support the Harris-Walz ticket, while Mesa Mayor John Giles echoed this sentiment.
“In the spirit of the great Sen. John McCain, please join me in putting country over party and stopping Donald Trump and protecting the rule of law, protecting our Constitution, and protecting the democracy of our great country,” Giles said.
With Arizona’s crucial role in the upcoming election, the legacy of John McCain continues to be a point of discussion across both parties.
