Sen. John McCain’s opposition to the GOP’s last-ditch effort to repeal and replace the Obama health law has dealt a likely fatal blow to the legislation and perhaps to the Republican Party’s years of promises to kill the programme.
It was the second time in three months Mr. McCain, 81, had emerged as the destroyer of his party’s signature promise to voters.
“John McCain never had any intention of voting for this Bill, which his Governor loves. He campaigned on Repeal & Replace. Let Arizona down!” President Donald Trump said in a series of tweets Saturday that attacked GOP Senators who hadn’t gotten behind the bill.
Mr. McCain announced on Friday that he could not “in good conscience” vote for the legislation.
“I believe we could do better working together, Republicans and Democrats, and have not yet really tried,” Mr. McCain said. “Nor could I support it without knowing how much it will cost, how it will affect insurance premiums, and how many people will be helped or hurt by it.”
Mr. McCain joined Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., as two declared GOP “no” votes on the repeal legislation, though Mr. Trump held out hope on Mr. Paul.
With Democrats unanimously opposed, two is the exact number of GOP votes Mr. McConnell can afford to lose.
While Mr. Trump tries to keep up the pressure, the GOP seems destined to fail again on a campaign promise that every Republican agreed on right up until the party obtained full control of Congress and the White House this year.
Mr. Trump, at a political rally Friday night in Alabama, he said he would continue the fight to repeal the law. “You can’t quit when you have one or two votes short.”
GOP leaders hoped to bring the legislation to the full Senate this coming week. They face a Sept. 30 deadline, at which point special rules that prevent a Democratic filibuster will expire.
NFL protest
Also, referring to the refusal of some NFL players to stand during the national anthem as a mark of protest, Mr. Trump said on Friday “They’re ruining the game.”
Several athletes, including a handful of NFL players, have refused to stand during “The Star-Spangled Banner” to protest of the treatment of blacks by police.
Mr. Trump, who once owned the New Jersey Generals of the U.S. Football League, says those players are disrespecting the American flag and deserve to lose their jobs.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that *** off the field right now. Out! He’s fired,” Mr. Trump said to loud applause.
