Amy Klobuchar addressed the controversial story about John McCain mentioning dictator names during President Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
During her Tuesday late-night show appearance, Kimmel asked the Minnesota Senator about McCain story she told last weekend.
“Now you told a story at one of these rallies this weekend that I found so interesting about the late Senator John McCain,” Kimmel said.
Klobuchar said McCain was referencing parts of the speech and mentioning dictator’s speeches during the inauguration. In addition, McCain referenced these dictators because he was concerned “about what this meant with this president,” according to the presidential candidate.
She would not mention what dictator names the late Senator repeated to her and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
“I think the point of the story was that John McCain was a student of history and so he knew what was coming,” Klobuchar said. “He knew these cries for isolationism, what that meant if we don’t stand with our allies, what that meant for America’s standing in the world. And that’s what he was doing. He had said things similar to this publicly as well.”
As the Minnesota Sun reported earlier this week, McCain’s daughter and View co-host Meghan McCain did not appreciate the story. The View host tweeted at the presidential candidate on Monday asking Klobuchar to stop talking about her dad.
“On behalf of the entire McCain family – @amyklobuchar please be respectful to all of us and leave my fathers legacy and memory out of presidential politics,” the tweet read.
On behalf of the entire McCain family – @amyklobuchar please be respectful to all of us and leave my fathers legacy and memory out of presidential politics.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) May 27, 2019
Tim Hogan, the presidential candidate’s communication’s director, defended Klobuchar’s comments in a Monday statement:
Senator Klobuchar had a long-time friendship with Senator McCain, she has defended him against President Trump’s attacks in the past, and she has deep respect for his family. While she was simply sharing a memory, she continues to believe that the best stories about Senator McCain are not about the views he had about President Trump: They are about McCain’s own valor and heroism.
After talking about the McCain situation, Kimmel questioned Klobuchar on why Republican colleagues did not agree with the late John McCain’s sentiment.
“I think they are scared of getting a primary with someone who is more right-wing and more extreme,” she said.
Kimmel followed up with a question asking Klobuchar if she thought Trump was crazy. The Minnesota Senator side-stepped the issue, saying, “the President is not doing his job for this country.”
“I think he is inconsistent and governing by chaos,” Klobuchar said, adding that the president goes after immigrants and people of color to create these wedges to keep his base happy.
After her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Klobuchar has a Saturday speaking engagement that will keep her in California through the weekend.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Battleground State News.
Photo “Amy Klobuchar” by Jimmy Kimmel Live.
