Where Was Arizona’s Senator John McCain?

Arizona Senator John McCain, the man whose campaign slogan was “Country First,” put country first this week. Actually, countries first: Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, and Chile. His trip, planned well-before the massacre in his home state that took the lives of six of his fellow Arizonians, and wounded another fourteen constituents, was to last one week, but the Senator tweeted yesterday, “Cutting my official trip to Latin America short to attend tonight’s memorial service @UofA.”

Yes, Senator McCain managed to return to his home state just in time for the start of the memorial. Many thought he had not made it, as he was unfortunately seated just out of the camera angle for most of the ceremony, but rest assured, he was there.

Of course, you’ll remember, the good Senator from Arizona was willing to suspend his presidential campaign in September of 2008 for an economic disaster, to show “leadership,” encouraging his opponent to do the same (he did not, showing true leadership,) but not suspend a “fact-finding” trip to South America and return to his home state after a massacre of his own people and colleagues. His own state, his own people, his own colleagues, and he was unwilling to return until the very last minute before a televised memorial.

Via Politico:

“As Arizona mourns what many here are calling the greatest tragedy in state history, one very familiar face has been missing from the scene: Sen. John McCain.

“McCain, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee and Arizona’s most prominent politician, has been on a congressional fact finding trip in South America since Friday. He announced he would come home two days early from the planned week-long trip to attend a memorial service in Tucson Wednesday — his first stateside public appearance since Saturday’s shootings that killed six and gravely injured 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

“McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said Tuesday that the senator “has been monitoring the situation very closely and made the decision to cut his official trip short to attend the memorial event.”

“McCain’s only public comments on the tragedy came on Saturday, when he issued a statement saying, “I pray for Gabby and the other victims, and for the repose of the souls of the dead and comfort for their families…”

One would have assumed that “Country First” John “Maverick” McCain would have cut short his official trip the moment he received word that there was a massacre in Tucson. One would have assumed that the good Senator from Arizona would have rushed to be by the side of his colleague, Rep. Gabby Giffords, shot through the head, or to help his constituents through what must still be a very challenging time of grief.

Instead, Senator John McCain was on a “fact-finding” trip in South America.

I have no doubt that the good Senator was performing his job during his trip and the people of Arizona and of the United States are all the better for his being in South America. I also have no doubt that some in South America must have been wondering why he was there and not at the side of his fellow Americans.

And I have every doubt that Senator John McCain understands what “Country First” really means. As he has shown us in the immigration and the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” debates, and in his choice of a vice-presidential running mate, “Country First” means John McCain first.