Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called on Democrats Thursday to end their “temper tantrum” and recognize that President-elect Trump was legitimately-elected and for them to swiftly confirm his Cabinet nominations.
McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Fox News that while he has differences with Trump, Democrats need to recognize his November victory as legitimate, before hitting Democrats for slowing the process for some of the nominees. Of the 21 Cabinet-level nominations, McCain said he expects only four to be ready to go on Day 1, including retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense.
“On a number of issues, I disagree with the president-elect. But he has been elected and elected legitimately despite what some of my Democrat friends say in their temper tantrum,” McCain said.
“It’s too bad because we need to put these people to work,” McCain said of the Cabinet nominees. “Frankly, Democrats have slowed the process. They did not slow Gen. [James] Mattis, but in many of the other nominees, they are basically using Senate rules and committee rules, they have slowed the process.”
The Arizona Republican also called out the group of House Democrats who have revealed their plans to skip Friday’s inauguration ceremonies, calling it “sour grapes” on their part.
“It’s part of this sour grapes attitude that they have had, the 55 or 60 or however many of them are boycotting one of the great signals of the world of a peaceful transition of power to slowing down these nominees, to some pretty ferocious attacks on them,” McCain said, adding that the Senate has always given the president-elect the “benefit of the doubt.”
“We have our responsibility of advise and consent, but we’re seeing it stretched beyond anything I’ve ever seen.”
