Many a headline has been devoted to John McCain’s feud with President Trump. But what about his nearly as enduring feud with the Republican base?

It is easy to forget as Republican eminences celebrate the Arizona senator’s life. McCain was the Republican presidential nominee just a decade ago, a political feat given the near-implosion of his campaign in 2007 despite the fact that it was arguably his turn (he had been the runner-up in 2000, which was frequently how Republicans decided these things pre-Trump).