Republicans React to War Hero Comments by Donald Trump; Former Chinese Presidential Aide Accused of Corruption
NEWTON: Donald Trump, a Republican running for U.S. president, is defending himself over his latest controversial comments. Now this weekend he said Arizona Senator John McCain wasn't a war hero because he was captured in Vietnam.</s>BARNETT: Now he has not apologized for those remarks. He has tried to pivot away from them, though, Monday on FOX News. Listen to this.</s>DONALD TRUMP (R), 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I'm going to say this. I have respect for Senator McCain. I used to like him a lot. I supported him, I raised a lot of money for his campaign against President Obama. And certainly if there was a misunderstanding I would totally take that back. But hopefully I said it correctly and certainly shortly thereafter I said it correctly. I would like him, however, to do something with the 15,000 people that were in Phoenix about illegal, you know, immigration. They are being decimated. These people are being decimated. And I would love to see him to a much better job taking care of the veterans, Bill.</s>BARNETT: The strange thing is this is the only thing both parties agree on right now. Fellow Republicans are lashing out against Trump saying his comments were offensive. Democrats, too, saying that, and praising, you know, John McCain's war record.</s>NEWTON: Yes. Absolutely. Most agree, look impeachable. Now senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar has more now on this entire controversy from Washington.</s>BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donald Trump touching off a political firestorm this weekend by insulting former Republican presidential nominee, John McCain.</s>TRUMP: I supported him. He lost. He let us down. But, you know, he lost. So I never liked him as much after that because I don't like losers. But -- but, Frank, let me get to it. He hit me --</s>FRANK LUNTZ, MODERATOR: He's a war hero.</s>TRUMP: He's not a war hero.</s>LUNTZ: He's a war hero.</s>TRUMP: He's a war hero --</s>LUNTZ: Five and a half years as a</s>POW. TRUMP: He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured. OK. I hate to tell you.</s>TRUMP: Do you agree with that?</s>TRUMP: He's a war hero because he was captured. OK? You can have -- and I believe perhaps he's a war hero. But right now, he said some very bad things about a lot of people.</s>KEILAR: Almost immediately Trump's remarks drew scrutiny.</s>TRUMP: I like the people that don't get captured. And I respect the people that do get captured.</s>KEILAR: McCain, a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War, was shot down, held prisoner and beaten for more than five years in Hanoi, even refusing early release. Still, Trump has not backed down claiming in a "USA Today" op-ed that his comments were misconstrued by the media. Trying on the "Today" show to turn his criticism of McCain to issues like the V.A. scandal.</s>TRUMP: I'm not a fan of John McCain. He's done a terrible job for the vets.</s>KEILAR: McCain himself took the high road this morning.</s>MIKA BRZEZINSKI, HOST, MSNBC'S MORNING JOE: Does Donald Trump owe you an apology?