Republican senator apologizes for comments about John McCain
May 8, 2018, 10:54 PM | Updated: Jun 7, 2022, 4:01 pm
File- Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving Republican senator in history.
(CNN) — Sen. Orrin Hatch apologized Tuesday for his comments criticizing Sen. John McCain’s reported request that President Donald Trump not attend his eventual funeral.
“I felt badly. I had spoken out of turn,” the Utah Republican told reporters in the Capitol. “I felt like I shouldn’t have said what I said.”
On Monday, Hatch said he thought it was “ridiculous” that his fellow Senate Republican, who is recovering from cancer treatment in his home state of Arizona, wanted to keep the President from his funeral.
Related: Hatch says it’s ‘ridiculous’ for McCain to block Trump from funeral
“He’s the President of the United States. He’s a very good man. But it’s up to John. I think John should have his wishes fulfilled with regard to who attends his funeral,” Hatch told CNN.
Hatch also told reporters Tuesday that he sent a letter to McCain.
The Arizona senator’s daughter, Meghan McCain, rebuked Hatch earlier in the day following comments the senator made about her father.
“I’d like everybody to take a collective breath and chill out on my dad for a second — especially Orrin Hatch,” Meghan McCain said on ABC’s “The View.”
“Take many seats right now,” Meghan McCain said in response to Hatch.
McCain, who traveled home to visit her father in Arizona this past weekend, said he “is doing really good, making jokes, talking, standing, doing a great recovery.”
“We’re all doing good and hanging in,” the eldest McCain daughter said, asking the public to be sensitive to her family’s situation.
“It’s a process, as anyone knows if you know anyone who has cancer,” she said, “so please be kind and respectful of the fact that there’s a family here.”
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