The last time Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, was in the healthcare debate spotlight came in a tense vote last July to repeal and replace Obamacare. Then, he strolled in the Senate chamber, and put his “thumbs down.”

Yesterday, in another heroic move, he virtually killed the latest last gasp of the GOP to overcome Obamacare, saying he “cannot in good conscience” vote for the Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, and Bill Cassidy, R-LA, proposal, which had been roundly criticized. At last count, GOP leaders were “one senator away from defeat,” The Washington Post said.

McCain said he would vote against the wishes of his good buddies.

In a string of tweets this morning, President Trump  denounced McCain’s action, saying he let his best friend “LG down.” Trump also said that Democratic NY Sen. Chuck Schumer “sold John McCain a bill of goods. Sad.”  (Editorial Note: Gee, what happened to Trump’s pals, “Chuck and Nancy?” …oh, another story)…

“John McCain never had any intention of voting” for the bill, Trump said, adding that the Arizona governor supported it. “He campaigned on Repeal & Replace,” Trump said. “Let Arizona down!”

Trump cited Arizona as having a ” 116% increase in Obamacare premiums last year.” The President is predicting that Sen. Rand Paul “may find a way to get there for the good of the Party!”  (Interestingly, like McCain, Paul has signaled he would vote against the healthcare plan, too)

“I take no pleasure in announcing my opposition,” he said in a statement.” Far from it. The bill’s authors are my dear friends, and I think the world of them. I know they are acting consistently with their beliefs and sense of what is best for the country. So am I.”

“I hope that in the months ahead, we can join with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to arrive at a compromise solution that is acceptable to most of us, and serves the interests of Americans as best we can.” –

– Joe Cantlupe