McCain calls Obama a ‘patriot’, rejects critics who say he’s ‘unworthy’ to lead

Jan 17, 2011

Sen. John McCain lost a bitter campaign against Barack Obama in 2008 and has been at loggerheads with him for much of Obama’s first two years in office. But the Arizona Republican this weekend called Obama a “patriot” intent on using his presidency to “advance our country’s cause” and rejected accusations — many coming from members of his own party and the tea party movement — “that his policies and beliefs make him unworthy to lead America.”

McCain made his comments in an article he wrote for The Washington Post opinion page, posted on Saturday, in which he praised Obama for giving a “terrific speech” in Tucson at a tribute for victims of the shooting rampage that took place there a week ago.

McCain said that Obama had “comforted and inspired the country” and performed an important service by encouraging “every American who participates in our political debates — whether we are on the left or right or in the media — to aspire to a more generous appreciation of one another and a more modest one of ourselves.”

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