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John McCain's 2008 running mate Sarah Palin 'excluded' from senator's funeral

The late senator faced intense criticism for selecting the Alaska governor 

Andrew Buncombe
New York
Thursday 30 August 2018 15:11 BST
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John McCain introduces Sarah Palin as VP choice during 2008 presidency race

Sarah Palin, the woman John McCain selected to he is vice presidential running mate – a decision for which he was widely – will not be attending his funeral service.

Along with Donald Trump, Ms Palin, 54, a former governor of Alaska, is among several high-profile names expected not to be present at the memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral on Friday, or his funeral in Annapolis, Maryland, on Saturday.

McCain’s office did not immediately respond to enquiries on Thursday. However, a Capitol Hill source said to have knowledge of the funeral arrangements, told People: “Two names you won’t see on the guest list: Trump and Palin.”

Carla Eudy, a fundraiser who has worked with the McCain family for decades, said “invitations were not extended” to the two political figures.

Another source close to the McCain family said: “Donald Trump and Sarah Palin were not served official notice outright. I want to make that clear. It wasn’t a no-trespass order. They won’t be turned away by guards if they show up at the funeral.”

The source said the decision was likely made by McCain’s widow, Cindy McCain. “My guess is, it came from Cindy. She is very protective of John’s memory and legacy. She’s also a grieving widow. I think she wants to get through this as best she can.”

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McCain, who died of brain cancer last weekend at the age of 81, long had a toxic relationship with Mr Trump, who, while campaigning in 2015, said the former POW was not a true hero because he had been captured. Mr Trump, who on five occasions received a deferral for the Vietnam draft because either of his bone spurs or a plan to attend college, said: “I like people who weren’t captured.”

McCain agreed to name Ms Palin as his 2008 running mate, as part of an attempt by advisors to tap into the anti-establishment, right-wing Tea Party elements of the Republican base. In doing so, many commentators said he inadvertently opened the door for Mr Trump’s 2016 run.

Once McCain added Ms Palin to the ticket, the Republican campaign became increasingly ugly and racially-ringed. Ms Palin once claimed Mr McCain’s Democratic rival, Barack Obama was “palling around with terrorists”.

Mr Obama would go on to win the contest 53-46. In a recent memoir, The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations, McCain said he regretted being bullied onto choosing Ms Palin and that he should have gone with original choice, former senator Joe Lieberman.

As it was, after news of McCain’s death broke on Saturday evening and Mr Trump immediately became embroiled in controversy over his reluctance to order an official White House statement and to lower its flags, Ms Palin paid tribute to the man she campaigned with a decade before.

“Today we lost an American original. Senator John McCain was a maverick and a fighter, never afraid to stand for his beliefs. John never took the easy path in life - and through sacrifice and suffering he inspired others to serve something greater than self,” she said.

“John McCain was my friend. I will remember the good times.”

People also quoted a source said to be close to Ms Palin about not attending the funeral “out of respect for Senator McCain and his family we have nothing to add at this point,” it said. “The Palin family will always cherish their friendship with the McCains and hold those memories dear.

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