Sen. John McCain is walking back from calling Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz "wacko birds" in an interview, saying he respects the senators and what they stand for.
"[In] an interview I said that Sen. Cruz and Sen. Paul were 'wacko birds.' That was inappropriate and I apologize to them for saying that, and I respect them both," Mr. McCain, Arizona Republican, said Friday on Fox News. "I respect what they stand for and what they believe in. They both made an impact out here in the United States Senate."
In an interview with The Huffington Post, Mr. McCain called the senators "wacko birds," saying they represent the extreme right of the Republican Party.
"They were elected, nobody believes that there was a corrupt election, anything else," he said. "But I also think that when, you know, it's always the wacko birds on right and left that get the media megaphone."
"I think it can be harmful if there is a belief among the American people that those people are reflective of the views of the majority of Republicans. They're not," he added.
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Jessica Chasmar is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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