McCain was imprisoned there between 19 during the Vietnam War, and was tortured by North Vietnamese troops.
The flyer reportedly referred to him as a "Hanoi Hilton Songbird," a reference to the "Hanoi Hilton," the nickname for Hỏa Lò Prison. The allegation that McCain was a "songbird" during his captivity originated with the group Vietnam Veterans Against McCain, which distributed a flyer to media outlets in South Carolina during his 2008 campaign for the Republican Party's presidential nomination. And if we have to use them to save a million American lives, we will do whatever we have to." That's why they call him "Songbird John." The fact is those methods can work, and they are effective, as former Vice President Cheney said. McInerney told host Charles Payne that Haspel cannot employ torture (or "enhanced interrogation") against prisoners: "The fact is, is John McCain, it worked on John. Thomas McInerney was terminated from Fox just one day after insulting the lawmaker for opposing the nomination of Gina Haspel to head the Central Intelligence Agency. John McCain (R-Arizona) and his experiences as a prisoner of war. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying.”Īs a candidate, Trump questioned McCain's status as a war hero and the two have clashed over numerous issues, including Trump's support of tortuous interrogation tactics.A Fox News analyst was fired from the right-wing network in May 2018 after regurgitating a long-standing, long-debunked smear against Sen. He called her an American patriot, but said her "role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. On Wednesday, McCain weighed into the public debate over Haspel, a 33-year CIA veteran. He is at his family retreat near Sedona, where he has been visiting with family and friends, who are crisscrossing the country to spend time with him. McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma in July. McCain has always talked candidly about how he made a false confession tape after enduring "days of extreme physical abuse" and that he always regretted it.Ĭindy McCain addressed the network and McInerney, writing on Twitter, "Please choose your guest more wisely." That's why they call him 'Songbird John.'" During her testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, she would not address the morality of interrogation techniques.Īsked how Congress should consider Haspel, McInerney said, "the fact is. McInerney's comments about McCain came during a conversation about President Donald Trump's CIA nominee, Gina Haspel. McInerney has served as a contributing military analyst for the network according to the spokeswoman, his contract ended last August. RELATED: Meghan McCain rips WH aide over 'he's dying anyway' commentĪ Fox News spokeswoman told various media outlets on Friday that McInerney will not be invited back for appearances on Fox Business Network or Fox News Channel. McCain, an 81-year-old Arizona Republican, has brain cancer. He apologized after the show and McCain's wife, Cindy, who has been caring for her husband at their home near Sedona, admonished Fox Business Network and Payne. The claim went unchallenged by the show's host, Charles Payne. John McCain, who endured a brutal 5 ½ years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Tom McInerney, who inaccurately claimed during an appearance on Fox Business Network Thursday that torture “worked on” Sen. Fox News is severing its relationship with retired Air Force Lt.