Apparently, this is the week when political operatives kind of just decided to completely lose their mind and sense of decency.
Earlier this week, a communications advisor for the Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate attacked the health of the Democratic rival in an official statement.
And on Thursday, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire marked the fourth anniversary of the death of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in one of the most despicable ways possible.
On Twitter, the party shared a picture of Meghan McCain grieving over her father’s flag-draped casket, and wrote, “Happy Holidays.”
Happy Holidays pic.twitter.com/ueTMW3Dgcj
— Libertarian Party NH (@LPNH) August 25, 2022
How this tweet is still up on Twitter reflects incredibly poorly on the party.
Whether or not you liked John McCain and what he stood for policy-wise and the votes he took as a senator or his 2008 campaign for president, mocking his death after his service to this country during the Vietnam War and the torture he experienced as a prison of war is despicable.
Meghan McCain torched the tweet in a series of posts, writing, “This is hideous – even by twitters standards.”
This is hideous – even by twitters standards. https://t.co/ioIjq3kxv0
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 26, 2022
I promise anyone who is in the horrific, iron gripped jaws of grief – with time it gets softer and less intense.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) August 26, 2022
That’s it for tonight but I’m just not going to be harassed for being sad at my dads casket or let anyone else feel ashamed of their pain.
The world deserves better https://t.co/ioIjq3kxv0
“This is the official Twitter account of the state of New Hampshire’s Libertarian political party. I really fear for the future of the world and how we have come to treat each other – especially on social media. I hope no one ever does anything like this to any of you,” she added in a separate tweet.
Check out some of the reactions below:
“Siri, show me why no one takes the Libertarian Party seriously and why its candidates never win any statewide contests or Congressional races.” https://t.co/lJldO8wGlL
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) August 26, 2022
The thing about big-L Libertarians is they'll do this shit for an American veteran but will definitely judge some old Cuban lady who served in a labor camp for celebrating the death of Fidel Castro. https://t.co/1fzV3vnSf2
— Frances Martel (@francesmartel) August 26, 2022
What’s the point of this? Cruelty?
— The?FOO (@PolitiBunny) August 26, 2022
If you can’t make a point without being this cruel maybe your points aren’t worth making. https://t.co/oe5zA0SlSn
A week ago, I got some pushback for saying that the latest iteration of the Libertarian Party caters to clickbait trolls & fringe right-wingers. I was promised that wasn’t the case.
— Billy Binion (@billybinion) August 26, 2022
And here we have this. They make the case against libertarianism better than anyone could. https://t.co/JLzti78FFg
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire is f***ing evil. I'm no Meghan McCain fan but I am a human and making light of her grief for her father is inhuman and downright evil. https://t.co/buvfg52w1x
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) August 26, 2022
This is actually evil. https://t.co/n46D5SrkM3
— David French (@DavidAFrench) August 26, 2022
This is why libertarians will never win anything https://t.co/oPQLicYNPl
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) August 26, 2022
And once again…we’re reminded why the slobbering, unserious Libertarian Party won’t ever reach the prominence and power it so desperately craves. https://t.co/HNl7X4IBLi
— Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) August 26, 2022
WTF… guys. ? ? ? https://t.co/zu4fKPNiR2
— Elisha (@ElishaKrauss) August 26, 2022
And while there was a lot of criticism of the tweet, the Libertarian Party of Kentucky decided to chime and write, “Is this tweet helpful? No, probably not Is pearl clutching about it helpful? Also no, probably not. This is Twitter, people will forget about it in 2 days.”
Is this tweet helpful? No, probably not
— Libertarian Party of Kentucky (@lpky) August 26, 2022
Is pearl clutching about it helpful? Also no, probably not.
This is Twitter, people will forget about it in 2 days. https://t.co/MLWzmC8uWM
It’s not “pearl clutching” to say it’s shameful to mock and celebrate the death of someone — let alone a war hero.
There is no defense for this tweet. And saying that “this is Twitter” is not a good excuse to fail to meet even the lowest standard for being a decent human.
If the Libertarian Party can’t set aside its partisan views to realize that this was a big mistake and apologize, they don’t deserve to win elections — not that they have that great of a track record, to begin with.
