Why I support Trump's comments about McCain

[JonLP24]

70. You're right. Bernie Sanders had to save the VA from McCain and the privatizers

to McCain's credit, at-least he was willing to listen.

Sanders, McCain reach deal to fix VA

Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Thursday announced a deal on legislation to reform the Veterans Affairs Department’s troubled health system amid a scandal over long wait times for treatment.

The $2 billion compromise measure gives the VA secretary expanded powers to fire poorly performing individuals, would allow some veterans to seek outside health care and would hire more doctors.

<snip>

Sanders said he convinced McCain to back hiring new doctors and nurses despite charges from GOP lawmakers that VA personnel only saw half the number of patients as private providers.

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/208396-sanders-mccain-reach-deal-on-va-bill

I just cited that source for that last part. There are bits and pieces from several places -- can't find the article with the claim of overheard shouting between Bernie Sanders and McCain but trust me, I swear its out there.

This piece will probably have to do for now

Senators reach bipartisan deal on bill to fix VA

<snip>

Despite expected opposition from some conservatives concerned about the cost of the deal, chances of passage are good given the public uproar over the scandal and the political goodwill that veterans issues enjoy on Capitol Hill. The House, for example, has already passed several of the management reforms.

Sanders held four days of talks with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), whose state was home to a hospital that was the target of the most damning allegations of mismanagement. Acting VA Secretary Sloan D. Gibson visited the Phoenix facility Thursday and said that 18 of the 1,700 veterans put on secret waiting lists had died while awaiting care. At least 14 of the deaths came after veterans contacted VA for “end-of-life care,” Gibson said.

“This is not a perfect document,” McCain said, but he praised Sanders’s efforts, describing his colleague as a “fighter.”

Both senators heralded the deal as a rare opportunity for lawmakers to show Americans that Congress can act swiftly in response to a government scandal. Aware of the difficult partisan climate in Congress, they also implored their colleagues not to delay consideration of the bill.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senators-reach-bipartisan-deal-on-bill-to-fix-va/2014/06/05/0c380a50-ecf3-11e3-9f5c-9075d5508f0a_story.html

On that note though criticizing McCain in this area may be a loser's strategy, while not as bad as the other side who slammed Sander's initial VA reform bill as a "Christmas tree full of goodies" (this one was easy to find)

Before Thursday’s agreement, Sanders had been criticizing the Republican VA bills, which he said did not address the core of the VA’s problems. Republicans, meanwhile, had called Sanders’ legislation a “Christmas tree bill” that would cost too much.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/bernie-sanders-john-mccain-va-deal-107491.html

This is video from Sanders & McCain on the Senate floor on the VA reform bill to help make your own judgments
http://www.c-span.org/video/?319806-9/senators-sanders-mccain-veterans-health-legislation

I was following this a lot closer when the Phoenix VA was undergoing a "scandal" which is the one I go to but I wish I saved some of it. Even if I did I probably couldn't find it or remember it in all my sea of bookmarks.