BuzzFeed editor Sarah Mimms may have thought she was saying something pretty uncontroversial when she implored her followers not to say anything bad about cancer-stricken Sen. John McCain. But they weren’t having it.
McCain, who was just diagnosed with a brain tumor, returned to the Senate on Tuesday to vote in favor of opening debate on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. McCain also said he would not vote in favor of the current version of the bill, and pleaded for more civility from both the left and right.
Vice President Mike Pence voted yes to break a tie vote, meaning the debate will move forward. And that led some on Twitter to accuse McCain of voting to kill people.
Mimms, a BuzzFeed D.C. editor, suggested before McCain’s appearance that now, when the 80-year-old faces a health crisis, is not the time to attack him. (She declined a request for comment.)
“If you have something sh—y to say about John McCain, here’s a thought: Don’t,” she said. Mimms followed it with another tweet about a half hour later, saying “It’s amazing the number of people who think ‘I’m glad someone has cancer’ is a defensible thing to say. It is not.”
Hundreds of people responded disparagingly, some sticking to the issues, and some not. Here are just a few replies:
https://twitter.com/StelliniTweets/status/889925850262638594
https://twitter.com/apepsibath/status/889929164958175232
https://twitter.com/apepsibath/status/889929347058065408
https://twitter.com/rlux/status/889924905046769664
https://twitter.com/pattymo/status/889933112003760128
Let's not forget who pays for it 😡 He's choosing this as his legacy so he can rot hell. Children are part of those countless people.
— Laurie H (@bklyn1984) July 25, 2017
A man with guaranteed health insurance and cancer has voted to take away coverage for the millions who pay for his
— McCain's Conscience (@ConsciousMccain) July 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/emilygmonster/status/889928346477490179
One Twitter user pointed out the amount of replies to her comment compared to the amount of “likes.”
A tale of two ratios.. pic.twitter.com/srqbRcSjCo
— Jay Smooth (@jsmooth995) July 25, 2017
After McCain took the Senate floor, she tweeted out what he said: “McCain: “I voted for the MTP… I will not vote for this bill as it is today. It is a shell of a bill right now, we all know that.””
McCain: “I voted for the MTP … I will not vote for this bill as it is today. It is a shell of a bill right now, we all know that.”
— Sarah Mimms (@mimms) July 25, 2017
McCain received an outpouring of support after news of his diagnosis broke, including kind words from Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 20, 2017
Melania and I send our thoughts and prayers to Senator McCain, Cindy, and their entire family. Get well soon. https://t.co/fONWVlmYyz
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2017