I read an article this morning that listed John McCain’s 15 pallbearers and was struck, especially, by one of the names. I don’t give a damn about movie stars and was only slightly interested in the politician’s names. What stood out conspicuously was a Russian name: Vladimir Kara-Murza.
It seemed weird because I’ve read that Putin hated John McCain (for, among other things, taking the Steele dossier to the FBI, etc.). Knowing that, I had to find out why McCain would want Vladimir Kara-Murza not only to attend his funeral but to have a prominent place as a pallbearer.
Interesting reading! Vladimir Kara-Murza is not just anti-Putin; he’s also survived two near-fatal attempts on his life via the Kremlin’s favorite method, i.e. poisoning.
When I decided to diary this, I couldn’t find the article I’d read but Google was even better, via bringing up this more specific article from Newsweek:
Given President Donald Trump’s refusal to criticize Putin, most recently evidenced at their joint news conference last month in Helsinki, McCain’s choice seemed intended to send a final message to the two leaders who have both denied Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
McCain and Kara-Murza, who had known each other since 2010, had denounced Putin for years. McCain asked Kara-Murza in April, nine months after the Arizona senator had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, to help carry his coffin at his funeral, which will be held Saturday at Washington National Cathedral.
“I was speechless and heartbroken, close to tears at that moment,” Kara-Murza, who is vice chairman of the pro-democracy group Open Russia, told Politico on Tuesday. “I said yes, of course, and that it would be the most heartbreaking honor that anyone could think of.”
Read the rest here: John McCain Picks Anti-Putin Russian Poisoned, Almost Killed as Pallbearer in Apparent Dig Against Trump
Few people get to make a statement after they’re dead but John McCain pulled it off magnificently!