Sen. John McCain took to national television to slam Sen. Rand Paul, who just announced a run for the White House, calling the Kentuckian the "worst possible candidate" for America on national security issues.
He made the remarks to Neil Cavuto on Fox News while responding to Paul's recent criticism of those in the Senate, including McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham, who have failed in his eyes to properly address overseas' threats, including ISIS.
Paul's statement a couple days ago: "I'm the only one actually standing up and saying the war in Libya was a mistake, the bombing of Assad will make ISIS stronger ... So I'm really the one standing up to President Obama and these people are essentially the lapdogs for President Obama and I think they're sensitive about that."
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Asked how he feels about being called a lapdog, McCain just joked – and then went on the offensive.
"Senator Paul is the worst possible candidate of the 20 or so that are running on the most important issue, which is national security," he said. "Last summer, [Paul] publicly doubted whether ISIS would be a threat to national security. ... He simply does not have an understanding about the needs and the threats to American national security."
Cavuto then asked McCain if he'd support Paul if he was chosen as the nominee, and if he thought Sen. Ted Cruz, with whom he's publicly feuded, would make a better presidential candidate.
On the latter, McCain simply said, "yes," the video showed.
"Ted Cruz has a much better handle on our national security issues," he said. "[But] I would support the nominee of my party. I am a loyal Republican."
He also said, "I would hope that good sense would prevail here," and Paul would not be chosen as the Republican candidate because of his "isolationist policies."
Graham shortly after went on a different Fox News television show and used the same line to denounce Paul, calling him the "worst possible candidate" of all the Republican presidential contenders when it comes to national security.