Republicans failed to pass their last-ditch effort to repeal and replace Obamacare on Thursday night in a middle-of-the-night showdown that ended with Sen. John McCain breaking away from his party and voting "no." Republicans couldn't lose more than two votes, and McCain was the third voting against the bill, killing it 49-51.
It was a dramatic night: McCain, who is still recovering from brain surgery, returned to Washington to cast an earlier vote that moved the health care debate forward. But when he arrived to cast his vote on Tuesday's "skinny repeal," he cryptically told reporters to "wait for the show."
The final vote didn't happen until nearly 1:30 a.m. Vice President Mike Pence was busily trying to persuade McCain to support the bill, taking him off to chat in a side room. Other Republican senators huddled around Sen. Lisa Murkowksi, trying to convince her to change her mind. Then, showtime! McCain walked onto the Senate floor for his finale:
It was McCain's "Maverick moment," as CNN dubbed it, because McCain has long portrayed himself as the Republican brave enough to speak out against his party if he disagrees with them — even if he usually then votes along party lines.
The accolades for McCain came thick and fast:
Thank you, John McCain. Tonight you earned the name Maverick once and for all. This was a modern-day Mr. Smith Goes to Washington moment.
One depicted him as Superman.
John McCain came out of nowhere & saved the day #SkinnyRepeal #FridayFailure #SkinnyRepealfails #ACA #SkinnyBillDead
Democrat Sen. Chris Murphy tweeted, "Someday I'll get to tell my grandkids" what McCain told him as they went in for the final vote.
I ran into John McCain as we walked underground to the Senate for the final vote. Someday I'll get to tell my grandkids what he said to me.
But wait a minute.
McCain wasn't the only Republican to vote against the bill. Sen. Susan Collins from Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski from Alaska both voted against it — and have been openly critical of the measure from the start — setting up McCain's third vote. Here they are right before they voted:
And people are not happy that these two women aren't getting credit.
..because of that, they won't get the credit they deserve AND thus the horrible blowback they're about to get (as "traitors" and as women)..
Particularly because so much of the spotlight has been focused on McCain.
Murkowski and Collins need some love. McCain is appreciated and all that. But let's not forget the women who stood up.
Some pointed out that McCain might have voted "no" now, but he'd seemed to be wavering back and forth — and had voted "yes" to get things to the point of last night's showdown.
Worth noting that Senators Collins and Murkowski showed more courage today than self-styled maverick McCain has shown in the last decade.
Others said it reeked of sexism.
Y'all can push McCain as a hero all day. Great he did the right thing. Real heroes? Collins & Murkowski. Stop diminishing women. #MorningJoe
Rarely do I talk politics online. But to hell w/ MSM giving McCain more of the glory than Collins & Murkowski who n… https://t.co/H2ucpNzTpr
And that McCain's "no" vote only counted as the one that killed the bill because of these two women.
Everyone's giving credit to McCain, but it was the women, Collins and Murkowski that gave him the courage to vote n… https://t.co/1wofYVCGEK
Others mentioned that the women were getting erased from history.
Just watched CNN credit this to McCains maverick sensibilities w/o discussing how Murkowski & Collins BEEN holding it down. Dont erase women
Hey, everyone in the media pissing themselves over McCain: Remember Collins and Murkowski. Don't disappear women from the historical record.
And others said that this is simply always what goes on when a man does something. 🙄
Giving McCain the credit for defeating this repeal when female Senators Murkowski & Collins were early NOs is EVERY WORK MEETING EVER.
McCain. Murkowski. Collins. Behind every great man are two great women not getting the credit they deserve. #SkinnyRepeal
Others commented that this is what happens when women are kept out of the decision-making process regarding health care (particularly when it includes defunding women's health care programs).
Collins and Murkowski defeated the #SkinnyRepeal. If you don't include women, don't be shocked when we set the room… https://t.co/jD6kgofGGk
And some didn't agree that just because Murkowski and Collins are women, they should be applauded.
I will NOT watch White Feminism™ make heroes out of Murkowski and Collins simply because they are women.
But regardless of gender, McCain wouldn't have gotten the bill killed without Collins and Murkowski.
#FailureFriday: McCain got the credit but it was two women, Collins & Murkowski, who advocated 4 Americans and kill… https://t.co/LHEkTJk4ts