Matt Schlapp Defends ‘Victim’ Kelly Sadler in Tense New Day Clash Over McCain Remarks

Monday on New Day, American Conservative Union chief Matt Schlapp went to bat for the person he believes to be a victim in the media frenzy over White House aide Kelly Sadler saying in a closed-door meeting that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) doesn’t matter because he’s “dying anyway.”

And that person is Kelly Sadler.

“Kelly is my friend,” said Schlapp — the husband of White House Director of Strategic Communications Mercedes Schlapp. “And I feel bad she’s going through this. She showed character to immediately call to apologize. But she’s also a little bit of a victim here.”

Schlapp’s reasoning? Sadler’s comment was made in private, and should never have gotten out. As such, the ACU chief believes the White House is right not to publicly address the remark.

“For this White House to comment on statements that are made in confidential meetings, if they continue to comment on what was said or not said, or what was meant, they’ll never get out of this box,” Schlapp said. “They shouldn’t comment. They never should have said anything about this comment from the press shop.”

“Come on, of course they should have,” New Day anchor Chris Cuomo shot back. “All they had to do was come out and say, ‘We don’t accept this kind of talk. John McCain doesn’t deserve it.’ The president could have tweeted it. It would’ve been over.”

“Once you start commenting about leaks out of those meetings, you will never be able to appropriately run your agenda,” Schlapp said. “And you shouldn’t comment on it.”

Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol — a Never Trump conservative — puts the blame for this controversy squarely on one man.

“The fish rots from the head,” Kristol said. “This is Donald Trump‘s White House. People are behaving like Donald Trump.”

“She apologized, Bill,” Schlapp said — referring to a private phone call Sadler made to Meghan McCain.

“She didn’t do it publicly,” Kristol shot back.

Watch above, via CNN.

[featured image via screengrab]

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