Sep 22, 2017 - Health

Graham: "I respectfully disagree" with McCain's position

Sen. Lindsey Graham responds to Sen. John McCain's announcement that he won't vote for the Cassidy-Graham health bill. Photo: J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Sen. Lindsey Graham issued a statement Friday in response to his longtime friend Sen. John McCain's announcement that he won't vote for the Cassidy-Graham health care bill, which likely kills the Senate's last attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act before its Sept. 30 deadline.

Key quotes: "My friendship with John McCain is not based on how he votes but respect for how he's lived his life and the person he is... I respectfully disagree with his position... We press on." Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Cassidy said he is "disappointed" with McCain, but will continue to work on the bill's passage.

Graham's full statement:

"My friendship with John McCain is not based on how he votes but respect for how he's lived his life and the person he is.I respectfully disagree with his position not to proceed forward on Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson. I know Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson is the best chance to repeal and replace Obamacare.Obamacare is collapsing in Arizona, South Carolina, and across the nation - driving up premiums and reducing choices. I feel an obligation to fix this disaster and intend to push forward for state-centric health care versus Washington-knows-best health care.I'm completely convinced taking money and power out of Washington and returning it to states to administer health care is the best way to replace a collapsing Obamacare system. I'm excited about solutions we have found in Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson. We press on."

Sen. Bill Cassidy's full statement:

"I am disappointed that Senator John McCain is not voting to repeal and replace Obamacare. But, as long as there are families being penalized because they can't afford insurance costing $30,000 to $40,000 a year, I will continue to work for those families."

Go deeper

Updated 26 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 a.m. ET: 18,814,178 — Total deaths: 707,754— Total recoveries — 11,361,953 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 a.m. ET: 4,823,891 — Total deaths: 158,256 — Total recoveries: 1,577,851 — Total tests: 58,920,975 — Map.
Public health: Florida surpasses 500,000 confirmed cases — Fauci calls U.S. coronavirus testing delays "totally unacceptable."
Business: America's next housing crisis.
States: Virginia launches contact tracing app using specs from Apple and Google.
Cities: L.A. mayor authorizes utilities shut-off at homes hosting large gatherings
Politics: White House, Democrats remain "trillions of dollars apart" on stimulus talks.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)

Rebecca Falconer

36 mins ago - World

Hiroshima mayor warns of rise of nationalism on 75th anniversary

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) at the Memorial Cenotaph in the Peace Memorial Park during the 75th anniversary service for atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima, Japan, on Thursday. Photo: Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images

Hiroshima's Mayor Kazumi Matsui on Thursday urged the international community to work together to defeat the coronavirus pandemic and warned against an increase in "self-centered nationalism," per the Washington Post.

Why it matters: He said at a remembrance service on the atomic bombing of the Japanese city that the 1918 flu pandemic killed millions as countries fighting in World War I were unable to overcome the threat together, per DPR. "A subsequent upsurge in nationalism led to World War II," he added. The U.S. bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945 and Nagasaki three days later contributed to the end of World War II, but tens of thousands of people died. At the service, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lamented nuclear weapons' "inhumanity," but he didn't mention Japan's wartime past, WashPost noted.

Go deeper: How new tech raises the risk of nuclear war

Rebecca Falconer

1 hour ago - Sports

LeBron James on Trump NBA protest remarks: "We could care less"

The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James kneels during the national anthem before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Wednesday. Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

LeBron James responded on Wednesday night to President Trump's comments calling NBA players "disgraceful" for kneeling during the national anthem to protest racism and that he won't watch games because of the action.

The big picture: Trump has repeatedly criticized sports players for taking the knee since 2016. But James said during a news conference, "I really don’t think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership, him viewing the game." November's elections marked "a big moment for us as Americans," he said. "If we continue to talk about, 'We want better, we want change,' we have an opportunity to do that," he added. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league will "respect peaceful protest."

Go deeper: LeBron James forms voting rights group to inspire Black voters