President Obama: "no one ― no one ― has given more for our freedom and security than our Gold Star families."

Courtesy of HuffPo:

Without saying the business mogul’s name, President Barack Obama took a jab at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Monday, saying he’s tired of people “trash talking America’s military and troops.” 

“Let’s get some facts straight. America’s Army is the best-trained, best-equipped land force on the planet,” Obama said while speaking at the Disabled Veterans Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The president emphasized that “no one ― no one ― has given more for our freedom and security than our Gold Star families,” referring to those whose loved ones have died fighting in the United States military. That includes Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the parents of Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004.

I have to admit that I had a moment of discomfort when the President made a few positive comments about the Iraq War, but then I realized that as the Commander-in-Chief he was showing support for the troops that fought in that war, not the idiots who decided to send them there in the first place.

Speaking of Gold Star families, twenty three of them got together to send Donald Trump a message about his treatment of one of their own:

We are all Gold Star Families, who have lost those we love the most in war. Ours is a sacrifice you will never know. Ours is a sacrifice we would never want you to know. 

Your recent comments regarding the Khan family were repugnant, and personally offensive to us. When you question a mother's pain, by implying that her religion, not her grief, kept her from addressing an arena of people, you are attacking us. When you say your job building buildings is akin to our sacrifice, you are attacking our sacrifice. 

You are not just attacking us, you are cheapening the sacrifice made by those we lost. 

You are minimizing the risk our service members make for all of us. 

 This goes beyond politics. It is about a sense of decency. That kind decency you mock as "political correctness." 

We feel we must speak out and demand you apologize to the Khans, to all Gold Star families, and to all Americans for your offensive, and frankly anti-American, comments.

That's going to leave a mark.

Trump's remarks even brought John McCain out of the woodwork to condemn him:

“In recent days, Donald Trump disparaged a fallen soldier’s parents,” said McCain, who was taken prisoner during the Vietnam War. “He has suggested that the likes of their son should not be allowed in the United States — to say nothing of entering its service. I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump’s statement. I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers, or candidates.” 

McCain, who has tangled with Trump before, most notably after Trump said last year that McCain was not a war hero because he had been “captured,” added: “While our party has bestowed upon him the nomination, it is not accompanied by unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us.” 

Some are suggesting that Trump may finally have gone too far, and that this is the beginning of the end for him. While some of his supporters have responded by attempting to turn the narrative around and attack the Khan family.

All I can say is that this is the first presidential race that I have covered where I constantly feel like I need to shower.