Fox says guest who criticized McCain won’t be back

FILE - In this Oct. 25, 2017 file photo, Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., pauses before speaking to reporters during a meeting of the National Defense Authorization Act conferees, on Capitol Hill in Washington. A White House official dismissed a view expressed by Sen. McCain about President Donald Trump's CIA nominee, saying Thursday, May 10, 2018, at a staff meeting that "it doesn't matter" because "he's dying anyway," two people in the room told The Associated Press. Kelly Sadler was discussing McCain's opposition to Trump's pick for CIA director, Gina Haspel, when she made the comment. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 25, 2017 file photo, Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., pauses before speaking to reporters during a meeting of the National Defense Authorization Act conferees, on Capitol Hill in Washington. A White House official dismissed a view expressed by Sen. McCain about President Donald Trump's CIA nominee, saying Thursday, May 10, 2018, at a staff meeting that "it doesn't matter" because "he's dying anyway," two people in the room told The Associated Press. Kelly Sadler was discussing McCain's opposition to Trump's pick for CIA director, Gina Haspel, when she made the comment. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News says a retired Air Force general who called Sen. John McCain “songbird John” for allegedly providing information to the North Vietnamese while he was a prisoner of war will not be invited back.

The idea that McCain gave up information during the war was judged false years ago by Politifact. But Fox Business Network guest Tom McInerney spread the story as a guest on Thursday. Fox host Charles Payne later apologized for not correcting him on the air.

A Fox spokeswoman said Friday that McInerney will no longer be allowed on the network.

Also Thursday, a White House official dismissed McCain’s opposition to President Donald Trump’s CIA nominee by saying it didn’t matter because McCain is dying anyway. McCain is fighting brain cancer.