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Matthias Schrader / AP
Sen. John McCain
Updated 12:52 pm ET. Always one to speak -- or Tweet -- his mind, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) Monday made a joke comparing Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to a monkey, something one Republican congressman charged was “racist.”
“So Ahmadinejad wants to be first Iranian in space - wasn't he just there last week?” McCain said in a tweet that also linked to a story about Iran launching a monkey into space.
Some didn’t take so kindly to the not-so-diplomatic quip, prompting McCain, 76, to respond: “Re: Iran space tweet - lighten up folks, can't everyone take a joke?”
Seeing that, Michigan congressman Rep. Justin Amash, 32, shot back.
“Maybe you should wisen up & not make racist jokes,” Amash tweeted.
Not everyone on the right agreed with Amash. Conservative John Podhoretz, for example, Tweeted this: "How dare McCain say something demeaning & disparaging abt the foremost anti-Semite on the planet." And this: "So...it's defend-the-Jew-hater-from-the-war-hero day."
It’s not the first time McCain’s made a joke about Iran that landed him in some hot water. During his run for president in 2007, McCain sang about bombing the country.
Asked by a GOP primary voter when the U.S. would send an “air-mail message to Tehran,” McCain said, “That old Beach Boys’ song, ‘Bomb Iran?’ Bomb, bomb, bomb—, anyway.”
McCain’s response then as now? It’s just a joke -- "get a life.”
“When veterans are together, veterans joke,” McCain said at the time. “And I was with veterans and we were joking. And if somebody can’t understand that, my answer is, ‘Please, get a life.’”
Leave a Comment:
Don't be too hard on him. Its the results of Viet Nam "Shell-shock" combined with fast approaching senility that's making this guy behave like this. And its getting worse.
He needs to RETIRE and go away........people need to always treat others the exact way they want to be treated.
LMFAO!! That is actually a pretty funny joke, how is that racist? Now if he called Obama a monkey I could see the racism. Ahmadinejad acts and grooms himself as a monkey, not racist just observational!
I think American foreign policy has developed higher than the mentality of name-calling at the local junior high school.
But I completely understand how Republicans with their lizard brains that have yet to evolve to the level of monkeys would find this humorous.
I used to be a Huuuuge John McCain supporter. I'm a Viet Nam era veteran as well. But, I can't name a single meaningful thing that he's done in the past decade. And, it continues to stun & amaze me that Arizona keeps reelecting him to the Senate. While my views have remained constant - McCain has clearly done a total flip flop. He goes against his own constituency on illegal immigration. He constantly wanting to put our nose in other countries business and wants to export democracy to the world. I say to hell with the rest of John McCain's world. Let's take care of America first. John McCain wants to constantly put our troops in harms way. I have no issues with a good fight. But, I believe the entire middle east isn't worth the life of a single American Soldier. I clearly hope that Arizona wakes up and puts John McCain out of our misery by retiring him. And, the sooner the better for all of us. John McCain has become one of the many career politician leaches that are plaquing our governement. John McCain represents the epitomy of why we need term limits.
mcCain has a track record of poor judgment (i.e. Palin) and unstateman like behavior. Good thing American people realized this.
Seriously? Congressman Amash. Aren't there more important matters to deal with?
LOL, McInsane is up to his old self. He failed at the presidency.. he failed as being a vet.. he is a failed member of congress.. his choice for vice Presidency @ the time.. I cant remember anything positive this man has ever accomplished.. without putting in his foot in his mouth.. I would bet.. this man attended the almost famous 47% party.. where that would be President also failed.. his more recent comments should be proof enough to remove him from serving the needs of the american people.. He is just too old, his views too out of touch with reality.. I would bet this man made a deal with the devil so he could live longer..
McCain is no racist. It was a damn joke about a murdering Dictator and that is the only person he made this joke about. Really to those who jump and yell racism about a murdering dictator would you be the person who would put his life on the line like McCain did.
That "murdering dictator" is the head of a country trying to achieve a nuclear bomb. Mocking him gains the USA no points in the diplomatic/economic effort to negotiate a deal. Thank GOD Mccain never became President of this nation.
Love -ya blackmon, thanks, your truly a good person, sounds like you have seen what they do to their own people in Iran, young girls hung by their necks, or stone to death, people shot for being christain, homes burnt down, many more horrinle crimes, I think McCaine was being polite.
OBERSTURMFURER HAGEL..
Concedes Tough Senate Grilling..and defense appointment...
OBAMA offers Hagel Abassadorship....To... Disney World..
It just amazes me how the Liberals will jump all over one of our own. But when Psy (Gangnam) sings his racist kill all Americans and because he apoligized for it, all is great. Every Liberal media jack azz is out there trying to sensationalize it. So sick of the double standard bull.
Scared of, he didn't refer to his religion or political slant. It was a remark that denigrated darker skinned people. In the not too distant past, such insults were heaped upon Italians, Greeks, Jews, and many others.
Scared, I know how you feel. To see people in this country openly support Ahmadinejad I thought was unfathomable. Regardless of your political party affiliation, how can you be supportive of Iran? I admit to being biased against liberals in the past, but I didn't really think that had turned that much against their own country!
Yes Thank God he was not elected President, His mindset is retarded and he needs to retire, He just stirs the pot in the world to read how dumb is he?????
I seriously didn't know liberals were that far gone and anti-American that they would come out in droves in support of Ahmadinejad and Iran. I loath Obama for economic and ideological reasons, but if he said something against Ahmadinejad I would be fine with it. Today liberals surprised me, I didn't think that was possible.
An insult to Monkeys.
yea i lmao on most of what everyone said on that post , welcome to to 1960 hahaa , send a piggy in space why a monkey they cant eat me ahaha oink oink hahahaa wee wee eweeew eee wee haahaha
McCain has insulted every man, woman, and child, outside of those whom are not of northern European decent. McCain is clearly not playing with a full deck these days in light of his many bombastic statements and tyrades. and his recent streams of overblown, maniacal rantings.
Former Nirvana Groupie..
Now Heads up the Liberal Institute for Manatees...
hey truthseeker, you should loo kup where Mccain was born because his ass wasnt born in america. shmuck
It was a stupid ignorant comment. By a senile old fart that needs to go to a rest home.
If we still used pony express like he used to send his mail it would have been no big deal.
In the computer age it goes around the world in minutes.
Some terrorist will see this and blow someone up.
Any fool that thinks what he did was OK is as big a racist bigot as he is.
The main reason we can't get the world to listen is exactly crap like this.
If you don't have anything intelligent to say STFU or it will get someone killed.
stupid ignorant reply by a young fart ...
With OCCU=PLOP..Still stuck..on his shoes
I have to disagree with Sen.McCain he does not look like a monkey,he looks like Hilter`s bastard brother dog Dickface
But Gangnam is not a senator representing the congress of the United States and never will be , And Mccain needs to retire..
Has McCain lost his mind? Yes or No! Just answer the question. Was the surge in mindless thought good or bad? Let the record show a joke of a senator.
i fill bad about that poor old monkey now , it was not old when they duct taped him in , but when monkey got back looked gray hahahaa oink oink , hahaha
The word racism has been used so much by the left in the past 5 years that it has LOST ALL RELEVANCE!!!!!!! It means nothing anymore.....
thank you
Hey, quit picking on old John McCain, the jackass.
Just kidding, can't anyone take a joke?
Hum. Now which race are you insulting by calling them monkey??? Which one? And bear in mind. To be a racial comment it can only apply to one race.