Politics

McCain Clashes with Constituents Over Syria

Arizonans against a military intervention.

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Some of John McCain's constituents aren't very happy with his support for military intervention in Syria. Tom Kludt reports in TPM that the senator

was grilled at a pair of town halls Thursday in Arizona by constituents who expressed strident opposition to military intervention in Syria.

McCain, one of the most vocal [supporters] for military action in Syria, was berated at two events held in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz. In Phoenix, McCain was shouted down angrily by a man.

"You don't respect our view," the man yelled. "We didn't send you to get war for us! We sent you to stop the war!"…

A woman there urged McCain to search for a diplomatic solution in Syria, telling the senator that "we cannot afford to shed more Syrian blood." The woman's mention of the word "diplomacy" prompted McCain to raise his eyebrows. At one point during the Phoenix event, a man stood next to McCain while holding a sign that read, "Don't Bomb Syria!!!"

McCain received an even rowdier reception in Tucson, where police escorted out two men who disrupted the event, according to the Arizona Daily Star. The Daily Star reported that the Republican was repeatedly drowned out by jeers and that a veteran walked out of the event because he was upset with one of McCain's answers.

If you'd like to see a video of the woman who said "we cannot afford to shed more Syrian blood," go here. She introduces herself by telling the senator that she's "always been a loyal supporter of you…since the Keating Five," which on reflection should be the default greeting for anyone meeting McCain.