On Tuesday’s Daily Show, Jon Stewart asked Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) about his notorious recent shopping trip at a Baghdad market. McCain responded, “I had something picked out for you, too — a little IED to put on your desk.”
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) last night blasted McCain’s comment, calling it “outrageous” that he would “joke about IEDs when our kids are getting blown up!”
This morning on ABC’s Good Morning America, McCain called Murtha a hysteric. “I don’t know how to react to that kind of hysteria to a comedy show. All I’m going to say to Murtha and others. … Lighten up and get a life.” Watch it:
When he recently faced criticism over his “Bomb bomb Iran” song, McCain similarly responded, “Lighten up and get a life.” Hardly a surprise from someone who thinks it’s “fun” to “misspeak” about the war.
Transcript:
SAWYER: And you have taken it on the YouTube chin a couple of times for being yourself out there. There was the moment of the parody of the Beach Boys, Barbara Ann, Bomb Iran.
And then something you said on Jon Stewart is getting a reaction from John Murtha. I think you made a joke about IEDs, roadside bombs, with Jon Stewart. And another war veteran, John Murtha, had a reaction. And I’ll play that this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J. MCCAIN: I had something really picked out for you, too.
STEWART: Did you really?
J. MCCAIN: Yes, a nice little IED to put onto your desk.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: Well, that’s very lovely of you. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN P. MURTHA, D-PA.: Imagine a presidential candidate making a joke about IEDs, when these kids are blown apart. It’s outrageous. That individual owes an apology to every troop that serves in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAWYER: A reaction to John Murtha?
J. MCCAIN: I don’t know how to react to that kind of hysteria. On a comedy show, I’m going to use humor. When I was in combat and in tough situations, we used humor all the time. And all I can say is, to Murtha and others, Lighten up and get a life. I’m going to continue to use humor and I don’t — look, that is so — such a stretch that I can’t respond to it.
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