Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) earned some applause inside a Senate Armed Services hearing after he lashed out at protestors on Thursday, calling them "disgraceful" and "low-life scum" for having loudly interrupted former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Kissinger and two other former Secretaries of State, Madeleine Albright and George Shultz, were testifying at the opening of a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing about U.S. national security and global challenges on Thursday morning when a protest broke out, The Huffington Post reported. "Arrest Henry Kissinger for war crimes!" the protesters chanted while holding up signs behind the Nixon-era diplomat.
As the chanting went on, McCain could be heard summoning U.S. Capitol Police. The protestors, from the group CodePink, were then immediately led away by officers, with McCain apologizing to Kissinger for the two-minute disruption.
"I've been a member of this committee for many years, and I have never seen anything as disgraceful and outrageous and despicable as the last demonstration that just took place," said McCain, who chairs the committee.
But when another outburst took place a short time later, the senator threatened to have the demonstrators arrested.
"You know, you're going to have to shut up, or I'm going to have you arrested," McCain said as Capitol Hill Police tried to remove the protesters. "Get out of here you low-life scum."
As the protestors were escorted out of the room, others in the hearing room applauded, according to ABC News.
However prior to Kissinger's opening statement in the hearing, he was again interrupted. But the 91-year-old, who was known as a controversial figure during the Nixon and Ford administrations, refused to acknowledge the protestors.
"Dr. Kissinger, I hope on behalf of all of the members of this committee on both sides of the aisle -- in fact, from all of my colleagues, I'd like to apologize for allowing such disgraceful behavior towards a man who served his country with the greatest distinction," McCain said. "I apologize profusely."
Among some of the demonstrations on Thursday, protestors referenced the secret U.S. bombing campaign in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, and other Nixon-era actions he was involved in.
Shortly after the mayhem was over, McCain, who served in Vietnam, explained his personal connection to Kissinger and thanked the 91-year-old for saving his honor.
"While McCain was imprisoned in Hanoi during the Vietnam War, Kissinger is said to have refused an offer to bring McCain home with him during final talks to end the war," Fox News reported. "As McCain tells it, Kissinger said he would be brought home in the same order as the other prisoners, knowing that to do otherwise would imply favoritism."
