John McCain Is Very Upset Chuck Todd Made Fun Of Him
"It's not like further evidence was needed to prove the liberal bias at MSNBC and in the mainstream media, but Chuck Todd's 'hot mic' comments asking if anyone 'checked on' Senator McCain for 'heart palpitations' over General Petraeus' remarks on Iraq show just how quickly the media will try and discredit Senator McCain and anyone who questions President Obama," McCain Communications Director Brian Rogers declared in a statement.
The alleged hot mic incident occurred Thursday before President Barack Obama announced he would send a limited force of 300 advisers in Iraq. According to Mediaite, Todd and Fox News' Ed Henry mocked McCain over Petraeus' Wednesday warning against further intervention in Iraq.
Todd was quoted asking if anyone "checked on" McCain, who has been a staunch supporter of military intervention in Iraq, following Petraeus' remarks. (The "hot mic" recording does not clearly show Todd speaking.)
"I've got to think McCain must have had heart palpitations," Todd joked.
But McCain's spokesman argued Petraeus' position was actually more nuanced. Rogers pointed to a Thursday report indicating Petraeus supported targeted strikes against the anti-government military forces in Iraq.
"It should be embarrassing for MSNBC - but likely isn't - to see that in another interview just one day later General Petraeus said he would support targeted strikes against the ISIS terrorist army in Iraq, which is what Senator McCain has advocated - so no 'heart palpitations' necessary," he snarked.
McCain is no stranger to media criticism. Rogers similarly fumed at Politico in May for misrepresenting the senator's policy views.
An MSNBC rep did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider.