john mccain destroys and embarrasses islamophobic fox news host with a single question

Republican Senator John McCain is standing with President Barack Obama Obama in support of military intervention in the Syrian civil war that has claimed the lives of more than 100,000. Government and intelligence officials say that evidence strongly indicates that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has used the illegal chemical weapon known as Sarin against rebel forces. As a result, President Obama is asking Congress to approve military action against the middle eastern nation.
Of course, McCain’s support of Obama has sent conservative media into a tizzy, including radio host Laura Ingraham, who criticized the Arizona Senator and Vietnam veteran for siding with the President. So when he appeared on Fox & Friends on Monday, host Brian Kilmeade asked McCain about Ingraham’s rant. McCain not only smacked her down for her comments, he laughed at her.

KILMEADE: “She feels as though you’re bailing him out of a misguided, confused policy. Now when you come out to the microphones and say, ‘Hey, we got to support this,’ that people can’t understand where that came from.’”

 

MCCAIN: First of all, I didn’t say, ‘Hey, we got to support this.’ Second of all, I was encouraged when the president commits to increasing our support for the Free Syrian Army, for providing them with weapons that they need to combat Bashar al-Assad, and to degrade the capabilities of the Syrians to deliver these chemical weapons and other weapons. So, I just beg to differ, I’m sure that with her vast knowledge of military tactics and strategy, she knows better than me.”

McCain chuckled upon mocking Ingraham and Kilmeade moved on. Unfortunately, Kilmeade decided to demonstrate his anti-Muslim hatred by complaining about a video of a group of rebels shouting “Allahu Akbar” to thank God for their successful strike. Kilmeade attempted to justify not helping the Syrian rebels just because they were praising God. McCain promptly took him to the woodshed for his Islamophobia and shut him up with one simple question.

KILMEADE: “I have a problem helping those people out, if they’re screaming that after a hit.”
MCCAIN: “Would you have a problem with American Christians saying, ‘Thank God, thank God’? That’s what they’re saying. Come on. Of course, they are Muslims, but they are moderates. And I guarantee you that they are moderates.”

It’s great to see him unashamedly supporting President Obama instead of being the angry old man who refuses to cross the aisle and work with him. Unlike President Bush, President Obama is doing the right thing by seeking the approval of Congress to take military action in Syria. It’s not weakness as many conservatives claim. Having the support of Congress makes any decision against Syria that much stronger. Instead of a unilateral action that is certain to divide, Congressional approval can only help unify American response and add more weight to it.
More importantly, however, is McCain’s defense of Muslims. Since 9/11, anti-Muslim fervor has run rampant through conservative ranks. Innocent Muslims, both in America and abroad have been villainized by Republicans and conservative media simply because a finite few have turned to extremism and terrorism to advance their cause.. As a consequence, Americans are viewed with disdain by Muslims who believe our nation hates them, thus making it more difficult to find allies and friends among countries in the Middle East. By standing up to Fox’s Islamophobia, McCain is showing that such hatred and stereotyping of Muslims is wrong, especially since a good many Christians have turned to extremism as well here in America. Some, such as Tim McVeigh, committed acts of terrorism. It would seem that McCain is resurrecting the maverick that has been absent for so long. If America is going to help Syria, we need to change our image. We need to change how Muslims around the world view us. Calling out the anti-Muslim prejudice of conservatives is a good place to begin.