John McCain Caught Playing iPhone During Senate Syria Hearing

[StewShearerOld]

John McCain Caught Playing iPhone During Senate Syria Hearing

Senator John McCain was caught playing virtual poker during a hearing about potential US involvement in the Syrian civil war.

When you really think about it, multitasking is one of the most useful skills a person can invest in. After all, we're only on this planet for a finite amount of time and it makes sense to do as much as we can with the time we have. Even so, there are still occasions when some focused attention is warranted. Talking on the phone during a movie for instance, is pretty bad form. Nor would we suggest reading a book during a funeral. We can also say with some confidence that if you're a Senator and former presidential candidate, you should probably be paying attention during a Senate hearing discussing whether or not to attack another country.

That last bit was apparently too much to ask to of Senator John McCain who, during a three hour Senate hearing on <a href=http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/30/world/europe/syria-civil-war>potential American involvement in the Syrian civil war, was caught by reporters playing poker on his iPhone. After discovering that pictures of his mobile gaming had been published online by the Washington Post, McCain replied with a somewhat <a href=https://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/status/375022721169506305>sarcastic Tweet. "Scandal," he said. "Caught playing iPhone game at 3+ hour Senate hearing- worst of all I lost!"

Now granted, McCain is already a <a href=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/john-mccain-syria_n_3859409.html>supporter of American intervention in Syria so he probably figured it was no big deal to catch up on his virtual poker. Then again, the man's job is pretty much just to attend hearings and make decisions based off of what happens during them. You'd think he could maybe put his all into this, especially considering how well unilateral American military actions have turned out in the past.

Source: <a href=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics-live/the-senates-syria-hearing-live-updates/?id=ed01ca14-222b-4a23-b12c-c0b0d9d4fe0a>The Washington Post


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[Teoes]

Serious comments on a story of this nature are completely worthless; we can wag our finger at the Senator.. and that's about it.

So instead let's joke about how this just shows games r evul!

I understand the man's plight though. I often wonder if the folks in the office across the road will rat me out for posting on the Escapist when I should be working.

 

[T3hSource]

I like this guy, he isn't acting like the rest of the senate, he comes out and laughs at the yellow media and incompetence.
Though I don't like his support for 'Murica to police the world, when 'merica can't police itself.

 

[kael013]

This sums up American politics pretty well. The man's made a decision, so obviously he doesn't need to hear any facts (or listen to whether the other side's got any valid points), he just needs to vote.

Still, I can understand. 3 hours straight is a bit too much.

 

[M920CAIN]

Politicians sleep during voting sessions in my corrupt country. This is nothing.

 

[Jumwa]

This sums up American politics pretty well. The man's made a decision, so obviously he doesn't need to hear any facts (or listen to whether the other side's got any valid points), he just needs to vote.

Still, I can understand. 3 hours straight is a bit too much.

Yeah, the decision to go to war and murder countless people should be capped off at two hours, tops.

But as for the first point, that's a huge problem with American politics, and where Canadian politics is headed too.

It's hard to believe now that back in the 80's, Conservatives and Liberals got together, studied the evidence, and both came to a consensus based on it to reform our justice and penal system, for instance. Now it's all about "supporting YOUR team" or ideology, regardless if that ideology matches up with the reality or not.

 

[Me55enger]

"So are we prepared for this gentlemen? This declaration, if passed, will risk the lives of Americans, cause the loss of life of Syrian soliders and potentially innocent civi-"

"YES ROYAL FLUSH. TAKE THAT YOU BASTARDS!"

 

[kael013]

This sums up American politics pretty well. The man's made a decision, so obviously he doesn't need to hear any facts (or listen to whether the other side's got any valid points), he just needs to vote.

Still, I can understand. 3 hours straight is a bit too much.

Yeah, the decision to go to war and murder countless people should be capped off at two hours, tops.

But as for the first point, that's a huge problem with American politics, and where Canadian politics is headed too.

Chill man. I was just making a joke. I think they should take as much time as necessary before making the decision. Still, how long can it take to say "if we go to war this, this, and this will most likely happen, but if we don't go to war this, this, and this will most likely happen"? I'll bet most of that hearing was probably veiled political posturing.

 

[Jumwa]

Chill man. I was just making a joke. I think they should take as much time as necessary before making the decision. Still, how long can it take to say "if we go to war this, this, and this will most likely happen, but if we don't go to war this, this, and this will most likely happen"? I'll bet most of that hearing was probably veiled political posturing.

So what wasn't chill about my totally tepid response?

But there's plenty to hear about on the issue. The world isn't so simple that complex issues can be spelled out so succinctly while doing it justice.

Politicians should be calling on experts to come testify and present evidence for them on majour issues, to hear the results of studies and such.

But really, we don't allow kids to do this, and they spend far more than three hours listening to boring people talk about things they don't care about. And kids have far less patience than adults. So why is it unreasonable to expect the same from our senior politicians on important issues than we do from kids during a mundane day?

 

[ash12181987]

I kind of want to know what his high score is on fruit ninja.

 

[Guffe]

No break?
Damn a 90 min lesson in school gets tiresome after the ait gets all damp in the classroom.
3+ hours I understand you could need a break.
Wonder what other games he's been playing during hearings...
Well at least he won't be allowed to vote against the "away with phones from classrooms" thing

 

[Entitled]

This sums up American politics pretty well. The man's made a decision, so obviously he doesn't need to hear any facts (or listen to whether the other side's got any valid points), he just needs to vote.

As opposed to what other country's politics?

 

[Gerishnakov]

I've long thought, well since 2008 anyway, that John McCain just doesn't give a shit any more and is just daring the voters to turf him out.

 

[Hazy992]

He's been one of the most vocal proponents for intervention in Syria, yet when he's asked to hear the case for and against it he can't even be bothered to listen. I mean its's not like you need to hear "facts" or see "evidence" before voting on something as insignificant as military intervention ¬_¬

John McCain you are a fucking asshole.

 

[mistwolf]

I dislike McCain for many reasons, not the least of which is I am a hippie freak. But I'm just not feeling the OMGHOWCOULDYOU on this one. phone poker games tend to be pretty slow regardless, I can't someone like him is really going to struggle with listening to a briefing he already knows everything about while playing (Badly, it seems) some poker thing. He's not exactly Rick Santorum who would need three hours to learn to spell 'Syria' before he'd bomb the I and A off it.

Can't imagine that it is a good thing for security, though, to be running random sketchy poker apps. >.>

 

[tmande2nd]

Anyone ever been in a VERY LONG ASS lecture or speech or seminar?

You could play a game of Monopoly in some of them and not miss anything!
Now granted this does look bad.

But at which point he is playing may lessen it.
I mean it could have just been two people arguing in circles.
Or something they went over already.

Admit it...most of us could not sit through three straight HOURS of something without letting our mind wander.

I had three hour once a week courses.
We NEEDED a 15 minute break in it because no one could pay attention through the entire damn thing.

Still it does look bad for an elected official in a war committee to be doing that.
At least he was not looking at porn.

 

[LordMonty]

This is more fun to talk about than syria.

 

[Makabriel]

Chill man. I was just making a joke. I think they should take as much time as necessary before making the decision. Still, how long can it take to say "if we go to war this, this, and this will most likely happen, but if we don't go to war this, this, and this will most likely happen"? I'll bet most of that hearing was probably veiled political posturing.

You haven't been to very many business meetings have you? You'd be surprised at how many ways a person can reach the same conclusion on a matter. Many meetings I sit in on I've known the outcome in the first 5 minutes, but we sit there for another 45 re-hashing the issue from every angle.

 

[kael013]

This sums up American politics pretty well. The man's made a decision, so obviously he doesn't need to hear any facts (or listen to whether the other side's got any valid points), he just needs to vote.

As opposed to what other country's politics?

Um, North Korea's? They don't vote on stuff there. I'm American and I don't keep track of the world's politics, so I can't really comment on other country's politics, just my own. However, I doubt that [i/]every[/i] country's politics is about "what's best for MY group?" There has to be some politicians out there who still think about what's best for their country as a whole and work with the other political groups to figure out what that is and how to make it reality.

Chill man. I was just making a joke. I think they should take as much time as necessary before making the decision. Still, how long can it take to say "if we go to war this, this, and this will most likely happen, but if we don't go to war this, this, and this will most likely happen"? I'll bet most of that hearing was probably veiled political posturing.

So what wasn't chill about my totally tepid response?

Eh, nothing. I read it as a hostile response when you probably didn't mean it that way. Sorry.

[quote/]But there's plenty to hear about on the issue. The world isn't so simple that complex issues can be spelled out so succinctly while doing it justice.

Politicians should be calling on experts to come testify and present evidence for them on majour issues, to hear the results of studies and such.

But really, we don't allow kids to do this, and they spend far more than three hours listening to boring people talk about things they don't care about. And kids have far less patience than adults. So why is it unreasonable to expect the same from our senior politicians on important issues than we do from kids during a mundane day?[/quote]

You're right, it isn't. And I forgot about the reports by experts (I tend to think purely of the politicians and them making speeches and debates), but taking them it account, yeah I can see how it would be longer than 3 hours.

You haven't been to very many business meetings have you?

Well, my job involves helping sick/injured people stay alive long enough for me to get them to a hospital, so nope. I'm just giving a layman's opinion on the issue.

 

[Sidmen]

He's been one of the most vocal proponents for intervention in Syria, yet when he's asked to hear the case for and against it he can't even be bothered to listen. I mean its's not like you need to hear "facts" or see "evidence" before voting on something as insignificant as military intervention ¬_¬

John McCain you are a fucking asshole.

Alternatively, Senator McCain became bored because he's listening to someone talk about something he's already well-informed on. Since, you know, he's personally interested in the conflict and has almost certainly invested time into reading all the reports about it.

Briefings like this are for those Senators that haven't been following the situation on their own - mostly because its a rather unimportant conflict in the middle of nowhere that isn't of strategic concern for the USA. McCain is there for appearances' sake.

Ugh, I just defended McCain. You made me defend McCain. I hope you're proud...

*takes shower to wash off the shame*