John McCain Racist Tweet: Senator Tweets About Iran President Ahmadinejad, Draws Ire Of Republican Congressman Justin Amash

Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., is in a little bit of hot water after posting what some are calling a racist tweet on Twitter earlier today.

On Twitter, McCain compared Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to a monkey, drawing the ire of almost everyone on Twitter, including fellow Republican congressmen.

Earlier on Monday, Ahmadinejad said he wanted to be the first Iranian astronaut, after reports surfaced that the Middle Eastern country sent a monkey into space (reports that actually might be false, according to Gawker). In response to Ahmadinejad’s remarks, McCain turned to Twitter and wrote to his 1.1 million Twitter followers, “So Ahmadinejad wants to be first Iranian in space -- wasn't he just there last week? ‘Iran launches monkey into space.’”

So Ahmadinejad wants to be first Iranian in space - wasn't he just there last week? "Iran launches monkey into space" news.yahoo.com/iran-launches-…
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) February 4, 2013

McCain then tweeted again, saying that people should lighten up and that it was just a “joke.” Due to the number of people who disagreed with the senator on Twitter, it seems like most people don’t consider the joke to be funny, or even in good taste.

People immediately started tweeting at the longtime senator and multiple-time presidential candidate, showing their displeasure. Here are a few of the best:

@hocinedim @senjohnmccain That is absolutely disgusting. Criticism of Ahmadinejad fine. Racist slurs are not.
— Rachel Moss (@menysnoweballes) February 4, 2013

@hocinedim Wow, the sad part is you're being offensive now and taking things to a whole new level. It's a bad joke, get over it.
— Jessica McDonald (@JessicaJMcD) February 4, 2013

How John McCain Got That Dumb Ahmadinejad Joke Up So Fast
— Adrian Chen (@AdrianChen) February 4, 2013

I do appreciate that John McCain is engaged in a nearly never-ending campaign to remind us why we're glad he is isn't president.
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) February 4, 2013

Republican Congressman Justin Amash, an Arab-American from Michgan’s Third District, was one of the more notable critics of McCain’s tweets.

Whoa.“@senjohnmccain: So Ahmadinejad wants to be first Iranian in space - wasn't he just there last week? "Iran launches monkey into space"”
— Justin Amash (@repjustinamash) February 4, 2013

@_freeradical I can't believe he hasn't deleted it & apologized yet.
— Justin Amash (@repjustinamash) February 4, 2013

Maybe you should wisen up & not make racist jokes. “@senjohnmccain: Re: Iran space tweet - lighten up folks, can't everyone take a joke?”
— Justin Amash (@repjustinamash) February 4, 2013

Amash has more than 17,000 Twitter followers -- not even close to the amount of reach that McCain has on the social network, but his tweet to McCain has gotten more than 250 retweets and counting. According to Business Insider, the 31-year-old congressman is an up-and-coming libertarian conservative, with similarities to ex-presidential candidate Ron Paul. It also seems like Amash has no problem speaking out against the Republican party when he disagrees with them or their leadership. Amash was one of the more vocal critics that publicly disagreed with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, during the recent budgetary crisis.

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