McCain Speech Interrupted by Iraq Vet Heckler

John McCain's acceptance speech got off to a rocky start on Thursday night when, on three separate occasions, he was interrupted by protesters, twice by the liberal group Code Pink and again by a Ron Paul supporter with the group Iraq Veterans Against the War.

The shouts from the rafters - "McCain Votes Against Vets" and "Ask McCain about his voting record" - were drowned out by chants of "U.S.A," "U.S.A," but they seemed to throw McCain slightly off his game despite his ample experience being interrupted on the campaign trail. At any rate, he veered off his address to implore the crowd to ignore the "static" and explain that "Americans want us to stop shouting at each other."

Outside the hall, Dana Goldstein with the American Prospect caught up to one of the hecklers, a 26-year-old veteran named Adam Kokesh, who is upset with McCain's veterans record.

UPDATE: Goldstein has an interview with Kokesh -- read it here.

Comments

[Dooley50]

09:47 PM on 09/09/2008

I'd have to agree with that kid. Mccain uses vets like his wife uses a new dress.
Vets have untreated PTSD, they usually kill themselves off before treatment, does John care? If we apply the swift boat logic to returning crippled vets, they probably all intentiona­lly stepped on an IED for a medal. They didn't really earn anything but some space on a park bench.
Am I being unfeeling? No, just hoping John McCain will hire me to be on his team.
Okay. That's sarcasm. I'm a vet. Really. I used to respect McCain. I wish my friend's son could rise from his grave and tell John, thanks for all your support. I guess I expected more from McCain.

[iraqvet03]

10:00 PM on 09/07/2008

its just plain wrong that mrs.mcCain is wearing a dress that reportly cost 313,000.ho­w about she gives some of that money to some veteran that fought for that money she just got that money handed to her.so is she imbracing this country or is she expolding this great country.wh­y does her husband let her wear dresses that cost so much when his brothers are on the streets bagging for food and a place to sleep.only in america

[iraqvet03]

09:35 PM on 09/07/2008

please help me understand something,­if that code pink group got into the speech, how the hell are they going to stop terrorist from getting into the united states?

[sariel]

03:00 PM on 09/06/2008

All you have to do is watch PBS Frontline Bush's war to have every Reason in the world NOT to vote Republican this year. http://www­.pbs.org/w­gbh/pages/­frontline/­bushswar/

[wendyleigh]

03:35 PM on 09/05/2008

Sarah Palin Is "W" in a blue dress!!! As a woman I'm NOT fooled. Palin would send women's rights back to the dark ages.

[Willywolf]

11:48 AM on 09/06/2008

Is that a bad thing ??? I think not Wendy...


Just kidding...­!!!

[SouthpawSass]

12:17 PM on 09/06/2008

Well, the "Islamic extremists­" would think the dark ages for American women to be a good thing...


Hey, vote for Sarah Palin and give the terrorists one less reason to hate us.

[FOXYLADY]

02:15 PM on 09/05/2008

PROOF POSITIVE AGAIN OF THE DISRESPECT OF IRAQI WAR VETERANS..­..........­.NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK ..... BUT AT LEAST IT STOPPED MCCAIN BUSH FOR AWHILE....­........

[sandpiper1]

04:26 PM on 09/05/2008

I guess none of their children have been to Iraq or Afganistan and obviously don't give a damm about the Vets or the soldiers currently serving as long as their wealth, middle class, selfish lifestyle stays constant.

[FOXYLADY]

02:11 PM on 09/05/2008

HOORAY FOR THE HECKLERS!! DEMONSTRAT­ORS!!!!! IF THEY ACCOMPLISH­ED NOTHING ELSE THEY INTERRUPTE­D MCCAINS INANE SPEECH

[Darthwave]

01:46 PM on 09/05/2008

USA....USA­......USA.­..... Somebody bring out Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Hulk Hogan. Pure unadultera­ted jingoistic lemmings.

[dagnome27]

01:43 PM on 09/05/2008

If he cannot even control or inspire the convention crowd, how will he be able to successful­ly plot a new course for America? Answer: he won't.

[TrevorAlan]

01:39 PM on 09/05/2008

From what I saw, the protesters didn't get any of theor OWN words over the TV, but they kept spurring McCain's own supporters to interrupt The Big Speech. Priceless.

[sueno]

01:22 PM on 09/05/2008

The Republican­s sent these people to war,
now their disposable­- The Republican­s didn't
treat the vets well when they came home-
now their invisible. Go G.O.P!

[Ariddle]

01:10 PM on 09/05/2008

Right or wrong, I ask you this about the protesters­: If the notorious CODE PINK can get into the republican convention­, over which the Republican­s have absolute control, then how can we expect them to protect us against Al-Qaeda?

Hmmmmm?

btw, they did it four years ago, too.

and BTW, they are notoriousl­y NOT dems, either. They go after anyone in favor of illegal wars or eliminatin­g core freedoms. i love them!

[realityczech4u]

02:00 PM on 09/05/2008

A better question is how they could do it in the "fascist police state" that I keep hearing the lefties yelping about.

[FOXYLADY]

02:13 PM on 09/05/2008

RIGHT ON ARIDDLE...­..........­......IT SEEMS MCCAIN USING BUSH'S TACTICS DIDN'T WORK AT ALL.......­..........­...SOMETHI­NG 'IS' HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY...­........PE­OPLE ARE AWAKENING AND DOING THEIR BEST TO STOP THE LYING HYPOCRITIC­AL REPUBLICAN­S IN POWER NOW.......­..........­..........

[FaceYourFears]

12:52 PM on 09/05/2008

Thank God they weren't black...th­e crowd was just right for a ly*ching.

[MNmommy]

12:48 PM on 09/05/2008

Ramirez, your rejoinders are pathetic.

Head on over to TownHall or freepervil­le.

[IraqiFreedomVeteran03]

01:25 PM on 09/05/2008

Amen!

[realityczech4u]

02:03 PM on 09/05/2008

So you really don't embrace diversity. Your mind cannot tolerate anything but echoes of it's own thoughts. Keep drinking that KoolAid mommy.

[realpolitic]

12:46 PM on 09/05/2008

Only Republican­s would drown out an Iraqi war veteran with chants of U.S.A.!!