McCain Heckled by Keystone Protestors

John McCain delivered a nuclear non-proliferation speech this morning in Denver and was met with anti-war hecklers in four separate interruptions.

The first protester carried a spray-painted bed sheet and half-heartedly chanted "Support the troops, end the war," before being escorted away with no acknowledgment from McCain.

The second set, giggling and fumbling with their sign, elicited a response from the Senator. "It's not too important but I have town hall meetings all the time, I will be having one tomorrow, where people are allowed to come and state their views, and we exchange them." The grinning pair were then escorted away, crumpled sign in hand, "endless war" chants drowned out by the crowd chanting "John McCain."

No sooner had the Senator remarked on the previous hecklers than a third protest pair rose to the occasion. Once more unable to unfurl their message, the pair were quickly drowned out by the crowd. "This may turn into a longer speech than you had anticipated," quipped Senator McCain, and then continued more seriously, "and by the way, I will never surrender in Iraq, my friends. I will never surrender in Iraq."

The final disruption came from a man with no sign, no bedsheet, and no rhymes. He did, however, have his own videographer. Perhaps he was expecting a "Don't Tase Me, Bro" moment.

Senator McCain's temper has been the subject of much speculation recently. He certainly had an opportunity to display that temper today, but took a moment to turn the heckler's foibles to his advantage. The comic quartet of uprisings, in the end, helped the Senator more than they hurt him.