--- title: Sen John McCain Calls Henry Kissinger Protesters "Low-Life Scum" description: Sen. John McCain yelled at protesters at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday, calling them "disgraceful" and "low-life scum." canonical: https://time.com/3687891/mccain-kissinger-protest/ author: Tessa Berenson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-29T17:21:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T09:02:39.196Z article:section: Politics og:title: John McCain Calls Kissinger Protesters 'Low-Life Scum' og:description: Channels his inner Clint Eastwood og:url: https://time.com/3687891/mccain-kissinger-protest/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf29ad3bf1aba01ea/69869c3f55a859dda9a81d83/john-mccain-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: John McCain Discusses The Situation In Iraq At American Enterprise Institute og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: John McCain Calls Kissinger Protesters 'Low-Life Scum' twitter:description: Channels his inner Clint Eastwood twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf29ad3bf1aba01ea/69869c3f55a859dda9a81d83/john-mccain-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch John McCain Call Kissinger Protesters 'Low-Life Scum' > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=4ebbb7e0-5c9a-4a2c-919c-d23f27f40d4f&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Watch Sen. John McCain Call Kissinger Protesters 'Low Life Scum' [Watch (HLS stream): Watch Sen. John McCain Call Kissinger Protesters 'Low Life Scum'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/9lExl3S7.m3u8) (2:57)  _Published 2015-01-29. Watch Sen. John McCain Call Kissinger Protesters 'Low Life Scum'_  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Jan 29, 2015 5:21 PM UTC  by [Tessa Berenson](https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Jan 29, 2015 5:21 PM UTC Sen. John McCain channeled his inner Clint Eastwood at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday, calling protestors who broke in “disgraceful” and “low-life scum.” The protesters began their demonstration as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger entered to give his testimony in a hearing on national security and global concerns. For over one minute they chanted, “Arrest Henry Kissinger for war crimes,” until they were escorted away. McCain, who chairs the committee, then apologized to Kissinger and the rest of the speakers, saying, “I have never seen anything as disgraceful and outrageous and despicable as the last demonstration that just took place.” Watch the video here. ## Transcript Well, good morning all. Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes. Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes. Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes. The committee will stand in recess. Kissinger for War Crimes! [ CROSSTALK ] Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes! Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes! Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes! Could I Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes! Could I ask our, capitol police to help restore order here. For war crimes. Arrest Henry Kissinger. You know. For war crimes. Arrest Henry Kissinger for war crimes. [ CROSSTALK ] Can someone find where the capitol police is? Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes. Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes. Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes. In the name- Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes. In the name of the people of Chile. Arrest Henry Kissinger for War Crimes. In the name of the people of Vietnam. We don't want to hear from you anymore. In the name of the people of Chile. In the name of the people of Vietnam. In the name of the people of East Timor. You know ,. In the name of the people of Cambodia. In the name of the people of Laos. [ INAUDIBLE ] I'd like to say to my colleagues and to our distinguished witnesses this morning that I have I've been a member of this committee for many years and I have never seen anything as disgraceful. And outrageous and despicable as the last demonstration that just took place about, you know, you're gonna have to shut up or I'm gonna have you arrested. If we can't get the capital hill police in here, immediately Get out of here you low life scum. [ APPLAUSE ]. [ APPLAUSE ] So, Henry, I hope you will, Dr. Kissinger, I hope, on behalf all of the members of this committee on both sides of the aisle. In fact, from all of my colleagues, I'd like to apologize for allowing such. Disgraceful behavior towards a man who served his country with the greatest distinction. 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