McCain gets testy with reporters after ‘don’t ask’ vote

After leading Republicans in blocking the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" Tuesday, Sen. John McCain became testy with two reporters who pushed him on some of the more controversial features of the military's ban on openly gay service.

Reporter Kerry Eleveld of the Advocate, a gay magazine, asked McCain about troops' private emails being searched by the military to prove they were gay. "We do not go out and seek. Regulations are, we do not go out and seek to find out if someone's sexual orientation. We do not," McCain shot back. When she began to press him further on the issue, McCain raised his voice.

MCCAIN: That is the fact. That is the fact. Now, ma'am, I know the military very well, and I know what's being done. And what is being done is that they are not seeking out people who are gay. And I don't care what you say, I know it's a fact.

ELEVELD: It's not what I say.

MCCAIN: I don't care what you say. And I don't care what others say. I've seen it in action. I've seen it in action. I have sons in the military, I know the military very well. So they're not telling you the truth.

He then began repeating "It's not the policy," again and again, as the reporters brought up the case of Air Force Maj. Mike Almy, who was discharged after his emails were searched. Here's the video of the exchange:

Almy said Tuesday night that he was "stunned" and "shocked" at McCain's claims because he testified in front of McCain and the rest of the Senate Armed Services Committee about his dismissal from the Air Force after investigators searched his emails. (Read his testimony here.)

"The simple truth is the Air Force searched my emails in 2005 ... in Iraq ... solely to determine whether I violated 'don't ask, don't tell,' " Almy told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. "I would love him to look me directly in the eye and tell me that the military does not search private emails, because I know for a fact that's not true."

[Photos: More images of Senator John McCain]

McCain has been at the center of the debate over the "don't ask" repeal, soliciting letters from the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines to declare they were not ready to repeal the policy. He chided Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Adm. Mike Mullen for telling Congress in February that they agreed with the repeal. On the floor Tuesday, he said he has no position on the policy, but urged that Congress take no action until the military's review of the policy is finished Dec. 1. He accused Democrats of using the "don't ask" repeal as a "political ploy" to gain votes.

Here's a clip of Almy telling Maddow he was "shocked" at McCain's speech to reporters:

(Photo of McCain: AP)

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