During a House committee hearing, Mike McCaul had a heated exchange with Darrell Issa, bluntly telling him to “go f*** yourself
When Diplomacy Falters: Chairman Mike McCaul’s Candid Hot Mic Moment
It was a day like any other in the chambers of the House Foreign Affairs Committee until Chairman Mike McCaul (R-TX) unknowingly turned up the heat with a hot mic incident. In the midst of procedural decorum, McCaul’s unexpected remark sparked more than just policy debates.
The Incident
The committee room, sparsely populated with members, echoed with the voice of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) who, in the fervor of discussion, seemed to linger a bit too long during his turn to speak.
- “We’ve been keeping a five-minute rule,” McCaul gently reminded Issa.
- “I thought it was done. I thought it was a closing act, chairman,” Issa countered, misunderstanding the procedure.
It was then, perhaps forgetting the reach of his microphone, McCaul muttered a phrase more at home in a schoolyard spat than a government meeting:
“Yeah, go f*** yourself.”
The Aftermath
The chairman’s words were not meant for public consumption, yet once aired, they became the talk of the town. Facing the music, McCaul acknowledged his blunder with a straightforward apology, citing a long day and a short fuse as culprits for his outburst.
“That is uncharacteristic of me and I apologize to Mr. Issa, who I consider a friend,” McCaul conceded, in an effort to mend fences and move beyond the slip.
To read the full story, the Washington Examiner offers an extensive account. But the incident didn’t end with just an apology.
The Reactions
Never one to miss a beat, Issa took to his social media, sporting humor as his armor against the sharp phrase that had been hurled his way.
“Hey @RepMcCaul — I’ve been called worse … and by people I don’t like!” he quipped, turning a moment of tension into a shared jest. His followers were quick to resonate with this light-hearted deflection, underscoring the camaraderie that often underlies political rivalries.
The exchange between McCaul and Issa serves as a candid reminder of the human element in politics. Behind the policy arguments and parliamentary procedures, there are moments of raw emotion and humanity – a side often overshadowed by the formality of their roles.
Even the most disciplined of lawmakers can falter under stress, producing moments of unexpected candor. While this hot mic faux pas may have brought a fleeting wave of embarrassment to Chairman McCaul, it also brought a moment of levity to the hallowed halls of Congress — a reminder that, when the day is long, and tensions run high, a slip of the tongue can be just another shared story to bond over.
For the latest updates on this story, keep an eye on the feeds, where politics and personality collide in the most human of ways.
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