Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) quickly tried to diffuse a controversy that popped up after a Washington Post photographer captured a shot of him playing poker on his iPhone during a Senate hearing on Syria Tuesday.
Shortly before 6 p.m. ET, the WaPo posted evidence of McCain's fooling around during the hearing, which was shot by photographer Melina Mara.
It quickly gained traction on Twitter. And within minutes, the Drudge Report splashed the photograph with an unflattering headline: "MCCAIN PLAYS POKER DURING WAR HEARING."
McCain joked that the worst part of the story is that he lost:
Scandal! Caught playing iPhone game at 3+ hour Senate hearing - worst of all I lost!
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) September 3, 2013
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's hearing on Syria did last more than three hours, adjourning just after 6 p.m. on Tuesday. McCain has signaled that he supports President Barack Obama's plan for military action in Syria, arguing that it would be "catastrophic" if a vote in Congress fails to pass.