Sen. Levin vs. Code Pink: Goes Off on War Protesters, Accuses Them of 'Acting Very War-Like'

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) turned in an epic gavel-wielding, gavel-banging, gavel-pointing performance today in combat with the antiwar group Code Pink at a hearing on ISIS.

A sampling of the Levin Smackdown:

LEVIN: OK. Would you — we’re asking you again to please sit down, and if not, we’re gonna ask you to leave.

PROTESTER: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: No, thank you. Thank you for — would you please now leave?

PROTESTER: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: Would you please now leave?

PROTESTER: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: I’m asking you to please leave.

PROTESTER: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: You’re acting very war-like yourself.

PROTESTER: No more war.

LEVIN: Would you please leave?

PROTESTER: (OFF-MIKE) We do not want war. No military solution to this. No more war. No more war. No military solution.

And later…

LEVIN: We’re asking you nicely. We’re asking you nicely to please leave the room.

PROTESTERS: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: Look, we’re asking you nicely. Would you please leave the room. Thank you.

PROTESTERS: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: We ask you for the last time. Thank you very much.

PROTESTERS: If the U.S. (inaudible) the way for ISIL. U.S. military will not be (inaudible) and its counterproductive.

LEVIN: General Dempsey, as soon as the noise is removed from the room…

PROTESTERS: … war. We’ve had 13 years of…

LEVIN: We would ask all of you to avoid these kind of outbursts. They’re not doing anybody any good, including hearing what this testimony is, and they’re not doing you and whatever your cause is any good either.

PROTESTERS: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: Thank you very much. Would you please — I’m asking you nicely to please leave the room.

PROTESTER: Please, Senator. (inaudible) the issues. Bring in (inaudible).

LEVIN: Thank you very much. Good-bye. Good-bye. Thank you.

And more…

PROTESTER: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: Would you please — please be quiet?

I’m asking you now to please leave the room.

Please remove this lady.

PROTESTER: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: Please remove her. The disruptions are not gonna be acceptable to anybody.

PROTESTER: (OFF-MIKE)

LEVIN: I ask you to remove the lady. Please remove the lady from the room. Thank you very much (inaudible).

When singled out for heckling, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) chuckled and quipped, “I always appreciate special attention from this group, Mr. Chairman.”