http://twitter.com/#!/SenJohnMcCain/status/225625502898073601

Sen. John McCain again proved why he’s every liberal’s favorite conservative today by reaching across the aisle to smack down Rep. Michele Bachmann in connection with her inquiries into the Muslim Brotherhood and its possible influence within the United States government.

McCain spoke out on the Senate floor in direct support of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s aide Huma Abedin. Bachmann had pointed out in a letter to the Inspector General of the Secretary of State that Abedin’s late father, mother and brother have connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.

McCain was effusive in his defense of Abedin:

Put simply, Huma represents what is best about America: the daughter of immigrants, who has risen to the highest levels of our government on the basis of her substantial personal merit and her abiding commitment to the American ideals that she embodies so fully. I am proud to know Huma, and to call her my friend.

He continued:

All Americans owe Huma a debt of gratitude for her many years of superior public service. I hope these ugly and unfortunate attacks on her can be immediately brought to an end and put behind us before any further damage is done to a woman, an American, of genuine patriotism and love of country.

In turn, Twitter’s praise of McCain was effusive as well.

Watch! @SenJohnMcCain makes strong stand RT @cspan: VIDEO: @SenJohnMcCain on recent attacks made on Huma Abedin http://t.co/TjQHhwH6

— Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) July 18, 2012

Good on Sen. John McCain for smacking down Michele Bachmann's attack on Huma Abedin http://t.co/iYpH5ti1

— Ed Schultz (@edshow) July 18, 2012

.@statedept on Huma Abedin & house GOP smear: the secretary very much values her wise council & support/these allegations are preposterous

— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) July 18, 2012

God bless @SenJohnMcCain for doing this: http://t.co/wdItj6RE

— Jeffrey Goldberg (@JeffreyGoldberg) July 18, 2012

I stand with #Huma. Read McCain slams Bachmann for her “unwarranted and unfounded” attack on a top aide to Secretary of State Clinton.

— Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) July 18, 2012

Rep. Bachmann’s accusations about Sec. Clinton aide Huma Abedin are out-of-line. This kind of rhetoric has no place in our public discourse

— Scott P. Brown (@SenScottBrown) July 18, 2012

I applaud @SenJohnMcCain for his powerful rejection of baseless accusations against Huma Abedin + other Muslims. (1/2) http://t.co/KLz6rinc

— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) July 19, 2012

“@SenJohnMcCain: on the matter of recent attacks made on Huma Abedin – full remarks: http://t.co/mOSV0xyK” Good on ya, Senator.

— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) July 18, 2012

Cheers for John McCain slamming Michelle Bachman's 'specious degrading ignorance http://t.co/lHCjv7ec

— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) July 19, 2012

McCain’s words apparently excuse him (at least today) from the “crazy wingnut lunatic” label.

To paraphrase Dumbledore It takes great deal more bravery to stand up to your friends You're a brave man Sen McCain http://t.co/7IO6jxSZ

— Deborah Smerek (@dsmerek) July 18, 2012

Republicans are up to their crazy shinanigans again. Please, because Huma is Muslim does not mean she is a terrorist spy. #Stupid

— Austin Halliday (@BlueNutella_) July 19, 2012

If I had to pick, John McCain is certainly on my very short list of good republicans. Spot on with this. http://t.co/dU989nBs via @guardian

— James Lusher (@LusherJ) July 18, 2012

mccain is not a #wingnut, unlike others RT @thedailybeast: McCain Defends Huma Abedin http://t.co/7gFI5Q6F #cheatsheet

— Walter Onacewicz (@WalterOnacewicz) July 18, 2012

.@AC360 talking about Michelle Bachmann's allegations re Huma. Skirting around Michelle's lunacy but covering the repercussions of it.

— Sweetbay (@sweetbay) July 19, 2012

It's nice to see Huma Abedin trending worldwide. Michele Backmann and her band of Islamophobic Republicans need to be exposed.

— Hisham Rana, MD (@hrana) July 19, 2012

Sen. John McCain told off those crazy republicans. He is a republican also but he has his sanity unlike the others.

— Max Kolbe (@PenzCee) July 19, 2012

Case closed?

Did u even READ the letters? @abcnews McCain Defends Clinton Aide Huma Abedin Against Bachmann Accusation About Muslim Brotherhood

— Christoph Lollimon (@chouston34) July 19, 2012

https://twitter.com/Viasmom/status/225754545303719936

Bachmann responded with a link to the original letters referred to by McCain as well as a request: “I encourage everyone, including media outlets, to read them in their entirety.”

Click here to read my statement regarding the Inspectors General letters http://t.co/XW7olGG5 #tcot

— Michele Bachmann (@MicheleBachmann) July 18, 2012

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/07/18/john-mccain-defends-huma-abedin-on-senate-floor/