'It was really an insult to a whole nationality to be stereotyped as drunks'

Tonight's debate is technically about foreign policy -- so John McCain had better hope he doesn't get any Ireland questions. The Ancient Order of Hibernians, one of the oldest US Irish Catholic groups, is none too pleased with the Republican nominee for telling a joke about the drunk "O'Reilly twins" during a public event in Pennsylvania this week. Here's the video...

The joke is a pretty old one -- although the name of the confused twins is often Murphy or O'Malley -- and McCain's sense of humor has gotten him into trouble before. Still, Seamus Boyle, president of the Order, isn't cutting him any slack in a scathing letter:

It was really an insult to a whole nationality to be stereotyped as drunks. The Irish are a jovial people who enjoy life, work hard, help the needy, support our community and our country yet get depicted as drunkards and partiers. As you stated in your speech yesterday the Irish have a great education and work ethic.

One wonders if the Order would take kindly to the mini-trend of kelly green O'Bama merchandise.