John McCain got caught playing an iPhone game, which Mashable has identified as VIP Poker, during a Senate hearing Tuesday on the question of whether the United States should bomb Syria.

VIP Poker, made by the Silicon Valley startup TinyCo., offers to let you play Texas Hold’em Poker live with thousands of players from around the world. It describes itself as "easy to use, so you can focus on playing, not learning buttons."

When caught, in a photo originally published on the Washington Post website, McCain tried to laugh it off on Twitter:

Scandal! Caught playing iPhone game at 3+ hour Senate hearing - worst of all I lost! — John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) September 3, 2013

But Twitter, by and large, wasn't having it. With the exception of one or two supporters, most of the responses to this tweet consisted of what can only be paraphrased as:

You did this on our dime? And while a serious discussion of war was going on? Seriously, you couldn't keep it in your pocket for three hours?



Oh, I get it! LOL because war maybe. So good! RT @SenJohnMcCain Scandal! Caught playing iPhone game at Senate hearing - worst of all I lost! — Michael Solana (@micsolana) September 3, 2013

@SenJohnMcCain We Americans really do ask too much of our representatives. What's your poker name? Let's play during the next session! — David Weiner (@daweiner) September 3, 2013

@SenJohnMcCain @FreeBeacon if this is real, it is horrifically insulting and a disgrace. If not real, it is funny. — Jon Wolfsthal (@CNSWolfsthal) September 3, 2013

@SenJohnMcCain so you admit to playing games on US Taxpayer salary? While at a hearing? And think it funny? — Jon Wolfsthal (@CNSWolfsthal) September 3, 2013

@shankskg @SenJohnMcCain hey, when your mind is already made up, why listen? — Drug Monkey (@drugmonkeyblog) September 3, 2013

No, the people of Arizona lost. RT @SenJohnMcCain Scandal! Caught playing iPhone game at 3+ hour Senate hearing - worst of all I lost! — Greg (@CajunConservatv) September 3, 2013

@chrislhayes @SenJohnMcCain, you are a disgrace to the #USNavalAcademy. Retire & manifest your personality disorder in some other way. — Carl Nyberg (@CarlNyberg312) September 3, 2013

VIP Poker maker TinyCo is a San Francisco-based firm. Marc Andreesen sits on its board of directors.

The Senate is currently debating whether to give President Obama the authority to bomb the nation of Syria in retaliation for the use of chemical weapons.

Image: Drew Angerer/Getty Images