(The Root) — Thanks to some intrepid gossip gatherers, we knew well in advance that Rep. John Boehner's daughter was marrying a black man, but Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona caught us all off guard when he Instagrammed this picture of his son and his new wife, who appears to be a woman of color.
Recently the Internet was buzzing with the news that House Speaker John Boehner's daughter was set to marry a dreadlocked Jamaican man. Some of the buzz was due to his arrest for marijuana possession. But much of the Internet was also a bit shocked to hear that Boehner, a conservative Republican, would soon have a black son-in-law.
But McCain's new daughter-in-law, Renee Swift, joined the family much more quietly — although, in an age in which a biracial Cheerios ad sparks massive controversy, it would be too much to expect folks on social media not to comment. And much like with the Cheerios ad, many of the comments — at least on McCain's Facebook page — were pretty racist, with many calling McCain and his son "traitors."
Read what folks had to say on Twitter:
Did he marry a woman of color?RT @asiabrown: But… RT @senjohnmccain: Wonderful day at my son Jack's wedding! instagram.com/p/aCgZTxyyyk/
— iDon'tGiveAdam (@Carnegro) June 2, 2013
1st) rep john boehner's daughter marries a black man2nd) sen john mccain's son marries a black woman
— ep (@evesprincessa) June 3, 2013
John McCain Jr done married a fine Black woman.
— Asia Brown (@AsiaBrown) June 2, 2013
Tracy Clayton is a writer, humorist and blogger from Louisville, Ky.