(CNN) -- Sen. John McCain said Monday that Rep. John Lewis' controversial remarks were "so disturbing" that they "stopped me in my tracks." Sen. John McCain says comments made by Rep. John Lewis were "unacceptable." Lewis, a Georgia representative and veteran of the civil rights movement, on Saturday compared the feeling at recent Republican rallies to those of segregationist George Wallace. "That's not from some, quote, party official, that's from one of the most respected people in America. It's unfair. It's unfair and it's outrageous," he said in an exclusive interview with CNN's Dana Bash. "I never believed that John Lewis, who is an American hero whom I admire, would ever make a comment of that nature. He even referred to the bombing of a church in Birmingham. That's unacceptable," he said. Watch McCain's reaction »
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In exclusive talk with CNN, McCain says he is "so disappointed" in Rep. John Lewis
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Lewis on Saturday compared feeling at GOP rallies to those of George Wallace
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McCain on anger from some supporters: There's always "fringe element" in politics
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McCain says his campaign has "more lives than a cat"
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The aide said they all stopped, delayed @placeholder's flight and got on a conference call to try to figure out how to respond.
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Some @placeholder supporters have yelled "treason," "kill him" and "terrorist" at recent campaign events.
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The overwhelming majority of the people that come to my rallies are good and decent and patriotic @placeholder," the Republican presidential candidate said.