Unfortunately, it’s no longer shocking to hear Republican presidential candidates enthusiastically endorse the use of torture to gain information from terror suspects. At Saturday’s debate, the audience erupted in applause each time a candidate promised to waterboard the hell out of Al Qaeda.

After that spectacle, Sen. John McCain was moved to tweet:

Very disappointed by statements at SC GOP debate supporting waterboarding. Waterboarding is torture.

President Obama also criticized this rush to embrace torture:

Obama also criticised the Republicans candidates on Monday.

“They’re wrong. Waterboarding is torture. It’s contrary to America’s traditions. It’s contrary to our ideals,” the president said.

“If we want to lead around the world, part of our leadership is setting a good example. Anybody who has actually read about and understands the practice of waterboarding would say that that is torture. That’s not something we do.”