Sen. John McCain is no fan of a report about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s role in bringing the Winter Olympics to Sochi, Russia, that aired on NBC Thursday .  

“Bob Costas ought to stick to sports because he obviously didn’t know what the hell he was talking about,” the Arizona Republican told Fox News of the host of NBC’s Olympics coverage.  

“This is being recorded, senator,” quipped Fox News host Neil Cavuto.  

McCain criticized Costas despite a much-publicized eye infection “just about as red as the old Soviet flag ,” that’s led the NBC anchor to wear glasses.  

“He didn’t know what he was talking about. I mean, this guy is an autocrat,” McCain said in reference to Putin. “He ethnically cleansed — not ethnically, but cleansed Chechnya, radicalized that place.”  

“While we’re talking about removal of chemical weapons [from Syria], Mr. Costas forgot to mention the planeloads of Russian military equipment are landing in Damascus that are killing Syrian men, women and children,” McCain said.  

McCain told reporters earlier this week that he was not traveling to Sochi, but that he thought he was about the last person Putin would want to see.  

“The guy is causing all kinds of problems to every country on the periphery of Russia,” McCain said on Fox News, noting Putin’s history with the KGB. “He is what he is.”  

Perhaps Costas will need to take another swig from the bottle of Jack Daniels that he had during a cameo on Jay Leno’s final episode of “The Tonight Show.”  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ-sn8PpHIw  

McCain, an avid sports fan, said that he was a regular viewer of Costas’ programming.  

“I’ve admired Bob Costas’ knowledge of sports and his in-depth analyses from time-to-time. I watch his program quite often, but on this one Bob, stick to the hockey games, will ya,” he said.