Meghan McCain draws criticism for ‘identity politics’ comments on ‘The View’
'So does that mean that one of us should be leaving at some point because there's not enough representation?' McCain said
Meghan McCain criticized what she called “identity politics” while questioning whether The View should have more diversity as her fellow co-hosts argued there should be more representation in government.
“‘The View is 25 years old next year. We’ve only had one Asian American co-host this show,” McCain said on Wednesday. “So does that mean that one of us should be leaving at some point because there’s not enough representation? What we’re talking about — is identity politics more important than the qualifications for the job?”
“I think this is a very, very slippery slope,” she said. “I was very, very surprised to hear someone like [Sen.] Tammy Duckworth [D-Ill.] say something like this. She got a lot of blowback from a lot of people, not just on the right.”
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Senators Duckworth and Marie Honzo both threatened to break with their fellow Democrats on cabinet confirmations. They ultimately reached an agreement with the White House which announced that an Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) would be named as a senior-level liaison.
Twitter dragged McCain whose “qualifications” for her role on the show are largely rooted in being the daughter of a notable Senator.
“I really want to know what Meghan McCain thinks HER qualifications are, Sawyer Hackett—senior advisor to Julian Castro wrote. “She started a blog during her dad’s campaign and everything she’s done since was connected to him. Identity politics is why she has a job.”
One Twitter user compiled a video clip of McCain simply saying the words, “my father,” hundreds of times.
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Journalist and podcaster Jemele Hill wrote, “White folks have spent hundreds of years using brutality and institutional racism to guarantee they never have to compete with people of color on a level playing field, and this one has the nerve to insinuate including people of color is somehow lowering standards.”
McCain responded yesterday on Twitter, “I’ve accumulated tough, crocodile skin being in this industry as long as I have. I know who I am and what I believe in this world — just glad I can keep so many (many!!) of you talking and thinking even if it’s that you hate me and my opinions.”
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