Meghan McCain cued the waterworks this week as she and fellow “View” co-hosts discussed House Democrats’ plan to pass a resolution condemning anti-Semitism following backlash over Rep. Ilhan Omar‘s latest comments criticizing Israel.
However, fans, along with co-host Sunny Hostin, wasted no time calling out McCain’s “selective outrage” on the issue.
Co-host Meghan McCain became visibly emotional when speaking about the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States. (The View / video screenshot)
The discussion began civilly enough with co-host Joy Behar opining, “Do we really need a resolution that says that [anti-Semitism is bad]? Isn’t it a given at this point? And why are (Democrats) fighting with each other when there are so many other things to worry about right now?”
The decision of whether to denounce Omar, who’s been an outspoken critic of U.S.-Israel relations, has seemingly driven a wedge between veteran Democrats and up-and-coming lawmakers who share Omar’s “extreme” views on the matter. McCain, 34, offered her two cents on it all, arguing that the issue of anti-Semitism shouldn’t be a political one.
“This issue is a really intense one for me, so just bear with me,” she began. “First and foremost, anti–Semitism should not be a left or right issue. I don’t think we should be politicizing it on either side,” whether it’s “a Tiki torch person in Charlottesville, [Va.], saying ‘Jews will not replace us,'” or these “more dog whistle moments” from Omar.
As a “rising star” of the Democratic Party, McCain argued there’s pressure to support Omar because “identity politics and intersectionality is something that’s important to Democrats.” The Fox News alum went on question whether it’s “more important to defend party politics or is it more important to [object to] anti-Semitism?”
“If what Ilhan Omar were saying for the past few weeks were said by a white Republican male, how would you be reacting to it right now?” she continued.
When it was Hostin’s turn to speak, the former prosecutor challenged the idea that Omar’s comments criticizing Israeli policy and the American lobbyist groups supporting them were somehow “anti-Semitic.” McCain tried pushing back, but was immediately shut down.
“No, let me just finish,” Hostin said, later adding that, “Omar has never suggested that Israel does not have the right to exist. It seems to me that Republicans are trying to use this as a wedge issue.”
“I’m really not,” McCain blurted, clearly offended.
Nevertheless, Hostin continued her point and slammed the GOP for their “selective outrage”, adding that Republicans have been noticeably silent on the recent anti-Muslim attack on the Somali congresswoman: a poster in the West Virginia Capitol depicting her as an Islamic terrorist.
“It’s crazy, because I don’t think Republicans have any moral high ground here,” Hostin argued, later adding that the anti-Semitism issue was a personal one for her because her grandfather was Jewish.
A clearly agitated McCain, 34, jumped back into the discussion, asking Hostin, “Are you comfortable with me speaking now? Are we comfortable with me rebutting now?”
“I take this very personally,” she began. “I would go so far as to say I probably verge on being a Zionist as well.” McCain argued that while she doesn’t have Jewish relatives, she considers former Sen. Joe Lieberman and his wife Hadassah as “family.”
Growing teary-eyed, she added: “I take the hate crimes raising in this country incredibly seriously and I think what’s happening in Europe is really scary. I’m sorry if I am getting emotional … It’s very dangerous — very dangerous — and I think we all collectively as Americans on both sides — and what Ilhan Omar is saying is very scary to me and a lot of people and I don’t think you have to be Jewish to recognize that.”
McCain’s unexpected emotional response triggered more outrage than sympathy from critics unimpressed with her on-air antics.
“The most offensive thing to me as a Jew is seeing Meghan McCain blubber while saying she’s terrified of Ilhan Omar on my behalf,” author Molly Crabapple tweeted, later adding, “I cannot say how offensive it is that Omar’s generally accurate comments have been wildly distorted to the point that this Trust Fund Shiksa is weeping on TV that progressives (and not her party) are making us into Berlin, 1929.”
“@MeghanMcCain is so full of it and no ones buys her crocodile tears,” another commented. “Convenient for her to focus on rep Omar- but say nothing about the GOP- especially since she couldn’t wait to jump in over Sunny to ‘rebutt.'”
One user opined: “Odd, I don’t seem to remember NRA shill Meghan McCain ever crying in fear over Nazis marching in Charlottesville who chanted “Jews will not replace us” or white domestic terrorists shooting and killing people around the country. But a Black Muslim woman. Meghan is pure trash.”
Watch more in the clip below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fxCjwl6Bmg
