“The View” got off to an explosive start Monday after conservative co-host Meghan McCain launched into a tirade arguing that Democrats were going to get Donald Trump re-elected by “demonizing” all Republicans.
The talk show returned from a week-long hiatus and kicked off Monday’s broadcast by discussing special counsel Robert Mueller‘s report, released last week. The co-hosts briefly turned their attention to harsh criticism of Trump by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who said he was “sickened” by the “pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection” by the president detailed in the Mueller report.
Despite his dismay, co-host Sunny Hostin argued the Utah senator would likely still not vote for Trump’s impeachment should it reach the Senate for a vote. Like other Republicans, Romney would refuse to hold the president accountable, she said.
“The Republicans may be sickened by the behavior they saw, but they would keep him in office,” Hostin added.
Fox News alum Abby Huntsman offered her two cents on the matter, pointing out that 88 percent of Republicans still support Trump and that much of his base feels he got “a big win” with the Mueller report because the media made it seem like he was going to be “booted out” the moment the report was released.
Hostin and co-host Joy Behar jumped back into the discussion and noted that Trump’s overall approval rating had sunk to 37 percent, a new low for 2019. That’s when McCain chimed in to offer her take.
“Then what’s the problem?” she began. “So he’s the worst president in history. According to our legal analyst [Hostin], there’s so much in this report that is damning and whatever. Then what’s the problem? Why’s everyone so nervous about 2020? If this is the nail in the coffin…”
“Because we’re afraid the Russians will steal the election again,” Behar cut in. “That’s why.”
McCain quickly shot back, calling her co-host’s claim “irrational.”
“Well what’s he rational answer?!” Behar quipped.
“Unfortunately for Democrats, you’ve got to get out there and win over the voters you lost in the middle of the country,” McCain replied then proceeded to thank her “one fan” in the audience who clapped. Behar did little to hide her exasperation with an eye roll.
When asked what Republicans are going to do to address the president’s problematic behavior, McCain completely sidestepped the question and began ranting about who was to blame for Trump getting elected in the first place.
“I always took Trump seriously,” she began. “You can go back and check the receipts when I worked at Fox and on my radio show. I always took Trump seriously. This mess that we all got ourselves into, I blame the left as much as the right, and the demonizing of all conservatives in this country, all the Trump supporters in every way. You’re getting him re-elected.”
Hostin pressed once more: “But what about his behavior?”
McCain responded by claiming the Mueller report found no evidence of collusion, which is untrue. Though it revealed damning evidence of attempted obstruction by Trump, the report makes no determination of collusion.
Shouting at this point, McCain then invoked her father, the late Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) who died of brain cancer last year.
““I accepted the Magnitsky Award in London on behalf of my father,” she screamed. “I’m someone who has been speaking out against Russia, by the way — let me finish!”
As McCain proceeded to rant, co-host Whoopi Goldberg quietly mouthed to the camera that segment had to wrap, taking the show to commercial.
Meanwhile, McCain was still yelling. Some viewers were sure to mention Behar and Goldberg’s reaction to McCain’s rant.
“Joy’s eye roll at Meghan thanking the one person that clapped for her in the audience (as usual) made me LMAO. 🙄🤣”
“Did anyone see Joy eye roll at Meghan pointing out her “fan” lmao”
“That commercial exit was priceless! Seems like Whoopi is finally getting sick of Meghan’s behavior of talking over everyone and squealing her points at people in a defensive and rude manner. She basically cut her off and let her keep ranting to herself because she wouldn’t shut up or even tone it down a bit.”
“Joys eye rolling is the entire View audience EVERY TIME Meghan speaks!!!”
Watch more in the video below.
