Meghan McCain hits back at critics of comments decrying ‘identity politics’

“The View” co-host Meghan McCain is hitting back at critics who disliked her comments decrying identity politics.

“There’s no crying in baseball,” she wrote in a tweet. “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.” 

McCain earlier on Wednesday had denounced identity politics and questioning whether “The View” reflected the level of diversity other co-hosts of the show wanted to see in government.

“I think this is a very, very slippery slope,” McCain 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.”  

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Duckworth on Tuesday had threatened to not vote to confirm nondiversity Cabinet nominees from President Biden. The two senators reversed course after the White House announced the appointment of a senior-level Asian American or Pacific Islander liaison.

McCain called the episode the “natural progression of identity politics.” 

“‘The View’ is 25 years old next year. We’ve only had one Asian American co-host this show,” she said. “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?”

Co-host Sunny Hostin, who along with several of other more liberal members of the panel said Duckworth and Hirono were within their rights to hold out against Biden’s nondiversity nominees, responded directly to McCain in defending Hirono and Duckworth’s objections. 

“It’s not about gender and race being more important than qualifications,” Hostin said. “It’s about the fact that there are many qualified women and minority candidates that never get the opportunity because of the advancement of generally white male mediocrity, because of things like legacy.”

Several journalists, activists and pundits criticized McCain for her assertion on Wednesday’s show. 

One perils of meritocracy as an ideological system is it encourages people like Meghan McCain to think of their own positions in life as fundamentally meritocratic and behave accordingly.

The McCains at their best have exemplified a very difficult ethic of honor and patrimony. https://t.co/kzgAmM5w74

— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) March 24, 2021

Here’s an idea: how about we see The View replace Meghan McCain with an Asian-American female co-host who is more “qualified”?

Not sure what the “qualifications” are for the job, but I’m happy to try!

#RepresentationMatters

— Katie S. Phang (@KatiePhang) March 24, 2021

Hey @TheView, I promise that if you hire me to replace Meghan McCain, I’ll never imply Lisa Ling–the most qualified co-host your show has ever had–is somehow on par with me because my father was famous. (He’s not, but also: Lisa Ling is way out of my league and Meghan’s.)

— Charlotte Clymer ️‍ (@cmclymer) March 24, 2021

I really want to know what Meghan McCain thinks HER qualifications are.

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. https://t.co/4VsO8myPiE

— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) March 24, 2021