In a rare move for the contentious The View co-host who often prides herself on not backing down from her conservative beliefs, Meghan McCain has apologized for her past comments supporting Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric towards the Asian community. The apology arrives less than 24 hours after McCain was called out by John Oliver on Sunday’s episode of Last Week Tonight. Oliver roasted McCain for tweeting “Stop Asian Hate” following the anti-Asian shooting in Atlanta despite the fact that, exactly a year ago, she said she was fine with the former president using such terms as the “Wuhan virus” or the “Chinese flu” to describe the coronavirus pandemic.
Via Entertainment Weekly:
“Meghan condemns the reprehensible violence and vitriol that has been targeted towards the Asian American community,” McCain’s representative told EW in a statement. “There is no doubt Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric fueled many of these attacks and she apologizes for any past comments that aided that agenda.”
Prior to being called out by Oliver, McCain was already being dragged on social media following her “Stop Asian Hate” tweet as users unearthed video of The View host saying that using “PC-labeling” to challenge Trump’s “Wuhan virus” rhetoric is a “great way” to get him re-elected. “I don’t have a problem with people calling it whatever they want,” McCain said in an episode from March 18, 2020. “It’s a deadly virus that did originate in Wuhan.”
After replaying the McCain clip on his show, Oliver didn’t hold back with his thoughts. “Oh good! Meghan McCain doesn’t have a problem with it. Listen not to the scores of Asian Americans telling everyone that the term is dangerous and offensive. Instead, gather around and take the word of a wealthy white woman who’s dressed like she’s about to lay off 47 people over Zoom.”
Judging by McCain’s ultra-rare apology, clearly, his tactic worked.
(Via Entertainment Weekly)