The View co-host Meghan McCain blasted a New York Times op-ed for suggesting the show has a “Meghan McCain problem” amid recent reports that tensions were brewing behind-the-scenes. McCain called it a “hit-piece” and retweeted others who showed their support. The op-ed, written by Shamira Ibrahim, was published just days after McCain became the sole conservative voice once Abby Huntsman announced she was leaving and allegedly putting “everyone on edge” at work.
“[Times] – everyone already knows how much you despise red state, pro life, pro #2A conservative women, and wish we would all just go away,” McCain tweeted Thursday, along with a screenshot of Ibrahim’s headline.
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“Well I’m not a NYTimes employee to be clear….but….yes?????” Ibrahim later replied.
“Like am I supposed to equivocate on my *personal* opinion as a Black immigrant woman subject to violent state surveillance???” Ibrahim later continued. “This is also…not my argument in the piece. Criticism is separate from personal opinion but I can’t expect certain actors who are constantly using their hair trigger emotions (and proving the point made in my story) to get that so no use in explaining, nor do I care to.”
“The writer of the hit piece on me [Times] admitting how much they hate conservative women,” McCain later wrote in response to Ibrahim. “At least everyone is being honest.”
Ibrahim shared a screenshot of the reply from McCain, adding, “That’s my time, everyone.”
“If the [Times] wants to understand the country, maybe they should try having one woman in the room who doesn’t accept their groupthink on guns, abortion, and religion,” McCain wrote in another tweet. “Apparently that’s too much for them.”
McCain later retweeted several conservative voices sharing their support, including Megyn Kelly, Bill O’Brien, Ben Shapiro, Tiana Lowe and Joe Scarborough.
In recent weeks, McCain has been at the center of several viral clips on The View, including an infamous moment when Whoopi Goldberg told her to “please stop talking.” In the next episode, Goldberg insisted this was just “part of what we do” on the show. However, there have been numerous reports claiming the tension behind the scenes is on the rise at The View with a “lone wolf” status.
The day before Ibrahim’s op-ed was published, a source told The Daily Mail Huntsman’s job was in jeopardy anyway because she failed to accomplish what ABC executives wanted her to: make McCain more likeable.
“Abby was added to the show without chemistry-testing with the other women mainly because she had a prior relationship with Meghan McCain and ABC was desperate to make Meghan appear more likable,” the source explained. “But it didn’t take execs long to realize that Abby talked a lot, but she never really said anything. Her points and opinions never really landed with the audience because it often lacked substance.”
Barbara Fedida, ABC News SVP, Talent & Editorial Strategy & Business Affairs, denied this report though, telling The Daily Mail Huntsman’s “future on the show was never in jeopardy or in question.”
Another source told InTouch Weekly last week that McCain was putting everyone “on edge,” and even her friendship with Huntsman was on a “break.”
Huntmsan, a former Fox News Channel reporter, announced on Monday she is leaving The View to join her father Jon Huntsman’s Utah gubernatorial campaign. Her last day is Friday.
Photo credit: ABC
