In defense of The View's Meghan McCain

Decider

In less than two years, McCain has accomplished the goal of bringing a strong conservative voice to the ABC daytime talk show. "When it comes to representing the right-of-center perspective, McCain has also defied expectations by establishing herself as a strong conservative — rather than a Republican — voice," says Clare Spellberg. She adds: "Every time the co-host says something, people are up in her mentions telling her that she’s a 'traitor' to her party, an 'indefensible' waste of space, and a 'privileged' talking head who 'makes everything about' her. But despite all this criticism, McCain continues to speak her mind, question her party’s politics, and attempt to explain the root cause of issues plaguing our political system. This is not to say that her positions are valid or morally sound (I personally disagree with practically everything she says; more on that in a bit), just that it’s surprising to watch a television host stick to their guns in the face of overwhelming pressure to do otherwise. ABC may have hired to her to be a reactionary à la Elisabeth Hasselbeck; but in fact, it’s her refusal to fully embrace any one political ideology that’s driving the conversation."