‘The View’: Meghan McCain Bickers With Joy Behar, Claims “I Have A Higher Likelihood Of Getting Shot … Than Getting COVID”

The View co-hosts Meghan McCain and Joy Behar are known for having spats here and there, and without moderator Whoopi Goldberg on the panel today, the two narrowly avoided another argument during Hot Topics. After discussing the Delta variant and the resurgence of mask mandates on yesterday’s (July 29) episode, the ladies returned to the topic today, opening a new can of worms surrounding House Republicans’ recent decision to protest the ever-divisive mask mandates.

Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro were on the same wavelength, both opening up about the right’s damaging rhetoric surrounding the vaccine. After Hostin labeled it a “Republican problem,” McCain, the ABC talk show’s resident Republican, aired her grievances with the statement.

“I think that the White House should be honest with the American public and say that there is no going back to normal,” McCain began. “Taking off the masks was just a ruse.”

The co-host referenced her argument from yesterday’s show, claiming that a divided America is coming. McCain says she worries that the “mentally, emotionally, and spiritually sick” nation will split between folks who are willing to take risks and those who will wear masks forever. But something else is getting under McCain’s skin, apparently, and it’s something almost entirely unrelated to COVID.

“Look, I made myself clear yesterday,” McCain said. “I wish that there was a little bit of energy coming from Democrats — particularly in Washington, D.C., where I’m at right now — about the violence going on and the homicide rate. Quite frankly, I have a higher likelihood of getting shot leaving this building than I do of getting COVID.”

After opening up about her worries about the uptick in violence, McCain then circled back to her main argument: it was her understanding that there would be no masks!

“We were told we wouldn’t have to wear masks,” McCain said, once again pouting about the new mandates. “And yes, I guess the data is changing. Now we’re told that we have to wear them, including inside here in Washington, D.C. I have very little hope that we’re going to be pulling out of this.”

She voiced her desire for new leadership, which she hopes may solve the matter at hand. And then, McCain did the unimaginable: she applauded former President Donald Trump for his handling of a COVID matter.

“If the White House truly wanted to show that this was a bipartisan issue, that this was about getting everybody vaccinated, not just Democrats — they should give a little credit to President Trump,” McCain said. “And it’s hard for me to say that, because I don’t like President Trump. But fast and furious did work. He got vaccines out in the amount of time that was fast and furious, like he said he would.”

McCain then slammed White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki for being “very cavalier, and quite frankly, snarky” when the Biden staffer said she doesn’t need to give Trump an invitation back to the White House. Getting overheated, McCain angrily said “we’re all just being held hostage” and Trump should step in to voice his support for the vaccine. Behar, however, was not having it.

“Well, nobody’s gagging him. Nobody’s gagging Trump,” Behar cut in. “He can go out and tell his people to get the vaccine. He doesn’t do it.”

McCain loudly interjected, persisting with her point: “Yes, but I think it would be nice to see a bipartisan push formally together. It’s just never going to happen.”

Behar snapped back at her, trying to show McCain that this simply wouldn’t work. Quickly, she caught herself entering an endless argument, moving the show on to the next segment instead.

“I think Biden tries bipartisanship left and right and up the wazoo and nothing hap—” Behar began, cutting herself off with a bit of a stumble. “Alright. We have to move on.”

The View airs weekdays on ABC at 11/10c. Watch the full clip of today’s segment in the video above.

Where to watch The View