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.
via: EW
The View cohost Meghan McCain has issued an apology for any past statements that might have fueled hate towards Asian Americans. This comes after John Oliver called her out by name on HBO’s Last Week Tonight for remarks made in 2020 pertaining to COVID-19.
“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.”
In the light of the recent shooting in Atlanta that left eight dead, McCain had tweeted a graphic on Twitter in support of Asian Americans that read, “Stop Asian Hate.” This prompted Oliver to feature her on his Last Week Tonight segment on the rise of violence towards Asian Americans.
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— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 17, 2021
I condemn the reprehensible violence and vitriol that has been targeted towards the Asian-American community. There is no doubt Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric fueled many of these attacks and I apologize for any past comments that aided that agenda.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 22, 2021
Oliver featured a video of McCain from a March 2020 episode of ABC’s The View in which she had no problem with Trump referring to COVID-19 as the “China virus,” though she said she didn’t support stereotyping Asian people.
https://youtu.be/KXgb699QWTs
“I think if the left wants to focus on P.C. labeling this virus, it is a great way to get Trump re-elected,” she said in the resurfaced video. “I don’t have a problem with people calling it whatever they want. It’s a deadly virus that did originate in Wuhan.”
Oliver responded, “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.”
“Meghan McCain posted this week, ‘Stop Asian Hate,’ with three broken hearts emoji, which is a fine sentiment to throw up on Twitter after the fact,” he added. “But there has to be an understanding that saying, ‘I don’t have a problem with calling it the China virus’ is very much giving space for hate to grow.”
Judging by McCain’s ultra-rare apology, clearly, his tactic worked.
