Meghan McCain let loose Friday over the Washington Examiner’s decision to release audio of a phone call with White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway.
McCain, who referenced her own upbringing amid political figures and journalists, argued during a segment of “The View” that “real journalists” would not violate the sacred trust between journalists and their subjects. (RELATED: ‘Get The Hell Out Of Congress!’ Meghan McCain Rips Into Matt Gaetz For ‘Political Stunt’)
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“‘Off the record’ is sacred,” McCain began. “Again, as a child of a politician, I literally grew up around journalists. I have known Jake Tapper, John Dickerson officiated my wedding and he’s a very famous political journalist. Martha Raddatz. These are people I know since I can remember being a child.”
“And I think these are people — there are real journalists out there that ‘off the record’ means off the freaking record, and there is a symbiotic relationship between all political principles and journalists,” McCain continued. “That’s how it works, because you feed off each other. The principle wants their story told, and it’s the journalist’s job to take whatever information and then report on it.”
McCain then pivoted to blame the breakdown of the relationship between politicians and the press on President Donald Trump, adding, “The ultimate breakdown has started happening because we are now saying all journalists are enemy of the people, which I do blame President Trump.”
But McCain argued that there was certainly more blame to go around, taking a jab at CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta as well. “I also blame the media for when people go and, you know, Jim Acosta touts himself out as a journalist in front of the White House and is clearly someone who just wants to be on TV —”
“That’s another opinion,” Joy Behar interrupted. (RELATED: ‘Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From The White House’: Joy Behar Blames Trump For Kellyanne Conway Spat With Reporter)
“Let me finish on that. I think the sacred institution between journalists and principals is something we have seen break down completely and burn to the ground in the past two years, and it’s something that should be brought back,” McCain concluded.
