MSNBC’s Tiffany Cross issued a scathing response on Saturday to Meghan McCain’s recent critique of identity politics, calling “The View” co-host “clumsy and ill-informed” and whose only talents were “finding great Black hairstylists and benefitting from nepotism.”
After Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Mazie Hirono said they would not support any of President Biden’s nominees until more Asian Americans were named to high-level positions in his administration, McCain questioned during Wednesday’s episode of “The View” whether “race and gender” were more important than “qualifications.” (The two senators have since dropped their ultimatums.)
“This morning, I’d like to have a conversation about identity politics and a princess called Meghan,” Cross said on Saturday’s “The Cross Connection,” as a photo of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry popped up on screen. “Nope, not that Meghan,” Cross said. The royals were replaced by a photo of McCain. “Ah, yes. This one. Meghan McCain.”
Cross played a clip from “The View” in which McCain said, “We’ve only had one Asian American co-host this show. So does that mean one of us should be leaving at some point because there’s not enough representation? We’re talking about, is identity politics more important than qualifications of a job?”
“Uh, yes. One of you should definitely lose your job,” Cross said. “I’ll give you two guesses, but you’ll only need one.”
The MSNBC host then played a montage of the times McCain has said “my father,” referring to the late Sen. John McCain, in various interview clips and later explained that the term “identity politics” was first coined to describe “Black womens’ struggle at the nexus of race, gender and class oppression.”
“But just like with hairstyles, Meghan, we’ve watched you take it, twist it, braid it and lock it so it benefits the warped presentation of your clumsy and ill-informed thoughts,” Cross said, calling the notion that women of color were not qualified “preposterous.”
“From now on, I hope you speak less and listen more and take a little time to enjoy this view.”
Watch the clip above or by clicking here.