Meghan McCain Shades Her Co-Hosts on Gun Reform: 'The Second Amendment Exists for a Reason'

Meghan McCain began her Thursday monologue by assuring her co-hosts that she won't "proselytize" on the Second Amendment in the wake of the mass shooting in San Jose, California, but it didn't take long for her to renege on that promise. During a discussion about the horrific shooting that left 10 people dead, including the gunman, McCain urged her co-hosts to have "a responsible and educated discussion without negating the fact that" Americans are buying guns at record levels. "The Second Amendment exists for a reason," said McCain, the queen of not-so-subtle shade.

"On days like today — I never discuss or proselytize my take on the Second Amendment or guns on days of mass shootings because I think it's tonally inappropriate and insensitive to the victims and their families," prefaced McCain. "So, first and foremost, I want to say it's horrific. And as a Second Amendment advocate, no one is more — I won't say I'm more horrified than anyone else because we're all horrified, but I'm horrified by it. And no one thinks this is okay."

McCain argued that "there were many, many red flags" with the shooter, identified by law enforcement officials as 57-year-old Samuel Cassidy. "His ex-wife said he was not mentally stable. He had said that he wanted to shoot people," said McCain. "I agree that we should have better systems in place. I like the idea of doing a PSA: if you think someone is mentally unstable, you can call this hotline if you think they're going to enact violence."

However, McCain quickly shifted gears into a topic that she does think is "tonally appropriate" despite the circumstances. "In the past year, there has been an absolute spike of people around the country buying guns. We've never seen levels like this since the '70s," said McCain, adding that many of her friends are buying guns "because of rising crime rates and rising hate crimes in major cities" and coming to her for tips. "Particularly women in my life are feeling very unsafe with the crime happening in this country and the hate crimes directed at friends of mine, of all persuasions and of all different places."

CO-HOSTS REACT TO SAN JOSE MASS SHOOTING: After yesterday’s mass shooting in California that claimed the lives of nine people, the co-hosts discuss what measures should be taken as Americans are still divided on gun control and Pres. Biden demands action. https://t.co/E24Iyc3DIi pic.twitter.com/LhEZcRMlHt

— The View (@TheView) May 27, 2021

"I know you're a gun owner as well, Whoopi," concluded McCain, "And I think there's a way to have a responsible and educated discussion without negating the fact that people are feeling unsafe in our country right now in a way that I just, anecdotally and personally, have never seen before."

Given McCain's remark, Goldberg couldn't exactly let The View go to commercial without weighing in. "I'm sort of torn. I wish people felt that they cared a lot more about the victims," said the longtime moderator. "I always hear people say, 'I'm speaking for the unborn.' Well, I'm speaking for the people who have been shot to death. Somebody do something! Just do something! This is ridiculous. There are people who were here, today they are gone. So, I'm going to be their voice."

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Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.