ABC/Lou Rocco(NEW YORK) — Meghan McCain made her official debut as The View’s new co-host Monday, and she already has two big supporters: her dad, Arizona Sen. John McCain, and mom, Cindy McCain. The former Fox News contributor says her parents have been encouraging from the start, even though they weren’t always fans of the show.
“Yeah, it’s strange because my parents haven’t always loved this show and I think a lot of Republicans don’t always love this show,” she says. “[But] they could not have been more supportive and encouraging and they’re very excited and my dad keeps tweeting about it right now.”
McCain says she’s spent the last three months spending time with her dad, who has been battling an aggressive form of brain cancer. She was inspired by him to ultimately take the job.
“Part of the reason why I also agreed to take this on is because [my dad] was saying, ‘You have to experience everything in life. You have to do everything and experience everything and take every opportunity,’” she says. “And I was really heeding that life advice when I got this job offer.”
Meghan says she plans to tackle more than just politics on the show: she also wants to promote cancer awareness. But she says she does feel a responsibility to speak on behalf of Republicans.
“I don’t think there’s been a really Red State person on the show since Elisabeth [Hasselbeck] so I hope I can live up to what she did when she was on the show,” she says.
And that may include some sparring with Joy Behar.
“I think it’s sort of the nature if you’re the Republican on the show that you’ll butt heads with Joy,” notes Meghan. “But obviously I respect her and all that she’s done on the show for so long.”
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