Meghan McCain defends comments on national anthem protests after 'View' backlash

Meghan McCain defended her comments on the national anthem protests. (Reuters)

Meghan McCain defended herself Friday after “The View” audience appeared to give her the cold shoulder over her comments on the national anthem protest debate.

“I never go on TV and do or say anything because it’s easy - I say it because it’s what I believe in,” McCain said in a tweet. “I ardently believe in standing for our flag, and I am not scared of an audience in front of me or behind the camera. I would be scared if I were a phony, betraying my values.”

McCain was the odd one out among the hosts on the morning talk show. In response to the NFL’s new national anthem policy and President Trump’s support of it, McCain said she would “never be OK” with someone disrespecting the American flag.

“I disagree with everyone on this table,” she said. “I would never be okay with somebody not saluting the flag. By the way, 72 percent of Americans, according to Reuters, said that they thought [Colin] Kaepernick’s behavior was unpatriotic.”

Co-host Sunny Hostin responded that a majority of African-Americans called Kaepernick a patriot, which received a ton of applause from the audience as McCain tried to chime back in.

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“Can I just finish what I’m saying,” McCain said. “I’m still talking!” I’m still talking, I’m still speaking.”

The roundtable discussion came after Trump told Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade in an exclusive interview that he thought NFL owners did the right thing by enacting its new policy, and added that players who kneel for the anthem “maybe shouldn’t be in this country.”

The NFL said Wednesday it would fine teams whose players and personnel don’t show respect for the anthem and the American flag.