Paul Begala Schools Meghan McCain (VIDEO)

Meghan McCain got taken to task by Paul Begala during her appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher" Friday, leading her to tell Begala at one point "you clearly know everything and I'm just the blond sitting here."

It all got started during a discussion of George Bush, who McCain acknowledged was a less than perfect president. But McCain also pointed a finger at the Obama administration in Bush's defense, saying she felt that the Obama administration "has to stop completely blaming everything on its predecessor." When Maher asked McCain if she really thought this is what Obama is doing, McCain said "I do to a degree." A clearly annoyed Begala immediately shook his head and said "not to enough of a degree, I'm sorry not nearly enough." He then began to explain how President Reagan blamed Jimmy Carter for years, to which McCain responded blithely "you know I wasn't born yet so I wouldn't know." Going in for the kill, Begala fired back "I wasn't born during the French Revolution but I know about it."

And it only got more embarrassing for McCain from there.

Comments

[cherry33]

Um, didn't Megan resist becoming a Republican before her dad started to campaign for President? Methinks she's trying to make something as uncool as Republicanism seem cooler and "hip-er" so she can please daddy at the same time.

[mredder4]

I withheld comment on this until I watched, which I finally did last night. Ms. McCain was definitely a little out of her league. She spent a lot of time demurely dipping her head, unable to confidently make her points. She was unnerved by Bill Maher (although, even as a fan, I'll acknowledge that he was kind of leaning in and staring at her at one point) and it showed. When she mentioned that she was "taking heat" for being on the show and was asked by whom, she stated something to the effect of "Oh, people online, on Twitter." Seriously? You're going to try and reference faceless internet strangers on a live TV show? Not very grown up.

I give Meghan McCain credit for trying, but she's young and has years to go. She's also got to be a little less naive about politics and then I think she'll shine.

[Furby]

Yes, she'll shine cubic zirconia.

[thegameoflife]

The shiny side of the aluminum foil when the hat is complete.

[ersf]

Hey, can I get a job talking about national politics, blogging, doing the talk show circuit. Oh?... what's that? Who am I related to? Do we even know you... what!!!??? Yeah, my dad was... oh? You mean I have to be related to a senator and presidential candidate? And sound like I am questioning party politics as usual?

Hey I can do that, I teach middle school history and writing. 14 years experience. Union activist. Well informed. Loves to debate, ran the debate team.

What's that? Don't call me, I'll call you??? I am not young enough??? What??!!!! But I do know about the Constitution, French Revolution, and even Hammurabi's Code.

[ClipsNChips]

Megan McCain has some good ideas, but she wasn't ready to play hardball with the big leagues yet. I remember half the time she was complaining on how much people were criticising her on the show. Some points were just too hard to watch.

She walked right into Begal's trap and it made her looks ridiculous. She has to learn how to better defend herself and her ideas, which will be difficult because she is a Republican. She needs to stop complaining about how liberal everything is and how she is always on the defense and just roll with the punches, if she expects to be a good pundit for the GOP.

[thegameoflife]

Megan-Daddy daddy that man Paul was mean to widdle Meggie.(in­sert whines and sobs)
Daddy McCain-Shut your piehole you ditzy blonde -now get me another beer.
hee

[MarianneEvans11]

Thank you, Paul, Begala. Love the man! He is a kind, warm-hearted individual, but in this instance I believe he truly felt that Meghan McCain needed to grow-up. His response to her was one of intelligence and she should get some by hitting the books along with Sarah Palin. To Meghan I say, learn from your elders, regardless of political persuasion. If you want to make it in this world you need to stand up against the best and truly you should not have been on the Bill Mahr show. It was gutsy of you to appear but clearly you didn't get out of the show what you or your publicists had planned for you. Back to the books, Meghan! Move over Sarah!

[tonewheel]

"We have to start breaking the divide in this country."

Fine, Ms McCain. Begin by going home and speaking to your father.

[zetacplus]

I agree, she should be speaking to her father. Senator McCain is currently squawking how Obama should be more vocal about Iran when all the experts say otherwise. The republican party is quicky becoming insignificant because they aren't even sanity checking their press releases, and it's making them look incredibly out of touch. It's ok to disagree with the other side but there needs to be some rational thought behind that disagreement. The republicans are proving to be the party that just disagrees without understanding what they are disagreeing about.

[Shammie2000]

Don't be fooled by this (i'm just a blonde white girl bit) her wanting to move on is wanting to shift this
mess off on the Dems, then when the ReThug's are back in the good graces of the public, Presto !
she"ll be transformed in to a true (lying, cheating, election stealing) ReThug.

[papapj]

I was especially pissed at the pity seeking, helpless White girl act she put on; it almoast begged for pity from the audience.

She obviously knows how to work a crowd and isn't as innocent as she makes out to be....don'­t be fooled..

[VOTERremorse]

That makes 0 sense. Grow up and go read or something and improve your IQ.

[papapj]

It evidently makes too much sense for you to objectively rebutt it without attempted insult.

Begone, troll!

[Schoolgirl666]

As a member of the "Like Whatever" crowd, Meghan doesn't have the knowledge to exchange an intellegent debate on any subject.

[Demarcus Jackson]

I am so glad that Begala "schooled" Meghan McCain. I hate it when people say what Meghan said, as if they are not required to be informed citizens. Meghan was also not born during the Vietnam War and she SHOULD definitely know something about that period in American history!

[ersf]

On point!!!

[julesbh]

Meghans should have deferred to Begala and included that she was trying to look forward not behind as was Obama's initial message of change. This would have been a non issue.

[joe is in the room]

"And I'm just the blond sitting here." Darling, you weren't bred for smarts, just as a baby factory.
Men like your father don't like women with brains.

[gopSTEALSyourTAXmoney]

WOW!
That is the most profound word I've seen to make sense of it all.

....."you weren't bred for smarts"...­...
Very good! She is a McCain after all.

Rich ,d,u,m, folks,,,,b­reeeding..­.it's so true!

[Owltree]

PERFECT! Joe, you get an A+!

[cuomofied]

And for the record, I generally disagree with her and her father. I do appreciate her ability to live in the present regarding acknowledgment of gay rights, though.

[cuomofied]

What a shallow, uneducated statement. As a Ron Paul guy, I don't much care for Meghan or her father, although she actually gets that the party needs to progress.

But your comment that attacks an entire gender, rather than that of her statements, character, or platform, is despicable and shows a level of ignorance I have not seen on this sight in quite some time.

The irony is that if a repub came in here and said that about Sotomeyer or anyone else, the community would have their head. It's appalling, regardless of its satirical intent, that so many are encouraging your behavior.

Your referenced rhetoric has no place in this or any other conversation. Grow up.

[riff4u]

I rather like Ms McCain. She was out there saying some intelligent things while her father and Sarah Palin were out there making asses out of themselves.

[Hollywooddeed]

Do you mean like when she got her pan-ties all in a bun.ch about an Obama vote in the Senate when her husband voted exactly the same way?

[cuomofied]

Meghan McCain is single. Try again.

[frankiep67]

For half a minute I thought a lot of Meghan McCain but this appearance made her look ill-informed and petty. Thank God for Begala. She came off like a brat.

[rolmo]

I think it's funny that a liberal did what conservatives wanted to do: take out Meghan McCain.

I guess it's fun to slam her for being pwned for being a Republican, but she's not exactly being embraced by the Republican Party either. She's no Sarah Palin -- for better or for worse.