Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Soap Box Was No Gift for Meghan McCain

Unready pundit-in-training is exposing herself too early

By Gabriel Winant, Newser User

Posted May 22, 2009 8:22 AM CDT

(Newser) – Poor Meghan McCain, writes Judith Warner in the New York Times. Nobody’s born a pundit—you have to achieve it. But McCain’s had punditry thrust upon her, and it’s obvious she isn’t ready. “I do feel sorry for Meghan, the 2007 college grad who ought to be facing the kinds of barriers to public self-expression that used to push smart, ambitious and untested young people like her into graduate school or entry-level jobs.”

Given a blog by the Daily Beast and invited on the Colbert Report, McCain has been set up for failure. Tweeting about licking Stephen Colbert’s face or about how "awesome" the GOP is highlights McCain’s age, and makes her sound dumber than she really is. Putting McCain in this role stunts her potential growth into a real woman of substance, says Warren.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain, arrives at Perez Hilton's 31st Birthday Party in West Hollywood, Calif. on Saturday, March 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his daughter Meghan McCain react to the crowd as they arrive at a rally in Henderson Nev., Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Meghan McCain. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

19 May 2009 (Meggion)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

You can’t do these things because they’re just stupid and, when you’re already a sitting duck, particularly one who at some point in her career could very well rise to make a valuable contribution, you just can’t afford (it). - Judith Warner

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Getty Images

White Grandfather Cuffed for Walking With Black Granddaughter (NewsOne)

Man in Mugshot Explains Why He Has Half a Head (HuffPost)

These Exes Were Spotted Making Out … and That's a Bad Thing (Bleacher Report)

Help! I'm Having an Incestuous Relationship With My Twin (Slate)

Proof that Twitter Users are Sexier Than Facebook Users? (GeekSugar)

Partner Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 6 comments

kokuaguy

May 22, 2009 4:48 AM CDT

Actually, this is probably the quickest way for Meghan to learn the ropes of punditry. She did fine on Colbert's show. Why should she hang out with the losers who just want to hurt her when there are so many sympathetic forums willing to give her the spotlight? Her father is lucky to have her.

atallison

May 22, 2009 4:27 AM CDT

Poor Judith Warner sounds like shes a bit jealous of McCain's spotlight.

godawgs

May 22, 2009 3:42 AM CDT

she goes out and says whatever will keep her in the spotlight. she is enjoying her new found fame so lets see how long the liberals keep her around as a "voice" of the republican party. You notice that she doesn't go on any conservative talk shows or blogs anymore.....

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds Major Cash Inside

Study Finds Arsenic in Baby Formula, Cereal Bars

New York Times (Source Grid »)

Slate: When will someone give McCain her own show?
Slate

Stephen Colbert • Meghan McCain • punditry

More Newser Stories

'Pro-Sex' McCain Talks Sex on Colbert

Also discusses gay marriage, but not Sarah Palin

(NEWSER) - Meghan McCain likes sex—a point she made several times last night on The Colbert Report, Gawker reports. Asked by host Stephen Colbert to explain her “pro-sex” stance, she started out by saying abstinence is unrealistic—and ended with “I would never want to practice anything I didn’t preach…” It was halfway into Colbert’s next question before she realized, “My father’s gonna watch that, God!” More»

Colbert Halted Show to Be With Ailing Mom

'Colbert Report' host is reportedly with mom Lorna, 91

(NEWSER) - The Colbert Report was shut down Wednesday night, with reports stating that a family emergency was to blame , and now sources tell the New York Post that Stephen Colbert is with his mother Lorna, 91, who is sick. Colbert is the youngest of 11 children, and his family is "very private," one source says, adding that it's not surprising that Colbert, who is very close to his mom, "did not want anyone to know what was going on." More»

Emergency Blamed as Colbert Report Shuts Down

Show cites 'unforseen circumstances'

(NEWSER) - If you were surprised that there was no new Colbert Report last night, you're not alone; so was the show's guest and audience. Just hours before the scheduled taping, Comedy Central suddenly shut down the show, saying it would instead air reruns for the rest of the week. A network rep would tell E! News only that the break was due to "unforeseen circumstances." The Wall Street Journal is now citing show insiders as saying that an emergency in Colbert's family is to blame, and that the show should resume taping as soon as next week. More»

Nancy Pelosi Lobs Attack Ad at Colbert

Joke ad meant to drum up DISCLOSE Act support

(NEWSER) - Nancy Pelosi is trying to drum up support for the long-languishing DISCLOSE Act, and she's found the perfect foil: Stephen Colbert. "Stephen Colbert used to be my friend," she says in a new YouTube ad. "But since the day he started his super PAC, taking secret money from special interests, he's been out of control, even using his super PAC to attack my friend New Gingrich. And if that weren't enough, I hear he doesn't even like kittens." More»

Colbert Making Supreme Court Look Stupid

Dahlia Lithwick says court is ill-equipped to deal with comedy

(NEWSER) - The Supreme Court has had plenty of powerful foils over the years, like Andrew Jackson and FDR, "but in the history of the Supreme Court, nothing has ever prepared the justices for the public opinion wrecking ball that is Stephen Colbert," writes Dahlia Lithwick at Slate . With his super PAC, Colbert has made every part of the Citizens United ruling "look utterly ridiculous. And the court, which has no access to cameras, no press arm, and no discernible comedic powers, has had to stand by and take it on the chin." More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Soap Box Was No Gift for Meghan McCain