Meghan McCain Goes Off After Joy Behar Lauds Al Franken as a ‘Gentleman’: ‘That’s Crazy!’

Joy Behar wants Al Franken back in the U.S. Senate.

Meghan McCain doesn’t.

From there, the discussion — as it so often does between the liberal and conservative firebrands — went haywire.

Wednesday on The View, as part of a discussion on whether the “tides are turning” for men involved in high-profile sexual misconduct scandals — some of whom are now having career revivals — Behar called for former Senator Al Franken to get a second chance.

“That was a sophomoric joke by a comedian,” Behar said — referring to the photo in which Franken appeared to grab Leeann Tweeden‘s breasts. “In a time when he didn’t know he was going to become a senator. He was fooling around. He was a comic. And, to his credit, he said, ‘She didn’t have any ability to consent. She had every right to feel violated by that photo.””

“So he’s a gentleman. And he took the hit. And now can we please move on and get the great senator back?”

Behar also said that the former senator was a “target of the right-wing” following his attacks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

McCain took strong exception to Behar’s comments.

“You just said it was a ‘right-wing attack’ or whatever, on the impetus of Jeff Sessions,” McCain said. “That’s crazy! On so many different levels. And by the way, it was Democratic Senators that did this to him.”

McCain rattled off a list of female Democratic Senators who condemned Franken.

“They had to,” Behar said. “Right on the heels of Roy Moore.”

“Take it up with them,” McCain said.

Watch above, via ABC.

[featured image via screengrab]

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!