Meghan McCain confronted Michael Wolff, author of the controversial book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, on “The View” Wednesday over factual errors in his work as well as using a dinner conversation that was meant to be off-the-record.
“You know, Michael, your credibility is being questioned,” McCain began.
Wolff interrupted her, saying, “Let’s remember who my credibility is being questioned by.”
McCain responded by listing the many mainstream journalists and public figures who have questioned Wolff’s credibility and denied quotes sourced to them. These include Tony Blair, Anna Wintour and The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Martin and David Brooks.
“This hits a special place for me because my family has been the subject of a book like this,” McCain told Wolff, referencing the book Game Change, which was about her father, Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) 2008 presidential campaign.
“Traditionally, in situations like this, it’s the disgruntled staffers who aren’t loyal to their principal who give interviews like this,” McCain told Wolff.
She then confronted him about an off-the-record dinner with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and late Fox News CEO Roger Ailes that was included in his narrative.
Wolff confirmed it had been off-the record and McCain said, “this is why people hate journalists, by the way; it’s why I don’t believe in the concept of ‘off-the-record,’ this right here.”
Wolff responded by claiming that “off-the-record died” when Ailes died and that Bannon had encouraged him to include it.