Meghan McCain made an emotional return to “The View” on this week after taking some time to mourn the death of her father, Sen. John McCain, after he lost his battle to brain cancer earlier this year.
Meghan McCain told her “View” cohosts Monday that it was her faith and her father’s will that encouraged her to return to the spotlight after he passed away on Aug. 25.
Watch Pastor at McCain Memorial Service Share Gospel on National Television: ‘He Believed’
“He wanted me to come back here, which is why I’m here,” she said.
"I really want to thank all of America with being so kind with my family."@MeghanMcCain returns to @TheView for the first time since her father Sen. John McCain passed away in August: "He wanted me to come back here, which is why I'm here." https://t.co/f8u2wc159S pic.twitter.com/BwYtgRZdC3
— The View (@TheView) October 8, 2018
Meghan McCain also said that former political opponents and longtime friends of her father’s acted like “uncles” to her and “carried” her through the tragedy.
“God is real. I wouldn’t be here without my faith,” she said. “I also wouldn’t be here without Joe Biden and Joe Lieberman.”
The 33-year-old praised her father for not only his patriotism but also his parenting methods, advising other parents to follow his lead.
“Some fathers raise their daughters to be seen and not heard, they raise their daughters not to speak out,” she said. “Raise strong women! Really, the only thing that is keeping me right now is how tough he made me!”
.@MeghanMcCain on her father's choice to have her eulogize him: "Some fathers raise their daughters to be seen and not heard, they raise their daughters not to speak out. Raise strong women! Really, the only thing that is keeping me right now is how tough he made me!" pic.twitter.com/KIP1FU2Axv
— The View (@TheView) October 8, 2018
“He made me this tough so I would survive this and because maybe he knew that there would be a time when he wouldn’t be here.” she added.
McCain also thanked ABC and America for offering condolences during the difficult time, saying that her father would have loved that people of “all races, all ages, all creeds out there with American flags waving, saluting, praying.”
“I have missed all of you so much,” she began. “I have a lot of things to say and it’s probably only time I’ll get a segment to myself, so I want to thank ABC and ‘The View’ for giving me this time, and I really want to thank all of America for being so kind to my family.”
.@MeghanMcCain on her father's choice to have her eulogize him: "Some fathers raise their daughters to be seen and not heard, they raise their daughters not to speak out. Raise strong women! Really, the only thing that is keeping me right now is how tough he made me!" pic.twitter.com/KIP1FU2Axv
— The View (@TheView) October 8, 2018
John McCain “believed in American exceptionalism. He believed that America is the greatest country in the history of the world,” his daughter said.
Watch the full clip here.
(H/T: ABC News)