UPDATE: ABC issued the following clarification on the report the panel reacted to and Behar read during Friday's show.
CLARIFICATION of ABC News Special Report: Flynn prepared to testify that President-elect Donald Trump directed him to make contact with the Russians *during the transition* -- initially as a way to work together to fight ISIS in Syria, confidant now says. https://t.co/ewrkVZBTbc pic.twitter.com/GQAKwT1Eda
@ABC
The audience of "The View" erupted in excited cheers during Friday's live show after learning Former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn might testify that Donald Trump ordered him to make contact with Russians during the election. But Meghan McCain was in no mood to celebrate.
Flynn's guilty plea Friday to making false statements to the FBI broke as the morning show was filming, with Joy Behar reading an ABC report saying Flynn's testimony will implicate POTUS. Trump's lawyer, however, issued a statement saying "Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn." While the specifics will roll out over time, the potential fallout from Flynn's testimony was the talk of the panel.
"Take this moment, Joy!" McCain joked as Behar whooped it up. "This is the antithesis of election night," Behar said, "on election night, I had to wear a veil, I was in mourning. This is the antithesis of that night, that's why I'm celebrating."
"It's a good moment for you and for Democrats," McCain conceded, with Behar adding that it was also good for her "and the country." That, however, was a sentiment McCain couldn't agree with.
"No, not to be the Debbie Downer, but if this somehow leads to indictment, the country will rip itself apart and it's not good for America," said the conservative panelist. "I know everyone's cheering in here, I give Democrats and liberals this moment, whatever, but I will say I don't want the country to be more polarized and ripped apart than it already is."
'The View' Gets Incredibly Tense When Sunny Hostin, Meghan McCain Battle About Trump Voters
View Story"The country is so deeply polarized, it will become more polarized," she continued, "I implore everyone for that not to happen. It's difficult enough as it is."
While Sunny Hostin celebrated the news as "an American moment," Sara Haines admitted she couldn't cheer either. "Even though there's clapping and cheering and everyone's excited, that's really bad that the present day president, if there is collusion here," she added.
Behar interrupted though. "It's a happy day, come on! If he is going to be taken down for what he did and this country can start to heal and parties can work together, like Meghan wants it to, then that's a happy day," Joy said. "It's less scary now that they're finding all this out."
"You are taking this moment to enjoy, of course if the tables were turned, Merry Christmas Joy," McCain continued. "I will say that I do think there's a bunch of people in Alabama and in red states that are going to think, 'They're trying to take my president down, it's the media trying to rip him apart.' I don't want to relive what it's like to have a president impeached. We've been talking all week, very intensely by the way, I don't want this country to rip itself apart. I would like us to find more in-between."
Meghan McCain Snaps at Joy Behar on 'The View' After Fox News Dig and Whoopi's Left Speechless
View StoryBehar said she didn't believe there would be an impeachment though. "I think there will be a resignation," she added. In defense of her cheers, she added, "If someone commits a crime, that's a bad thing. When they find out, that's a good thing. That's what I'm talking about now."
McCain continued to drive her point home, saying she believed some Republicans will see things a little differently.
"People were calling for his impeachment the day after the election though," she explained. "If there is evidence there, of course. Do you think I like this? That being said, I know Republicans, I know Trump supporters, this isn't going to be seen through the same lens right now."