Meghan McCain - Size 8 Is Not Fat

by Jacki Donaldson (Subscribe to Jacki Donaldson's posts)
Mar 16th 2009 4:00PM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment

Meghan McCain is not fat. The 24-year-old daughter of Senator John McCain is a size 8. And while she admits to fluctuating up to a size 10 during her dad's presidential campaign, she is not overweight. I'm sure conservative political pundit Laura Ingraham knows this deep down. Still, Ingraham threw out the weight card recently, pegging McCain as a heavy girl.

Here's how the fat hit the fan: McCain blogged in her column at "The Daily Beast" and a spoke in an interview with talk show host Rachel Maddow about Republican pundit Ann Coulter's too-extreme views. Ingraham got mad and responded by mocking McCain in a "Valley girl" voice and implying she's too plus-sized to get a role on MTV's "The Real World." Now, McCain is talking back.

On today's "The View," McCain said she can't possibly understand why a woman would comment on another woman's weight. "Why are we so obsessed with weight, why?" she asked. It's bad form, no matter how you look at it. When McCain writes about politics and the reaction is "she's fat," it implies she's not fit to write. And what kind of message does that send to her young readers? A bad one.

McCain tells all in a public and very personal message on "The Daily Beast." Among her comments: "The question remains: Why, after all this time and all the progress feminists have made, is weight still such an issue? And in Laura's case, why in the world would a woman raise it? Today, taking shots at a woman's weight has become one of the last frontiers in socially accepted prejudice."

It's happened to Oprah, Jessica Simpson, Hillary Clinton -- even Kelly Clarkson after she appeared last week on "American Idol." And remember when Tyra Banks sported a bikini on stage after her beach body was scrutinized? Just as Tyra told her critics then, McCain told "The View" hosts this morning that those making her weight a matter of national news can, simply put: "Kiss my fat a**!"

McCain says there's no place for weight criticism in 2009. What do you think?

Meghan McCain

WASHINGTON - MAY 9: Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) arrives at Capitol File's White House Correspondents' Association dinner after party on May 9, 2009 in Washington, DC. This year, the annual dinner featured President Barack Obama and entertainer Wanda Sykes. (Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meghan McCain

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 9: Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), arrives at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on May 9, 2009 in Washington, DC. This year, the annual dinner featured President Barack Obama and entertainer Wanda Sykes. (Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meghan McCain

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - MAY 09: Meghan McCain walks the red carpet during the White House Correspondents' dinner after party hosted by Capitol File at Corcoran Gallery of Art on May 9, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Niche Media) *** Local Caption *** Meghan McCain

Getty Images for Niche Media

Meghan McCain attends Perez Hilton's 31st birthday bash at the Viper Room on March 28, 2009 in West Hollywood, California. Perez Hilton's 31st Birthday Bash - Arrivals Viper Room West Hollywood, CA United States March 28, 2009 Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com To license this image (57078566), contact FilmMagic.com

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 28: Meghan McCain arrives at Perez Hilton's "OMFB" 31st Birthday Party held at The Viper Room on March 28, 2009 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meghan McCain

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Comments (145)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)

Tania Guimaraes 3-16-2009 @ 5:52PM

Are the people in the republican party going totally nuts? I am a democart true and blue, but this Maccain girl is on to something good for them. Is this how they will respond to every voice of reason?

hbrush 3-16-2009 @ 5:27PM

I'm a size 18. I'm fat. A size 8, or even 10 is smaller than my goal. I think it shows how very small-minded people become when they've clearly lost their last leg to stand on. I'm no Republican, but Miss McCain is right, a political arena -- of All things! -- is no place to discuss or criticize someone's weight or appearance (this applies to all those gossiping about Michelle Obama's clothing as well). We're interested in policies and progress, not diets and manicures.

Grow up.

Bpers2001 3-17-2009 @ 10:19AM

To be perfectly honest with you, I don't even understand the whole matrix of sizes for women. I mean, what the heck is even a "size 8?" Is there a size 100? Or a size -25? And what is their respective "real" measurements? Whenever I see an article describing women's sizes, it reads like this to me: "Narkle pickytoo lappy ooppah." Then I find myself saying "What??"

Peggie 3-17-2009 @ 12:53PM

HBRUSH-Don't criticize their appearance?You are such a hypocrite!!!!Where were you to defend Sarah Palin???You make me sick with your double standards!!!
PS McCain is fat.I have bought designer clothes and as a former model myself I can tell you Meghan McCain is not a size 8 anywhere on this planet!!!!

suzyqroth 3-17-2009 @ 1:30PM

hbrush, You so made me smile today. God bless you for being truthful. Peggy, you are so not nice. Defend Sarah Palin? You really have to be kidding.

rachel.smith 3-16-2009 @ 5:10PM

what a frickin hypocrite!! i mean come on...a size 8?? In her dreams. she is just making the problem worse by LYING about her size! I’m so sick of these "celebs" saying they are one size when blatantly being something else (ala Jennifer Love-Hewitt "im a size 2!") they are making the situation worse. Don’t get me wrong I want to slap that woman Laura for even going there w the weight comment (totally unacceptable and out of line), but Meghan is just stooping to her level throwing out the "8" card. Either shut up about it or tell us what size you really are!! Give the other "big" girls something to be proud of, a role model who declares not shrinks and lies about their size.

christine 3-17-2009 @ 9:38AM

I agree with you. If she is so proud of her weight why must she lie about the size she wears. There is no way she is a size 8, I'm 5'0" and 140 and I'm a size 10. She is atleast a 14 or 16, not that size matters, just be honest about it and not a hypocrite.

Andrea 3-17-2009 @ 10:33AM

Actually, she probably is an 8 or a 10...not in clothes you'd get at JC Penney/Walmart/Sears/ect...but in designer clothes...I'm normally a 6 or an 8 but in more expensive clothes I'm a 2 or a 4....I don't know why that is, but she could be...I don't think she's lying about it; it would be stupid to lie about that, actually.

Spice 3-17-2009 @ 1:08PM

How do YOU know what size she is? It is women like YOU that are maming it harder for women in general. Either support us or shut up! Waht if someone told YOU that you were fat? Would you tell the truth about your OWN weight? I doubt it since you are the one objecting now! it is time for society in general to lay off the weight isuue and especially for those who have no wieght problem to just shut up about it. My own daughter is a nice size 10..but often folks have called her fat and accused her of being larger than she is..it's all a matter os height versus weight and bone strucure..a size ten at 5 foot is GONNA look bigger than a size ten at say 5' 6"..get real girl..you hurt the cause as much as the stupid idiot that started this mess..I live in Arizona. Meghan McCain is NOT fat! Niether is her father disaster as someone else stated. The McCains are good people. It never ceases to amaze me the ignarance I see on here..if you don;t know what you are talking about, then DON'T TALK at all!

resolution 3-17-2009 @ 3:03PM

Rachel.smith, I agree with you on all points. I am 5 ft 4, wear a size 6 & people say I am "thin" and "lean." I don't know how tall Meghan is, but even if she is only 4 ft. 10 I cannot believe Meghan is a size 8. She should be honest about it or say nothing. She is a very pretty girl but looks like she is not at a healthy weight, especially for her age. She also does not look like she exercises, is toned or fit.

As for her comments, I cringe & feel embarrassed for her whenever I hear her speak on the news. When interviewed, she sounds unprepared, uneducated (yes, I know she is a Columbia grad), naive, inarticulate & extremely immature for her age. The "View" comment to "Kiss her fat ass" is a prime example. She needs to work on that for people to take her seriously.

paul 3-21-2009 @ 12:06PM

Point well taken.
Quality

Robin 3-28-2009 @ 11:04PM

People need to realize that you can't judge someones size just by looking at them. Size varies with all types of clothes, so that is not the best to determine size. Just because someone doesn't look toned and defined, doesn't mean they are "fat." When you look at height and weight it is not the best factors to go by to determine if the person is fat. The best determinant is by body fat %. I just wish everyone would respect each other and not make "fun" of each other. Celebrities always get comments made of their looks, let them live their lives and let us live ours...

Stanley 3-16-2009 @ 5:36PM

Okay, so she isn't fat, just incredibly stupid

sweetfly 3-16-2009 @ 5:29PM

It has been a rough week for conservative pundits . Rush Limbaugh on the cover of newsweek being told by leading conservative David Frum that Limbaugh and his act was hurting the GOP . Now we have Ann Coulter and Laura Ingram cat fighting with John Mccain`s daughter . How great is this ? Keep talking you lunatics . Talk talk talk and then talk some more . I love it .

Karla 3-16-2009 @ 8:06PM

Why is it when a women can't say anything intelligent about an opponent , she resorts to name calling and cat fights. I guess we haven't come as far as we thought we had.

ANDY 3-16-2009 @ 5:28PM

She needs to shut up. Her father was a disaster as the candidate for the GOP and it was comments like she makes that are too much like the anti GOP comments her father made for many years. McCain could not understand why the base of the party did not trust him or support him. His daughter is following the same path. Go join the Dems and leave the GOP alone.

sweetfly 3-16-2009 @ 5:32PM

Andy .... John Mccain voted with the Republicans roughly 98% of the time but you want him to " go join the Democrats " ? Haha ...no wonder the GOP is dead in the water . You are eating your own party alive from within .

aweiser 3-16-2009 @ 5:58PM

Who are you trying to kid? The base so went with him in this election. It was the moderates and independents who nailed for Obama

Caterina Pryde 3-16-2009 @ 10:11PM

She IS a dem, and always has been. Don't you remember the furor at the beginning of his campaign, because she wouldn't be voting for him?

I'm not sure about Meghan's size, I think it's hard to tell in most of the pictures. It's obvious she had more weight on in 2004, and lost some of it. (And consequently, like most of us successful at general weight loss, kept part of her double chin. It's just cruel irony) I think she doesn't dress very well. She looks larger in her short black dress, slim in the black coat, and just incredible in that turquoise dress in April. I could easily believe that was an 8-10.

She's also appearing with her mother. for those not aware, Cindy McCain wear 0-2. She's very thin, and anyone standing next to her looks bigger by comparison. Heck, she's so thin, others look ginormous by comparison!

I don't think mud slinging is the problem, it's staying on topic. This Laura Ingraham sounds like a total moron for not being able to reply with anything cogent and on point, instead, she just slings nasty physical labels. Boo to her and anyone who agrees with her.

Stanley 3-16-2009 @ 5:42PM

One other thing. Obesity is the greatest health care problem in the country, so there is every justification for insisting that people don't misrepresent their problem with being overweight as unimportant. There is also proven evidence that obesity leads to acceptance of obesity, or second-hand obesity. In other words, now the smokers can point fingers at a worse problem. Reminds me of people who use cell phones in their cars and will not admit that it equates to the same thing as drunk driving. I guess truth is dependent on convenience.