Co-host Abby Huntsman first compared President Donald Trump's attorney general to Eric Holder, who served in the same position under Obama, during a debate over Barr's slippery testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"I always refer to Eric Holder as the Robin to Batman," Huntsman said. "Some people saw that as a good thing, some saw it as a bad thing."
Goldberg and co-host Sunny Hostin agreed this situation was a little bit different, and McCain stepped in to pick up Huntsman's lead.
"What she's referencing is Eric Holder's refusing to testify in front of Congress because of 'Fast and Furious,' which was a controversy during the Obama administration," McCain said. "If you hold that same standard, you should hold the same standard to Barr right now."
Goldberg asked her to explain that Obama-era congressional investigation, which seemed to catch her off guard.
"It was a gun controversy in the Obama administration," McCain said, "having to do with selling illegal guns to South America."
Congressional Republicans investigated a so-called "gun walking" investigation operated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which allowed U.S. weapons to pass into the hands of suspected gun smugglers so guns could be traced to the top ranks of Mexican drug cartels, and the government lost track of hundreds of them.
"It was very," McCain said, "very, very, very controversial, and (Holder) refused to testify because of it."
Huntsman pointed out that Holder was held in contempt by congressional Republicans, and Hostin pointed out another distinction.
"Barr testifying and being that evasive is different than Eric Holder having a relationship -- a friendly relationship with the president," Hostin said.
Huntsman cut in to stop the "comparison game" she had started.
"I hate that, that's not the reason I brought it up," she said. "I hate the 'whataboutisms.'"
"Good," Hostin said, "because what we're talking about is what happened yesterday, which was Barr testifying."
McCain veered back on topic to defend Barr from criticism.
"First and foremost, he's not a Trump lackey," she insisted. "The idea that Barr is some Trumpophyte is disingenuous. He worked under Bush 41, he's an experienced attorney."
"What I don't understand is, what is the end game?" McCain added. "Even if Mueller ends up testifying, which is an option on the table right now because Democrats seem so dissatisfied, the problem right now for Democrats is nothing other than impeachment will satisfy. They weren't satisfied with what was opened in the Mueller report, which we found out."
