Newly crowned Miss USA Kara McCullough said Tuesday that health care should be a "right," clarifying a pageant answer that originally drew ire from liberals.
McCullough made her comments on ABC's "Good Morning America," the Hill reported.
"I would like to just take this moment to truly just clarify because I am a woman, I'm going to own what I said. I am privileged to have health care," McCullough said. "And I do believe that it should be a right and I hope and pray moving forward that health care is a right for all worldwide."
McCullough, a scientist at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, initially came under fire for her answers during the Miss USA competition's interview portion. When asked if "affordable health care for all U.S. citizens is a right or a privilege and why," McCullough answered that it was a privilege.
"I'm definitely going to say it's a privilege," she said at the pageant. "As a government employee, I am granted health care. And I see firsthand that for one to have health care, you need to have jobs. So therefore, we need to continue to cultivate this environment that we're given the opportunities to have health care as well as jobs to all the American citizens worldwide."
Liberal social media users were quick to condemn McCullough's answer, causing her to make a clarification on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday.
McCullough explained that she meant to show that she did not take her access to health care for granted.
"I am privileged to have healthcare," she said. "I just want people to see where I was coming from. Having a job, I have to look at health care like it is a privilege."