WATCH: Democrat Claire McCaskill announces new July 4 'family tradition' of watching footage of Capitol riot

Claire McCaskill, former Democrat senator from Missouri, announced that she is creating a new family tradition. On July 4, she and her family will be watching footage of the Capitol Hill riot of January 6, 2021.

She was asked by Willie Geist on "Morning Joe" about her intentions and thoughts as Independence Day nears. But McCaskill's answer resulted in an oddly awkward moment.

"We're gonna start a new family tradition in my family," she told MSNBC. "On the 4th of July and every 4th of July going forward, we're gonna watch that video that The New York Times put together of January 6th."

This was after McCaskill had responded to the comment that the GOP "will do anything to continue spreading the lies, to continue downplaying just how dangerous January 6 was to this constitutional republic."

"Joe, I have one word," McCaskill said, "Benghazi. Benghazi had, in the House alone, six investigations, including a select committee. If you compare and contrast, I don't want to minimize the loss of life in Benghazi ... but let's compare and contrast these two events and which is more foundation-shaking to our democracy."

"I mean the fact that the heart of our government was attacked," McCaskill continued. "And these these people were beating police officers. Americans were beating police officers at the heart of our government, trying to protect the members, elected members, of our democracy that carry out the functions of our democracy."

"It is astounding to me that these same people," she said with growing frustration, "who pounded the podium for years on Benghazi, for years on Benghazi, are now saying, 'What? No, we don't need to look at this, let's move along, come on let's move along.' McCarthy proudly said he was doing Benghazi to hurt Hillary Clinton's numbers."

"It was obvious," she said shrilly, "it was such a brutal, bold, political move, this doesn't have to be. They're making it political by refusing to come together and do what most Americans want, and that is find out what Trump did, why he didn't do more, why the Pentagon wasn't ready, all of the questions that still remain unanswered."

"Morning Joe" continued on Friday to cover the afternoon riot of January 6, with a discussion of the newly forming committee to investigate that day. The committee is being put together by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after a bill to form a committee died in the US Senate. Now, she has taken it upon herself.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will work with Pelosi to select those Republican members who will serve on the bipartisan commission. Pelosi, however, has already tapped embattled Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, a frequent Trump critic who had defied GOP leaders, to be part of the investigation.

McCaskill's comments drew derision on social media.