"The View" Fights Over John McCain As Whoopi vs. Elisabeth Heads Into Round II

America's breakfast table heated up again Thursday morning as the ladies of "The View" engaged in a screaming match prompted by the latest John McCain attack ad. Exactly two weeks after Whoopi and Elisabeth's showdown over the N-word, the pair — along with Joy Behar — sparred about McCain and Barack Obama.

The discourse was civil enough, if juvenile, until Joy suggested that McCain's celebrity equivalent is Quaker Oats and diabetes commercial star Wilford Brimley — at which point a pig-tailed Elisabeth asked, "You wanna get into friends of candidates? Let's talk Rezko. Let's talk Reverend Wright. Let's talk Ludacris."

When Elisabeth got some pushback on that point ("This is about the ad," Whoopi reminded her), she cried out, "This is a free country!" at which point the fun started.

Watch (transcript below)

Elisabeth: It seems to be that you can only have one opinion in this country right now.
Whoopi: Oh really? After the last eight years you can say that? Don't go there, please. On one opinion, I know. I got eaten by what one opinion should be in this country.
Elisabeth: I'm saying, you experienced that.
Whoopi: Yes I did, so that's not what I'm doing. I'm trying to get this ad out, to talk about this ad, whether you think it's good or whether you don't think it's good. Not because he went here... What was wrong with that ad is, Is there no other way to do this? John McCain is a great guy. I like him. But this was beneath him. He is a much better guy than this. And that's what agitates me.
Joy: Well, he used to be. He used to be. He's not anymore.

Comments

[Khrish]

I watch this show everyday and just once I wish that the republican nominee could be discussed without Elizabeth taking it so personally. I would like to hear what the others have to say and I know that they are not angry with each other but can't you be a republican without liking and siding with everyone who is a republican so that civil conversation can continue. Elizabeth reminds me of most of the republicans that I know; they can't learn anything, can't discuss anything because they are so busy defending other republicans; right or wrong and the great discussion ender is always "if you don't like it leave". She was even all over the Bush movie before she has evens seen it and telling others that it's not worth their while. How can someone so young be already so jaded. Just when I think the young in this country are getting it better....­along comes someone like Elizabeth.

[kellygrrrl]

the People who love Elizabeth are the same folks who love CindyLou

they should playing with Barbies -- not heading to the Voting Booth

[nellpost]

And, you, are God?

[anamorphicart]

Elisabeth is the perfect representative of republican­s.........­.dumb as a stump!

[nobillary1]

I don't actually think she's dumb. I think it's more that she's just a tad on the naive side in her view of the world. I don't know her personal background so I could be off base here, but she is a young celebrity married to another celebrity and we all know celebs don't live in the real, hard-scrabble world. In time, she too will become disillusioned just like the rest of us!

[dugan45]

She grew up in a Republican household and married a Republican. Her only exposure to other points of view occurs on "The View." She has never lived in "the real, hard-scrabble world." She will not become disillusioned because she will always reside in her version of Utopia from which others are excluded without her even knowing it. Whoopi and Joy waste their time on her.

I grew up in poverty. I educated myself out of poverty. I always remember my roots and act accordingly. Those who grow up outside of compassion and understanding can over time acquire a sense of it, but never will they hold true empathy for the plights of others. That is why Elizabeth cannot grasp why Ludicras came out with the song he did. As a white, I say he is right on. Hillary et al whom he calls what they are in his tune are what he calls them.

(continued)

[dugan45]

(continued from previous post)

As to Whoopi's comment about one opinion, I was called every name in the book for being opposed to the attack and then the occupation of Iraq. I heard all the knee-jerk reasons the rabid right gave as they attacked me online and in real life. There is only one opinion according to the wrong, errrrrr, right. It's theirs even though all they adhere to lacks any foundation in reality. Progessives ground their opinions on real-time goings on and on evidence that comes out that socalled conservatives want to block from media. That is why good writers now publish books. They haven't a chance to be heard in newspapers and on tv unless discerning readers and viewers search them out in, uhm, elitist publiictions and on, uhm, elitist tv programs.

[dugan45]

What Elizabeth is is brainwashed. Born and raised in a Republican bubble, she married into one and continues to live in the alternative universe in which socalled conservatives abide. What Elizabeth should do is take a course in which she learns to form her opinions based on objective reality tinged with a blush of compassion. In respect to Ludicras, her reaction gives evidence to her refusal to accept names for people that actually do fit regardless of their political incorrectness.

[robjh1]

The point, even there is a point, has been missed here. If Elisabeth is so insignificant why all the chatter? If here statements are so wrong why not just move on, as the media has done everytime, Obama is criticized? People are stopping to talk about Elisabeth, because what she is saying has a ring of reality, and there is a hope to discredit her by attacking her. It won't work people.

[kellygrrrl]

because she is A Symbol

she represents "something" - and that "something" is a big problem -

[YouDisgustMe]

"If here statements are so wrong why not just move on, as the media has done everytime, Obama is criticized?"

if you believe that then i guess you're just as dumb as elisabeth

[Imichael]

I knew the difference between Gore and Bush. I knew the difference between the the first and second invasions of Iraq. You didn't hav to be a rocket scientist. Just a little bit of research. The first invasion we didn't have the inernet and yet we were still able to find out. If you want to use ignorance as your excuse then fine. Just say it.

[kellygrrrl]

"Willfull Ignorance" is not "fine" -- it is the destruction of our society

[YouDisgustMe]

as MLK put it, there is nothing more dangerous than conscientious stupidity

[athenasword]

And Whoopi is right... these ads are totally beneath John. They reek of desparation and people can smell that a mile off. Go ahead McBlame... go for the kitchen sink approach. Won't work long.

[GooeyButter]

I can't wait until the debates, when everybody realizes how worthless John "I hate the gooks" Mccain really is relative to Obama.

[mesmerize]

What debates? John McCain is not looking forward to no all-out- about- the- issues debate. Why do you think his campaign camp came up with the townhall meetings. John McCain made it clear that he wanted to do debates without journalist or commentators.

[athenasword]

I would enjoy Elisabeth on the show more if the opinions she expressed had a little more thinking behind them. She mindlessly shouts Repub/conservative talking points without much reasoning of her own. The other ladies quite honestly seem to be more informed and usually bring some real thinking to the table. Kuddos to Joy and Whoopi.... you guys are insightful and just plain wicked funny!

[bfraser55]

Exactly what I was going to say. There are times when you just want to smack her (Elisabeth). I wish she would do more thinking for her self she is a bright girl. She could at least change the words or redefine them and not parrot Billo and the FNC friends. She also needs to learn some manners and stop shouting and over talking and interupting, Looking like a RNC spokeswoman.
The ad was in very poor taste. I also want to know when was Elisabeth black??????? Since she claims to know some much about Whoopies life and how it was growing up black. You can't get any "WHITER" than Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

[Bladernr1001]

you just say that because you do not agree with her opinions.

[lilkunta]

@blader nr 10001:
no we say it bc it is true.

Remember this is the same lady who said we are all as horrible as jeff dahmler bc we eat PB&J sandwiches just as he did!

[lilkunta]

athenasword: I agree.
EH is college educated so she knows how to research.

& if she is too busy , y not ask a research asst to help?

[yallkiddn]

The fact that she is college educated is no guarantee that she knows how to research. Some people cheat their way through college. Additionally, a college degree is not indicative of the ability to think critically.

[watchTVgetSTUPID]

The ad is raciist. It deliberately links Obama to young white sexually active women. The ad deliberately omits the 3rd woman famous for partying with Britney and Paris. Nicole was deliberately left out because they wanted to link Obama to white sexual women to incite racial hatred. Nicole is mixed race like Obama.

[AnnieinOR]

Elizabeth is a big baby that cries and throws temper tantrums. The only reason she has a job is Geddie is a republican. Whoopi and Joy were right to put her in her place. She thinks she can just spout of rightwing BS and not get called on it.

[robjh1]

If the tables were turned and she was defending Obama you would probably be singing a different story.

[glesslib]

Apparently this is not a show you watch. This young lady is the same religion that I am, approximately the same level of education and age as my daughters. Her opinions are expressed poorlly and without thought. If she were my daughter, I would suggest that she study up on subjects a little more before opening her yap. She is embarassing to watch.

However, that seems to be the norm in any political discussion on TV today. There is more wrong information disseminated daily than I care to think about. The celebrity "talkers" that I see are often misinformed and don't even know enough to know that they are making dumb statements.

It may not be that the people commenting here are just opposed to her position. Many are merely lamenting the lack of knowledge she shows on a consistent basis.

[Justsaynodeal]

It is three on one on that show whenever there is a discussion of the 0-man. And there was so much shouting by those three, not giving Elizabeth a chance to speak, you had to wonder if maybe she had a point.

[starfire426]

Are you kidding me??? The other ladies couldn't get a word in edgewise over Lizzie's shrill "I-don't-k­now-what-t­he-he11-I'­m-saying-b­ut-hopeful­ly-it'll-b­oost-ratin­gs" voice. Her voice was so ear-piercing that had she been the proverbial soprano in an opera she would have broken glass.

For the moment, let's say that Lizzie was endowed with the ability of critical thinking (of course, one needs half a brain to accomplish that feat) and let's further surmise that she was capable of articulating her thoughts into actual words...wi­th her Repub mindset, she would still come off sounding like the halfwit who now occupies the Oval Office. So let's suffice it to say, she did enough damage to the Repub brand (as if they needed more negative fodder) and if she was indeed shouted down by the other ladies, she (and YOU) should consider it a blessing in disguise.

[Smarski]

It never ceases to baffle me why Elisabeth is even given such a broad forum. She got her big break on "Survivor?" Wow. Married to an NFL football star. Now why didn't McCain use her as a "celebrity?" How pathetic that she is making way too much money just because she was on a reality show. Whoopi, and I admit I do like her, has brought such an intelligent, calming balance to the show as opposed to the loudmouth bi*ch Rosie. Hasselbeck is so far right and out of touch that she really comes across as a hollering whacko. She lives in such a sheltered, artificial world. Too bad her reality show experience didn't expose her to some reality in the real world.

[BigMike75]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Married to a football star? At best Tim Hasslebeck has been a 3rd string QB to a career backup that can't cut it. But then again he is in the NFL, so who am I to hate. Elizabeth is eye candy on the show that's it, she rarely utters a thought of eloquence that is her own. She religiously spews conservative talking points that for the most part are baseless, she is a Hannity understudy, that watches Hannity & Colmes relgiously and recites just about everything on the View. While Whoopi is a breath of fresh air, I wish Joy(who I do like) would challenge Elizabeth more on some her baffoonish ideas. For the most part when she does speak-when she's not crying-it's like fingernails across the chalkboard.

[lilkunta]

smarski:
Tim isnt an NFL football star. His brother Matt is.

Tim has been on 7 teams in 6yrs. In that time his total playing time was 2k3 when he thre 2 touchdowns when he played for DC Redskins.

I do wonder how much EH is making. Since Tim isnt working, she is supporting the family. I wonder if they have already so their AZ house.

Whoopi is nice but sometimes her *ss is outta touch. She comments on lving the gem channel , ow out of touch is she? That is a premium cable channel, so she is paying xtra 4 it. Then she turns aound & complains abut paying taxes!

I also agree w/ u that Eh is living in her own world. She grew up priveleged (mom is a lawyer, dad an architect, she only has 1 other sibling ); went to college, has traveled to Italy & belize, did Survivor..­.she doesnt live in the same world the rest of us do.

Rosie is wonderful. I dont know what you're talkin about.

[BushSunkOurShip]

When in the are people going to stop saying that McCain is a nice guy or McCain is a straight shooter...­.but what he has said is wrong or not in line with him... It is in line with him.....
If by now we have not seen his lies , deceit , flip/flop and the down right dirt he will sling about people then you either have a problem with finding definitions of a word in the dictionary or need a course on your judgement of what is a nice person or what a straight shooter is.
A nice person and a straight shooters is not a Bush , Cheney OR A McCain.
Have people "not" been paying

[LollieDotCom]

Kennedy turned my mother into a life long democrat after he became president. But before that election, she fought like a tiger in support of Nixon. Was my mother all the things so many here say about Elisabeth? NO. She was well read, brilliant, wise in many ways. But right or wrong, all of us who are fighters, fight for what we believe. I suppose our passion and our certainty are never a guarantee that we're right.

Many years later, I found myself thinking "Al Gore, George Bush, they're so much alike, it doesn't really matter if I vote for Gore or not." Lord, Lord.... how many of us were that dumb? Obviously, just a few too many.

So when I listen to you folks running down my favorite tv friends, for their political beliefs, their gaffes and even their color... it's upsetting to say the least. I have to say it that way, cause the last time I wrote this post, they filtered it out. Oops. My bad. That calmed me down. lol

I know this, some of you never loved and admired anyone who voted for the guy you didn't want. And you yourself never failed to vote for a man that you should have voted for and then lived to see so many Americans die behind a war that never should have been waged. Who's to blame for the Iraq war? Many Americans. Me for one. Live and learn.

[BushSunkOurShip]

When in the h... are people going to stop saying that McCain is a nice guy or McCain is a straight shooter...­.but what he has said is wrong or not in line with him... It is in line with him.....
If by now we have not seen his lies , deceit , flip/flop and the down right dirt he will sling about people then you either have a problem with finding definitions of a word in the dictionary or need a course on your judgement of what is a nice person or what the h... a straight shooter is.
A nice person and a straight shooters is not a Bush , Cheney OR A McCain.
Have people "not" been paying attention to what BS is coming out of McCain mouth and his campaign personal.

[LollieDotCom]

I'll tell you when, when we, all of us, democrat and republican keep up with b.s. on either side, on both sides, by checking and rechecking factcheck.org. And when we encourage both our friends, and not such great friends to do the same.

Every time I hear the girls on the View, accidentally spreading propaganda like it's facts, I write to them again, I mention factcheck.org again. Everyone on that show knows how to read. And how in hell a one of them can argue politics without checking the facts... I sincerely cannot imagine.

It's as if they don't realize that many people are influenced by them. If you like Whoopie best, you believe her. If you like Elisabeth best, you believe her. I love all of them. And not a one of them mentioned this about the McCain ad.... Obama raising taxes on our electricity was b.s. They got everyone arguing about celebritie­s... and the b.s. slides right in under all that fussing.

No matter who you like best. McCain won that one. It worked.
It's the same way we got Bush for eight years. Dammit.

[SurrealPumpkin]

That's been one of worst things of this administration; watching people I love coming to grips with the mess it's created. It isn't a pleasant journey. It was hard enough with Bill, I can't even begin to imagine what it's like for people who trusted GW.

There are decent conservatives out there. We just have to coax them out of the holes GW et al have driven them into.

I don't think McIran is one of those though.

[Guynemer]

"I don't think McIran is one of those though."

Question. Who said:

"A nuclear Iran would pose a grave threat and the world must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,"

"I will take no options [read: nuclear first strike] off the table in dealing with this potential Iranian threat,"

[Guynemer]

McCain's ad is inexcuseable, and Elisabeth should be ashamed for trying to defend it. Portraying the obvious serves no purpose, especially when there are so many good reasons not to vote for Obama.

1 We're not in a recession, but if we had had Obama's tax code we most certainly would be. Not a single respected economist disagrees on this.

2 American oil companies and speculators are a lame scape goat for the price of gas at the pump. Not only are Exxon and Mobile making huge profits, but so are Chinese, Iranian and Saudi oil companies. It is ultimately and issue of supply and demand. McCain has clearly articulated a policy that addresses both. In response, Obama insists we can run an economy on rubber bands and pipe dreams

3 Afghanistan is far more stable than the press has suggested, and Obama's escalation of the conflict is pointless. Pakistan will be a better as a partner in the war on terror per McCain than as a hot LZ per Obama.

4 Obama has completely and irreversibly flopped on Iran. Gone is the sophmoric talk of Iran not being a "serious threat" and "diplomacy without preconditions" - on is "nothing is off the table" threats to end Iran's "illicit nuclear program".

5 FISA, the death penalty, gun laws and faith-based initiatives - all flops from Obama that unlike McCain's flops defy any explanation other than political expediency.

[Honour]

Guynemer - Dream on . . . This is a RECESSION - verging on depression. Check your facts, your history, a lot more carefully, because what you are contending is laughable.

I have never been so broke, NEVER had to decide between paying rent and seeing a doctor, between buying milk and buying gasolone . . . You must ethier be well-off or in abject denial. There are too many of us out here who sre suffering terribly to be able to stomach your kind of views without a strong debate. Get REAL.

[Guynemer]

Sorry about your situation. I'm doing about 75% better than I was four years ago.

[Lori411]

That is laughable. McCain's flops don't defy political expediencey. McCain knows he needs to be more conservative than his record shows in order to pull in the Bush lovers.

So, McCain flopped on

1. The Bush tax cuts.
2. At one time talked of pulling the troops out of Iraq by 2013--does that sound like a time table?
3. Running an honorable campaign
4. His first wife

As a conservative, I have no reason to trust McCain. He seems to be turning into someone I didn't think he was.

He is looking more and more unlike himself, which means to me, that he is willing to do things out of political expediency instead of character.

[Guynemer]

1. McCain didn't support the Bush tax cuts because it wasn't part of a balanced budget. He was one of the few Republicans that was dead -on on this issue.
2. No, taking combat forces out of Iraq sometime within the next four and half years doesn't sound like a time-table
3. Hey, Obama started it last month at a Florida fundraiser by insiting that McCain would run a racist campaign
4. Most of our returning Vietnam POW's marriages ended in divorce. The wives often wanted to slow it down because they had been so buzy being the head-of-household, the returning husbands often frantically wanted to make up for lost time. I'd expect that this is what happened to Carol and John McCain.

[Lori411]

And every time I look around, it seems that Bush is doing things that Obama first suggested, like

1. Sending someone to the meeting held with Iran
2. Look at pulling out of Iraq
3. Target bomb in Pakistan (without permission)

And now McCain is talking about focusing on Afghanistan, which Obama has insisted on throughout the primary.

If Obama is so bad for this country, then why are the conservatives trying out some of Obama's ideas?

[Guynemer]

1. Bush sent someone to Iran without "preconditions"? Not hardly.
2. The Bush administration has always looked at pulling out, but based upon the undeniable success of the surge and facts on the ground - not Obama's "iron timetable". Quite a significant difference. Obama would quite happily lose this war to win an election. McCain would not.
3. The predator missions in Pakistan happened immediately after the Pakistan elections which cost Musharraf parliamentary control. Musharraf had suddenly become a figurehead. We took advantage of the leadership vacuum in the region. I'm sure the argument is a bit sophisticated for you to follow if you're not familiar with parliamentary law or Pakistan.

[keclxivq]

It's inexcusable for anyone to put one ounce of belief or importance on anything this silly woman says. She's proven herself time and again to be without the knowledge (putting it nicely for HuffPo) or capacity for good thought. Why ABC has such a person on a national show is way beyond my comprehension. I never watch the show but find this silly woman all over HuffPost. Can't you guys quit torturing us with nonsense?

[kramskoi]

the Hilton/Spears ad is the dumbest thing i've seen this year from a presidential candidate.­..if this is McCain's strategy for taking the white house then Democrats should hope that he continues this continued sad, pathetic diatribe which is much ado about nothing...

[Guynemer]

Obama has dropped 9 points in Gallup and 6 points in Rasmussen since the McCain campaign began this strategy.

[trudem2]

Who REALLY gives a ++++?

[Wigelah]

It seems to me that Elisabeth never listens to anyone else talk. In fact, she probably doesn't listen to herself either because if she did, she would certainly hear how stupid she sounds. Anyone who listened would. It's a shame that she's allowed to constantly interrupt and step over other comments. The other panelists seem to be able to take turns. It's very rude and irritating.

[marysandra]

It has been pointed out on rosie O'Donnells blog, that all the women wear earpieces, I don't know if Whoopi does, but Rosie refused..E­lizabeth gets her "talking points" via earpiece from the neocon producer of The View...I think that's why she appears not to listen. She's just repeating what he is saying into her earpiece..­So it is impossible for her to actually hear what the others are discussing. If she truly had to speak on her own, she would just sound more stupid...T­he producer must have been on vacation last year, when she was heard gushing over going to meet Ollie North...Ev­en he can't be that stupid.