ABC’s Hasselbeck Recommends Conservatives Stop ‘Hating’ on Gay Marriage

On Thursday’s The View on ABC, during a discussion of Laura Bush’s recent revelation that she disagrees with her husband on the issues of abortion and same-sex marriage, normally right-leaning co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck voiced agreement with the former First Lady, but also used a surprising choice of words as she recommended that conservatives talk to gay couples about the issue rather than "hating on it." Hasselbeck:

I think there are a lot of, maybe, conservatives out there who are talking about gay marriage and not necessarily with someone who wants to have gay marriage or has been in a gay marriage. You know, I had Melissa Etheridge over, we had dinner, we talked for hours about gay marriage, and I would really challenge people: Get out there. Instead of just talking about it and hating on it, actually talk to someone who’s loved someone else and have the conversation about what can be done...

Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Thursday, May 13, The View on ABC:

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Laura Bush surprised a lot of people yesterday, talking on Larry King, saying that while her husband was President, she supported abortion rights and had this to say about same-sex marriage. Take a look:

LAURA BUSH, FROM CNN’S LARRY KING LIVE: I think there are a lot of people who have trouble coming to terms with that because they see marriage as traditionally between a man and a woman, but I also know that, you know, when couples are committed to each other and love each other, that they ought to have, I think, the same sort of rights that everyone has.

GOLDBERG: By the way, this was Monday night, not yesterday.

JOY BEHAR: You know, I knew her hair looked too good to be against same-sex marriage.

ELISABETH HASSELBECK: It’s interesting, though, because some people are saying, well, this is a day late and a dollar short, where were you when you could have said something earlier? And in terms of gay marriage, I think there are a lot of, maybe, conservatives out there who are talking about gay marriage and not necessarily with someone who wants to have gay marriage or has been in a gay marriage. You know, I had Melissa Etheridge over, we had dinner, we talked for hours about gay marriage, and I would really challenge people: Get out there. Instead of just talking about it and hating on it, actually talk to someone who’s loved someone else and have the conversation about what can be done, and I think that’s a-

BEHAR: That’s right.

GOLDBERG: So you’re saying: Know what you’re talking about.

HASSELBECK: Absolutely, I mean, there’s a lot of truth that comes out and misconception, and I wish, I really wish that people would stop going around it and go to someone-

SHERRI SHEPHERD: Melissa Etheridge, I got to do laundry, if you want to come over and help me do laundry, we can talk about it.

BEHAR: I think it’s more interesting that she’s pro-choice, don’t you?

GOLDBERG: I think both are interesting because the visual that we have – or that many people have – of conservatives is it’s no to gay marriage, no to pro-choice, no to this, no to that, and you cannot assume because assuming make an ass of you and me.