Whoopi Shocker: 'View' Co-Host Calls Out Al Sharpton on Duke Lacrosse Case

"View" moderator Whoopi Goldberg surprisingly called out Reverend Al Sharpton for sometimes jumping to conclusions too swiftly, particularly on the false Duke lacrosse sexual assault allegation. In discussing Al Sharpton calling for Isiah Thomas to apologize for his conduct with a female New York Knicks staffer, Whoopi Goldberg called for Sharpton to apologize for protesting the innocent Duke lacrosse players.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Will you do me a favor? Will you ask him to please apologize to the Duke lacrosse players?

JOY BEHAR: Oh

GOLDBERG: Because I looked and looked and looked and I just wanted to make sure, I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t speaking out of turn. I wanted to make sure that I was correct. And I know Al that you were down there and you were really trying to look out for the folks that thought were being really be run over, but as it turns out it wasn’t true. And, and I want you to apologize to them because those kids went through Hell and I think we owe it to them.

[applause]

Sherri Shepherd, another African-American co-host, notes Al Sharpton "gets behind everything" and noted "it’s just like crying wolf." Shepherd worried that it "diminishes the really, really important stuff."

"What I wonder with Al Sharpton is because he gets behind everything. Does it diminish some of the stuff that he gets behind? Because it was the Don Imus thing, and then right after that it was the Jena Six thing, then right after that it’s the Isiah Thom- no it was the Duke lacrosse, and now it’s Isiah Thomas. So when you get- it’s almost like crying wolf. When you get behind everything and you picket, does it diminish the really, really important stuff?"

Elisabeth Hasselbeck jumped in opining that Sharpton "diminishes" himself when he does not admit to being wrong. The entire transcript is below.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Will you do me a favor? Will you ask him to please apologize to the Duke lacrosse players?

JOY BEHAR: Oh

GOLDBERG: Because I looked and looked and looked and I just wanted to make sure, I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t speaking out of turn. I wanted to make sure that I was correct. And I know Al that you were down there and you were really trying to look out for the folks that thought were being really be run over, but as it turns out it wasn’t true. And, and I want you to apologize to them because those kids went through Hell and I think we owe it to them.

[applause]

ELISABETH HASSELBECK: It’s a fair, fair request.

GOLDBERG: And then I’ll carry the picket sign.

HASSELBECK: Yes.

GOLDBERG: Then I’ll carry the picket sign because think it will be right- I think it will be right and I think it’s important.

HASSELBECK: Be consistent.

GOLDBERG: I want him to.

HASSELBECK: On Friday, do you want him to apologize?

GOLDBERG: Well, if he could.

SHERRI SHEPHERD: I just kind of wonder though-

HASSELBECK: I think it’s fair Whoopi.

SHEPHERD: What I wonder with Al Sharpton is because he gets behind everything. Does it diminish some of the stuff that he gets behind? Because it was the Don Imus thing, and then right after that it was the Jena Six thing, then right after that it’s the Isiah Thom- no it was the Duke lacrosse, and now it’s Isiah Thomas. So when you get- it’s almost like crying wolf. When you get behind everything and you picket, does it diminish the really, really important stuff?

HASSELBECK: I think what diminishes maybe is when, like Whoopi said, when you don’t, if you were wrong, if you don’t say, you know what I was wrong there. I put all my eggs in this basket. It turns out, wrong basket. I’m going to go back. I think that’s what maybe diminishes it more than being a fighter for a good cause.

BEHAR: He apologized to the Mormons you know. The Mormons, I have it here. He said "as to the one Mormon-"-this was during a debate about religion-"as for one of the Mormon’s running for office-" we know who that is.

HASSELBECK: Not going to mention any names.

BEHAR: Mitt Romney, yeah. "Those that really believe in God," he said "will defeat him anyway, so don’t worry about that. That’s a temporary situation."

HASSELBECK: Yeah

BEHAR: Which was very wrong of him to say.

GOLDBERG: Absolutely was.

BEHAR: Then he said, I’ll just give him credit, "any member of the Mormon Church who was inadvertently harmed in any way, agree because of the distortion of my words, or the lack of clarity of my words, they have my sincere apology."

GOLDBERG: A simple I’m sorry would have been fine.