The View's Shepherd Challenges Romney: 'How Can You Handle a Country If You Can't Handle Five Women?'

Sherri Shepherd, one of the co-hosts of ABC's The View, issued a strong challenge to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney Friday.

Appearing on NBC's Tonight Show, Shepherd asked, "How can you handle a country if you can't handle five women on The View?" (video follows with transcript):

JAY LENO: Hey, I've got to ask you something. I watch you guys every morning, at least, mostly the "Hot Topics." That's my favorite part of your show. And, now, President Obama took some heat this week for going on The View, you know, when allegedly he should have been meeting with world leaders. What do you make of that?

SHERRI SHEPHERD: I went through this in elementary school. Haters, haters, come out to play. Because you know we've got 4.3 million viewers. We got the highest ratings we've ever gotten with President Obama and First Lady. And, you know, this is something that the presidential hopefuls, they do.

LENO: Right.

SHEPHERD: You know, President Obama is the president, they make their rounds.

LENO: Okay.

SHEPHERD: And so, he was there to go to the U.N., and he stopped by The View.

LENO: Right.

SHEPHERD: And we love him. You just mad because you didn't get him.

LENO: I'm sure you saw, I'm sure, you know, the tape that had the 47 percent, that famous Mitt Romney tape. You guys are also mentioned because he said the four women…

SHEPHERD: He said to come on with us, it would be too high of a risk…

LENO: High risk.

SHEPHERD: …to come on The View, Mitt Romney. We would love to have Mitt Romney come on The View. I mean, how can you handle a country if you can't handle five women on The View? Come on, now! Come on! Mitt! It's either us or Honey Boo Boo. Come on, you gotta.