An exasperated Barbara Walters on Wednesday aggressively objected to token conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck highlighting the high unemployment under Barack Obama. In a condescending tone, Walters insisted, "Well, darling, he inherited a very bad situation."
Walters' annoyed comments came after this remark by Hasselbeck: "11.7 percent of veterans out of work, no jobs. Right now, we have the black American unemployment rate, 16.7 percent. That's almost double the national rate. That's insane!" [See video below. MP3 audio here.]
Walters sighed and responded, "Okay. You know, he's damned if he does and he's damned if he doesn't. If he has a jobs program and he tries to present it to people, there are those like you that will call it campaigning."
(The liberal host ignored the fact that the Obama administration promised unemployment wouldn't go above eight percent.)
The two proceeded to interrupt each other, going back and forth. After Hasselbeck pressed Walters on whether the President is trying to create jobs or just campaign, the longtime journalist retorted, "Somebody else would say he's trying to explain his job program. Get it passed in Congress and try to get the economy moving."
She then quickly clarified, "I'm not his spokesman."
A transcript of the October 19 segment, which aired at 11:09am EDT, follows:
ELISABETH HASSELBECK: I just think the dangerous thing that we're going to see happening right now is a shift from someone really leading our country– which we need– and we're suffering in jobs. I mean, I think right now, the statistics are staggering. 11.7 percent of veterans out of work, no jobs. Right now, we have the black American unemployment rate, 16.7 percent. That's almost double the national rate. That's insane!
SHERRI SHEPHERD: Oh, I love that with the Republicans-
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: That's not new. I have to tell you.
HASSELBECK: Right now, this President has to campaign because he can't stand on what he has done and it's sad. I wish he could.
SHEPHERD: So, are you getting on him that he's campaigning?
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Barbara?
BARBARA WALTERS: [Exasperated.] Okay. You know, he's damned if he does and he's damned if he doesn't. If he has a jobs program and he tries to present it to people, there are those like you that will call it campaigning.
HASSELBECK: But, he is campaigning!
WALTERS: Excuse me! Let me finish, okay. This is like the debates.
HASSELBECK: Sure. Sure.
WALTERS: You call it campaigning. Somebody else-
HASSELBECK: What do you call it?
WALTERS: I'm trying to say it, Elisabeth.
HASSELBECK: Okay.
WALTERS: Somebody else would say he's trying to explain his job program. Get it passed in Congress and try to get the economy moving. He realizes- I'm not his spokesman.
HASSELBECK: Now?
WALTERS: Well, darling, he inherited a very bad situation.
HASSELBECK: He had two years with the House and-
WALTERS: Elisabeth, it's my turn. I'm going to be Mitt Romney. You had your say, I'm just saying, the man is trying, and what you call campaigning, somebody else is calling trying to sell his program. We will see what happens in the time as-
HASSELBECK: Well, he's running out of time. No one has jobs!
GOLDBERG: We'll see what happens when we come back, because it's time to go.
[They cut to commercial.]
