Barabara Walters

'View' Co-Hosts Clueless on Constitutional History

The co-hosts of "The View," where many people apparently get their news, have proven their ignorance on the Constitution and American history. On the March 5 episode, Whoopi Goldberg proposed that the runner up in a presidential election should be the vice president, as if it were a new and innovative idea. Joy Behar, who claims to be well researched exclaimed "it’s not the way the founders thought of it."

Actually, it was. Article II Section I of the Constitution states:

"In every case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President."

In 1796, this led to John Adams’ opponent, Thomas Jefferson, as vice president. The 12th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1804, fixed that clause and remains the selection process to this day.