The cast of ABC’s The View circled the wagons on Tuesday to express how “pissed off” they are that some people are calling for President Joe Biden to step aside while downplaying his lousy debate performance as the result of what happens when you’re 81 years old or when you’re “trying so hard to tell the truth.” Even co-hosts who were more open to discussing Biden’s issues were quick to point out that their support for him has not diminished.
Joy Behar was not feeling particularly joyous at the coverage of the two candidates, “I wasn't here yesterday so, I was watching television all week and I'm a little tired of all the Biden-bashing that's going on. I'm pissed off at it, frankly. There is a lot of Biden bashing going on and no calls for this sexually abusive felon to step down.”
That launched a debate between Behar and Alyssa Farah Griffin over whether that last part was true with Farah Griffin pointing to herself as proof that it isn’t.
After Sara Haines tried to switch gears, Behar continued, “And wait, I’m not finished. Well, let’s go back to the debate for a second, all right. Everybody keeps calling it a disaster, a disaster. You know why Trump was better at it, because he lies. He practiced his lies for two or three years already. That guy, all he did was spew lies that we've heard over and over and over again.”
Trying to explain away Biden’s debate performance, she added, “When you're telling the truth like Biden was trying so hard to tell the truth, it doesn't come as easily. It's so easy to just rehearse and practice your lies and then spew them in a debate the way he did. That was what was going on there. I don't -- I'm sticking with Biden at the moment because I feel that he's our best choice and who wants to vote for Trump? Even his wife can't stand him at this point.”
Some Democrats want to abandon Biden the same way a sailor would abandon a sinking ship, but Haines claimed such discussions are not just practical politics, but proof Democrats are better people than Republicans:
I'm sticking with Biden up until the very end regardless, but I think these conversations absolutely have to happen. I agree with Jon Stewart. Shut up and sit down, or whatever people say to everyone that are critical of this, I think are dismissive because falling in line is what the Republicans do. We've talked at this table over and over about the wow cowardliness of the GOP in standing up against Trump, in fact, they bend the knee at his every wish. The Democrats have always been better than that and have debates, they disagree and do it publicly and out loud.
Later, Whoopi Goldberg had another excuse why Biden had a bad night: these things just happen, “Look, he's 81. He's 81. And he did have a bad night, just like I have bad nights, like you have bad nights, and you can't plan a bad night. A bad night sneaks up your butt and takes you like a puppet and messes up your night and that happens and all of us have had them.”
Goldberg claimed she was sticking with Biden because, “I want the guy who cares about America, not the guy who's telling me that he's going to be the free world – the leader of the Free World that he doesn't believe in. He doesn't believe in a free world.”
Sunny Hostin challenged her, “Would you worry about Joe Biden if you found that his — that he had cognitive issues?”
Goldberg had a difficult time answering the question because, as she started musing about the second debate, Farah Griffin interrupted to point out that it would be too late to switch candidates by that point, which led to more crosstalk amongst the hosts. Ultimately, Goldberg was unmoved, “Cognitive issue, whatever it is, if he falls down and faints.”
Here is a transcript for the July 9 show:
ABC The View
7/9/2024
11:05 AM ET
JOY BEHAR: I wasn't here yesterday so, I was watching television all week and I'm a little tired of all the Biden-bashing that's going on. I'm pissed off at it, frankly. There is a lot of Biden bashing going on and no calls for this sexually abusive felon to step down.
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: That's actually not true though.
BEHAR: Oh, come on. I don't see anybody in the right-wing telling Trump—
FARA GRIFFIN: I’ve been doing it for four years. I testified against him. The fact that the public decided not to agree with it, I can't help. But there are so many people who have said he’s not fit—
BEHAR: What Republican is asking that he step down? Tell me.
FARAH GRIFFIN: There's a bunch of disenfranchised Republicans—
SARA HAINES: You guys are segueing right into—
BEHAR: And wait, I’m not finished. Well, let’s go back to the debate for a second, all right. Everybody keeps calling it a disaster, a disaster. You know why Trump was better at it, because he lies. He practiced his lies for two or three years already. That guy, all he did was spew lies that we've heard over and over and over again.
When you're telling the truth like Biden was trying so hard to tell the truth, it doesn't come as easily. It's so easy to just rehearse and practice your lies and then spew them in a debate the way he did. That was what was going on there. I don't -- I'm sticking with Biden at the moment because I feel that he's our best choice and who wants to vote for Trump? Even his wife can't stand him at this point.
HAINES: Well, I think that -- I'm sticking with Biden up until the very end regardless, but I think these conversations absolutely have to happen. I agree with Jon Stewart. Shut up and sit down, or whatever people say to everyone that are critical of this, I think are dismissive because falling in line is what the Republicans do. We've talked at this table over and over about the wow cowardliness of the GOP in standing up against Trump, in fact, they bend the knee at his every wish. The Democrats have always been better than that and have debates, they disagree and do it publicly and out loud.
...
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Four years ago everybody was pissed at Joe because they said “You messed up. You said this.” Look, he's 81. He's 81. And he did have a bad night, just like I have bad nights, like you have bad nights, and you can't plan a bad night. A bad night sneaks up your butt and takes you like a puppet and messes up your night and that happens and all of us have had them.
I'm sticking with Joe because, A, I believe he's been doing a really good job, and as I said yesterday, when you show me, when you show me where he's not doing the work, where he's not performing, I don't care if he can talk on camera, I don't care, I want to make sure that the stuff that I care about and that many people care about, whatever side of the aisle you're on, he's trying to do it for America. I want the guy who cares about America, not the guy who's telling me that he's going to be the free world – the leader of the Free World that he doesn't believe in. He doesn't believe in a free world.
BEHAR: No.
GOLDBERG: I want the man who believes in a free world and you know what else I want, what?
SUNNY HOSTIN: Would you worry about Joe Biden if you found that his — that he had cognitive issues?
GOLDBERG: If I find on Thursday -- look who's got the issues now? If it turns out at the second –
HOSTIN: Debate.
FARAH GRIFFIN: It’s too late then, it’s September. There’s no chance to—
GOLDBERG: Well, no, it's never too late for the people to make the decision. It is not our decision, it is not their decision.
FARAH GRIFFIN: But how?
[crosstalk]
GOLDBERG: If he is having issues.
HOSTIN: Cognitive.
GOLDBERG: Cognitive issue, whatever it is, if he falls down and faints –
[crosstalk]
BEHAR: By the way, if Trump wins, he’ll never leave. He’ll still be bitching about “it was rigged.”
