There was a serious case of whiplash during ABC’s The View on Friday as co-host Sunny Hostin called Russian dictator Vladimir Putin “smart” for attacking the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, an accolade that was deemed a treasonous act earlier in the week after former President Trump said something similar. If things didn’t seem out of place with that, Hostin also called for an increase in U.S. domestic oil production and a freeze of Russian oil exports.
“I think it was a strategic move by Putin,” Hostin said of the Russian assault on the power plant, which wasn’t in danger of a meltdown or explosion. “I understand that people say he's a maniac, but maybe he's this kind of, you know, smart maniac, a genocidal maniac.”
She then broke down the strategy as a way for Putin to send a message to the west:
Because when you take over a nonworking nuclear plant, but there's nuclear fuel inside amidst the threats that he has made about nuclear war and taking this nuclear, I think he's sending the message to everyone that not only can this get worse, it will get worse.
“I understand that the United States doesn't want to sanction their oil supply, but that's what I think they need to do,” Hostin declared as if it was a stroke of genius by her.
Co-host Joy Behar was on board too. She ignored the fact Republicans have been calling for such a thing since before the invasion but made it clear she supported it now because “that's what Nancy Pelosi is saying.”
Hostin expanded on her call to sanction Russian oil and explained why we needed to increase U.S. domestic oil production to keep prices low:
If we uptick our oil supply and I understand fracking and I understand climate change, but this is a global issue, this is important, this is a humanitarian crisis. If we raise our ability to produce oil and freeze his ability to give us oil, I think that hits him where it hurts the most.
A few minutes later, co-host Sara Haines went further and demanded we “take away our dependence on oil” altogether. Ignoring how the mining for lithium, cobalt, and other minerals needed for battery production were harmful to the environment too, Haines whined about the grief environmentalist get:
This is one thing that when we talk about getting clean energy in this country every one says, “oh, here go the environmentalists again.” This is why we have to get off. It's not sustainable. It makes us dependent on the Middle East. It makes us dependent on places like Russia. If people don’t get serious about the fact that's not an environmental issue, it’s an economic issue, it’s a national security issue.
There was no mention of the Biden administration saying they’re open to buying oil from the murderous Iranian regime instead.
“And I wish Republicans got on board with, at least, clean energy. At least clean energy,” Hostin added in agreement. And as the segment ended, she declared that Special Counsel Robert “Muller warned us” about former President Trump and Russia.
This praise for Putin and whiplash was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Unilever and Hershey. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s The View
March 4, 2022
11:04:16 a.m. Eastern(…)
SUNNY HOSTIN: I think it was a strategic move by Putin. I understand that people say he's a maniac, but maybe he's this kind of, you know, smart maniac, a genocidal maniac. Because when you take over a nonworking nuclear plant, but there's nuclear fuel inside amidst the threats that he has made about nuclear war and taking this nuclear, I think he's sending the message to everyone that not only can this get worse, it will get worse.
And I know President Macron from France did speak to Putin and he said, this is far from over. This is going to get worse and worse and worse, and I think our sanctions to some degree have worked, but I think we have to do more.
I understand that the United States doesn't want to sanction their oil supply, but that's what I think they need to do.
JOY BEHAR: Yes. Well, that's what Nancy Pelosi is saying.
HOSTIN: If we uptick our oil supply and I understand fracking and I understand climate change, but this is a global issue, this is important, this is a humanitarian crisis. If we raise our ability to produce oil and freeze his ability to give us oil, I think that hits him where it hurts the most.
BEHAR: But we’re not the ones who use most of his oil. It's Europe, really.
HOSTIN: We use 10 percent of it.
BEHAR: Europe uses what, 40 percent? I believe.
HOSTIN: And so it could drive up the oil prices. It could drive up oil prices globally, but let's blunt it but producing our own, you know.
(…)
11:07:47 a.m. Eastern
SARA HAINES: We have to take away our dependence on oil.
HOSTIN: Yes!
HAINES: This is one thing that when we talk about getting clean energy in this country everyone says, “oh, here go the environmentalists again.” This is why we have to get off. It's not sustainable. It makes us dependent on the Middle East. It makes us dependent on places like Russia. If people don’t get serious about the fact that's not an environmental issue, it’s an economic issue, it’s a national security issue.
HOSTIN: And I wish Republicans got on board with, at least, clean energy. At least clean energy!
BEHAR: That would help.
HOSTIN: Because I completely agree with you. That's where you sort of effect change long-term.
(…)
