California Democratic Congresswoman Katie Porter has been embroiled in scandal in recent weeks after it was reported that she allegedly fired a member of her staff (who’s also a veteran), because they contracted COVID. But according to the cast of ABC’s The View on Wednesday, the real scandal was her “disrespectful move” to run for the California Senate seat currently occupied by Senator Dianne Feinstein before getting her blessing, as though Feinstein were a queen entitled to pick her successor.
After playing a clip of Porter’s announcement video, Whoopi Goldberg noted, “it's widely speculated that Feinstein will not be seeking another term,” but added that “since she hasn't actually made that official yet, some people are saying that Porter is making a disrespectful move by not waiting.”
Sunny Hostin dominated the floor when Goldberg opened the floor for comments and argued it was a bad look for Democrats after they showed “unity” around Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “I was surprised though because I think what we saw when we saw the Democrats during that House chaotic moment when we were trying to pick speakers was this unity,” she huffed.
She credited that unity to Jeffries knowing his place and bowing to Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) until she was ready to give up power:
And I think that unity came from the fact that Hakeem Jeffries waited his turn, and waited for Nancy Pelosi to sort of bless him and say, “Yes, I'm going to step down. You may step up.” And I think she kind of earned that right.
What an odd argument to make for someone as racist as Hostin.
Sara Haines admitted, “It's hard to see clearly for me because I think Katie Porter is such a force,” but disagreed with Hostin that she should wait. “In theory, that sounds lovely, Sunny, but getting her blood in the Senate, to me, was like – it’s a bit Machiavellian but I'm, like, ‘just go, girl go,’” she explained.
Hostin countered by arguing that Porter was trying to cut the line of succession ahead of others who were waiting longer (thus were more worthy), like Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA). “I mean, Adam Schiff is also someone that people are talking about sort of taking that place. I’d love to see an Adam Schiff, but only if Dianne is truly ready to step down,” she opined.
Faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin initially praised Porter as “unequivocally super sharp and, like, a rising star for Democrats.” But she too was “bothered” by Porter trying to jump the line and that “she needs to know who paved the way for her.”
They also touted how Feinstein put out a statement throwing “shade” at Porter for her announcement (Click “expand”):
FARAH GRIFFIN: California is also facing deadly floods. 17 lives have been lost.
HAINES: Yeah, that did hit me a little.
FARAH GRIFFIN: Dianne Feinstein put out a statement saying she hasn't made a decision whether she's running, but her focus is on the floods. I actually interpreted a little bit of shade in there. Like –
HOSTIN: I did too.
FARAH GRIFFIN: - I'm doing work for my home.
They treated the situation like a royal line of succession where Porter was jumping over more-worthy people rather a system of government where the people elect their leaders.
This omission of Porter’s office scandal was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Febreze and Hulu. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s The View
January 11, 2023
11:02:46 a.m. Eastern(…)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Now, the seat she's running for is currently occupied by Dianne Feinstein, the oldest sitting senator at 89. And it's widely speculated that Feinstein will not be seeking another term, but since she hasn't actually made that official yet, some people are saying that Porter is making a disrespectful move by not waiting. What do you think?
[Crosstalk]
SUNNY HOSTIN: Yeah, I -- I was surprised. I was surprised though because I think what we saw when we saw the Democrats during that House chaotic moment when we were trying to pick speakers was this unity. And I think that unity came from the fact that Hakeem Jeffries waited his turn, and waited for Nancy Pelosi to sort of bless him and say, “Yes, I'm going to step down. You may step up.” And I think she kind of earned that right.
And so Dianne Feinstein, I mean, she has been a lion of the Senate, and for her, even at 90, I don't know. She's put in her papers for 2024 basically saying, I'm going to run again. And so there's some tension there, and I'm surprised Katie Porter wouldn't get her blessing first.
SARA HAINES: It's hard to see clearly for me because I think Katie porter is such a force.
HOSTIN: Amazing.
HAINES: Normally I wouldn't concern myself. I'm not, like, a political person with California, but I learned of Katie porter in one of the many whiteboard presentations and was, like, that woman is fascinating. So again, I tend to give her more credit that there could be more to this, she could have talked privately, there could have been advisers or people that know.
In theory, that sounds lovely, Sunny, but getting her blood in the Senate, to me, was like – it’s bit Machiavellian but I'm, like, “just go, girl go.”
HOSTIN: I mean, Adam Schiff is also someone that people are talking about sort of taking that place. I’d love to see an Adam Schiff, but only if Dianne is truly ready to step down.
(…)
11:05:01 a.m. Eastern
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: I think Katie Porter's unequivocally super sharp and, like, a rising star for Democrats. But three things that bothered me about the timing is, Dianne Feinstein has not officially announced her retirement and you always stand on the shoulders of the people before you. She served in the Senate for, I believe, 31 years, she was the former mayor of San Francisco. She needs to know who paved the way for her.
California is also facing deadly floods. 17 lives have been lost.
HAINES: Yeah, that did hit me a little.
FARAH GRIFFIN: Dianne Feinstein put out a statement saying she hasn't made a decision whether she's running, but her focus is on the floods. I actually interpreted a little bit of shade in there. Like –
HOSTIN: I did too.
FARAH GRIFFIN: - I'm doing work for my home.
And then, finally – I could say this about a lot of people – but she was just sworn into office in the House. I don't love when people run for one office only to run for the next thing. I get that she'd eventually have to announce.
HAINES: But if it’s still for California – So, I would feel differently if she were, like, “Now I'm running for president.”
(…)
