So far, it did not appear as though a debate between President Biden and former President Trump would be in the cards for the 2024 general election. But in the event that there was, the liberal ladies of ABC’s The View demanded their conditions be met to tip the tables in Biden’s favor and to censor Trump. While admitted that Biden had more to lose from a debate than Trump, they wanted the former President to be locked in a phonebooth with someone else controlling the power to his microphone.
Co-host Sara Haines was the most adamant that Trump should be censored. She suggested that “normally my gut would tell me it's good for democracy” to allow the candidates to debate freely, she wanted so one to control Trump’s mic and limit his ability to move around the stage:
The problem is, for the reasons you just spelled out, Donald Trump comes on and without -- I wish they would put him in phone booths and cut mics after a certain amount of time, because in addition to the fact-checking, he overtalks, gaslights, and everything else.
So, oftentimes, the comparison to Donald Trump makes anyone look less-than on some level. You know? He looks crazy too, but remember how he would, like, come behind Hillary and he was, like, always hovering. He has these nonverbal cues that could lead some to believe, “Oh, he's so strong” or “he's this,” but he just blows this thing out of the water.
She added that the only debate she would support would be between Trump and his Republican rival Nikki Haley.
Staunchly racist and anti-Semitic co-host Sunny Hostin (the descendant of slave owners) didn’t just want Trump censored while on the debate stage, she didn’t want him allowed anywhere near one. “We know who Donald Trump is! I don't think you give him that type of platform,” she exclaimed.
Behar and Haines said the quiet part out loud and admitted that participating in debates was a much greater threat to Biden than avoiding them was. “If Biden flubs, they'll be all over him. If Trump flubs, who cares?” Behar huffed.
“But Biden can lose, and he can lose in a debate. Trump will not,” Haines warned. “Biden makes one mistake and people who are undecided are out.”
Faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin made the right argument that the American people deserved to see the presidential candidates debate one another. But the rest of the cast jumped down her throat [Click “expand”]:
FARAH GRIFFIN: But if he doesn’t show up, they’ll be all over him. But here’s the thing, a lot has happened since 2020. January 6th hadn't happened. Donald Trump needs to have to stand next to Joe Biden and Joe Biden needs to call him out on the unfitness because the reality is we all at this table --
BEHAR: But he lies.
HOSTIN: He's going to say he had nothing to do with it.
FARAH GRIFFIN: Because at this table, we all know who Donald Trump is. Nearly 81 million people voted for him and they need to see the juxtaposition of the two—
[Crosstalk]
GOLDBERG: Listen. They know who he is.
Recalling the second presidential debate of 2016, where the candidates were allowed to walk around as part of a town hall-style event and Trump made headlines by “looming” behind Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, moderator Whoopi Goldberg proclaimed that Clinton should have kicked Trump in his nuts. “She should have kicked her foot backwards and hit him up where it hurts,” she proclaimed.
Whoopi says that when Trump and Hillary Clinton were debating, Clinton should have kicked him in the nuts: "She should have kicked her foot backwards and hit him where it hurts." pic.twitter.com/xxR5n6RXKV
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 19, 2024
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s The View
February 19, 2024
11:04:03 a.m. Eastern(…)
ALYSSA AFRAH GRIFIN: So, he needs to show up and debate.
SARA HAINES: I disagree with you actually. And I say that because normally my gut would tell me it's good for democracy. I caveat that with, if we do not know these two men as well as we do, it would be more important for them to be debating.
The problem is, for the reasons you just spelled out, Donald Trump comes on and without -- I wish they would put him in phone booths and cut mics after a certain amount of time, because in addition to the fact-checking, he overtalks, gaslights, and everything else.
So, oftentimes, the comparison to Donald Trump makes anyone look less-than on some level. You know? He looks crazy too, but remember how he would, like, come behind Hillary and he was, like, always hovering.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Hovering.
HAINES: He has these nonverbal cues that could lead some to believe, “Oh, he's so strong” or “he's this,” but he just blows this thing out of the water. And if he hasn't debated anyone yet, the only debate I would like to see is him and Nikki Haley. If he would debate Nikki Haley, I would support that.
I don't think Biden needs to since Donald Trump has done nothing to participate in this democracy since he lost.
[Applause]
JOY BEHAR: What was I going to say? I was going to say, Hillary should have said to him, “get away from you, you Orange menace.
[Laughter]
You know? She should have said that.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: She should have kicked her foot backwards and hit him up where it hurts.
(…)
11:06:40 a.m. Eastern
HOSTIN: We know who Donald Trump is! I don't think you give him that type of platform.
BEHAR: But also, if Biden flubs, they'll be all over him. If Trump flubs, who cares?
FARAH GRIFFIN: But if he doesn’t show up, they’ll be all over him. But here’s the thing, a lot has happened since 2020. January 6th hadn't happened. Donald Trump needs to have to stand next to Joe Biden and Joe Biden needs to call him out on the unfitness because the reality is we all at this table --
BEHAR: But he lies.
HOSTIN: He's going to say he had nothing to do with it.
FARAH GRIFFIN: Because at this table, we all know who Donald Trump is. Nearly 81 million people voted for him and they need to see the juxtaposition of the two—
[Crosstalk]
GOLDBERG: Listen. They know who he is.
BEHAR: They sure do.
GOLDBERG: They know who he is.
BEHAR: And they like it.
(…)
11:07:39 a.m. Eastern
FARAH GRIFFIN: This is an election where you have had the most politically homeless Republicans you’ll probably ever in modern history. People like me who cannot vote for Donald Trump, but they still want to hear answers on policy.
HAINES: But Biden can lose, and he can lose in a debate. Trump will not. The people supporting Trump will support him whether he's there or not. Biden makes one mistake and people who are undecided are out.
(…)
