The hottest of “Hot Topics” on The View on Thursday was the NFL’s new policy to stop players from kneeling on the field during the playing of the national anthem. Whoopi Goldberg introduced a clip of President Trump on Fox News saying it was “the right thing" and maybe "you shouldn't be in the country" if you can't.
Joy Behar shot back by taking issue with Trump’s deferments in the Vietnam era: “Well, you know, some people say that dodging the draft five times is un-American. Maybe he shouldn't be in the country.” Joy doesn’t take that position on Bill Clinton’s draft avoidance.
Sara Haines said she stands for the anthem, but finds kneeling next to her would be powerful. Sunny Hostin went on the usual liberal rant about patriotic dissent and horrible police:
SUNNY HOSTIN: Some people may be kneeling because of their personal experience. Because as I’ve said many times, this protest is not about the national anthem. This protest is not about the flag. It is about the fact that our country still -- think about the Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown who was tased for doing absolutely nothing by the police. This country terrorizes African-American men at a much, disproportionate rate than it does to white men. And so my experience in this country is valid, and it should be valued. If I want to kneel because I don't think America is as great as she can be, I don't think America has lived up to the promise of the flag, that means I am being just as American as you are when you stand in homage to your parents' service.
Meghan McCain sounded sad as she said “I will say I completely disagree with anyone on this table. I would never be okay with someone not saluting the flag. Seventy-two percent of Americans, according to Reuters, said that they thought [Colin] Kaepernick‘s behavior was unpatriotic.” Hostin interrupted with “Ninety-seven percent of African-Americans think it’s very patriotic," and drew the usual outburst of studio applause.
(That’s hot air: 40 percent of non-whites in the Reuters poll disagreed with Kaepernick’s stunt.)
“Can I please finish what I'm saying? I’m still talking!” McCain yelled back. “I’m still talking! I’m still speaking!” Joy Behar shot back “Everybody gets a turn on this panel, Meghan,” Joy Behar said, ignoring that Hostin had just lectured for 46 seconds without McCain butting in. They went to an ad break.
Why can't liberals shut up for a minute and be polite, especially after conservatives sit and listen?
When the show resumed, McCain apologized for being angry, saying she and Hostin were both a bit sick. But she repeated “I know it’s unpopular in this room. That’s why we do this job.” She noted a new Washington Post poll found 53 percent of Americans said it’s never appropriate to kneel during the anthem.
Then Whoopi Goldberg added her two cents, that the NFL controversy was “forced by the guy in the White House,” and that it’s wrong that “You are not allowed to disagree. In a dictatorship, you gotta stand.” This avoids the fact that the new policy says players who won’t stand can simply stay in the locker room, so they are not “forced” to stand.
