The hosts of ABC's The View on Thursday spent almost four minutes fretting over Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump suggesting Harriet Tubman be placed on the $2 bill as an alternative to replacing former President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill.
Joy Behar and Sunny Hostin in particular portrayed placement on the $2 bill as an insult, betraying an apparent lack of knowledge that the $2 bill that is still in circulation features no less than former President and Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson's likeness.
The lambasting of Dr. Carson became so hostile that Raven Symone read a tweet from a viewer suggesting his "failed campaign" should be put on the $2 bill, and guest co-host Melissa Joan Hart ended the segment by recalling a slam against Carson that he "needs brain surgery."
Co-host Joy Behar began the segment by recounting the decision to place Tubman's picture on the $20 bill, and immediately pivoted to taking issue with Trump and Dr. Carson for suggesting an alternative, even though both Republicans praised Tubman as a choice.
As Behar introduced clips of Carson and Trump speaking about the proposal, she seemed oblivious to the fact that both clips included high praise for Tubman from both Republicans as she focused only on reacting negatively to their suggestions:
JOY BEHAR: Andrew Jackson, who was a President of the United States at some point, he is on the $20 bill. He is being removed. They are now putting on the $20 bill the abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who was a, right- [audience applause] Some people -- some people -- they don't think it's a good idea. They think she's being overvalued. Watch who it is. Guess.
BEN CARSON: I love Harriet Tubman. I love what she did. But we can find another way to honor her. Maybe a $2 bill.
DONALD TRUMP: I think Harriet Tubman is fantastic. I would love to leave Andrew Jackson and see if we can maybe come up with another denomination. Maybe we do the $2 bill or we do another bill.
After Behar and Hostin recalled that President Jackson owned slaves and presided over the forced relocation of many Native-Americans, Hostin tried to connect Carson and Trump's idea to the phrase "two-dollar ho" used in some music and declared her anger. She also sounded unaware of the existence of the $2 bill that is still in circulation as she griped:
You know, what's so shocking to me is, where did the two dollars come from? Why does it have to be a $2 bill? I just don't understand that. And, in fact, And, in fact, there are a lot of songs that talk about a "two-dollar ho," and for some reason, it angered me so much when I heard about that.
Co-host Raven Symone jumped in to suggest that perhaps the suggestion was not badly meant as she recalled hoarding the small number of $2 bills that she comes across, but Behar pushed back that the two Republicans suggested it because of its lower rate of circulation:
RAVEN SYMONE: It's not a lot in rotation, and I hope -- I'm just hoping -- I really hope they didn't say two-dollar because of the value. I hope they said it because it was special.
JOY BEHAR: No, they said it because it's obscure because no one uses it. No one sees it. Ever hear the phrase, "As phony as a $2 bill? That's a phrase.They know what they're doing, those two.
Behar seemed unaware that the expression is actually "phony as a $3 bill" since $3 bills have never existed, although some people incorrectly use "$2 bill" when reciting the phrase.
Co-host Paula Faris then shined light on the lack of knowledge of which famous historical figures are seen on currency as most of the group had trouble recalling the likenesses on the $100 and $50 bills, with Behar admitting she does not know because she uses credit cards:
FARIS: I just think it's funny because we're getting so bent out of shape, I, we were talking about this in the makeup room, like, I honestly can't name every single President or influential person that's on our currency. So can I ask you guys who's on the $100 bill?
HART: Ben Franklin.
BEHAR: The $100 bill?
FARIS: Good. The $50 bill?
BEHAR: I don't know. I use credit cards.
FARIS: See? We're getting so upset, and we don't even know who's on our currency.
After Behar took a moment to note that President John Adams and John Quincy Adams never owned slaves to suggest that other early Presidents who did own slaves should be held in contempt, Symone jumped back in to trash Dr. Carson by reading a critical tweet about the retired brain surgeon:
Joy, I think you would appreciate this. Someone -- Lonnel -- from Twitter said that Ben Carson, "Perhaps he should put his failed candidacy on the back of the $2 bill."
After Behar recalled that Dr. Carson had compared Obamacare to slavery, Hart jumped in to joke about Dr. Carson needing brain surgery, inspiring laughter from everyone as the segment ended:
JOY BEHAR: Ben Carson is the guy also who said that Obamacare is worse than -- that slavery -- is worse than slavery. What is wrong with him? What is the matter with him?
MELISSA JOAN HART: Didn't someone say he needs brain surgery?
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Thursday, April 20, The View on ABC:
JOY BEHAR: Andrew Jackson, who was a President of the United States at some point, he is on the $20 bill. He is being removed. They are now putting on the $20 bill the abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who was a, right- [audience applause]
PAULA FARIS: Underground railroad.
BEHAR: Some people -- some people -- they don't think it's a good idea. They think she's being overvalued. Watch who it is. Guess.
BEN CARSON: I love Harriet Tubman. I love what she did. But we can find another way to honor her. Maybe a $2 bill.
DONALD TRUMP: I think Harriet Tubman is fantastic. I would love to leave Andrew Jackson and see if we can maybe come up with another denomination. Maybe we do the $2 bill or we do another bill.
BEHAR: Andrew Jackson owned at least 600 slaves. He was a vicious slave owner, by the way.
SUNNY HOSTIN: -And he also meted out an Indian removal policy and genocide against invading Florida. You know, what's so shocking to me is, where did the two dollars come from? Why does it have to be a $2 bill? I just don't understand that. And, in fact, And, in fact, there are a lot of songs that talk about a "two-dollar ho," and for some reason, it angered me so much when I heard about that.
RAVEN SYMONE: But on the flip side of that, I know when I receive a $2 bill, I never spend it, it's so, it's not in rotation. You know what I'm saying.
HOSTIN: Exactly. It's not in rotation.
SYMONE: It's not a lot in rotation, and I hope -- I'm just hoping -- I really hope they didn't say two-dollar because of the value. I hope they said it because it was special.
BEHAR: No, they said it because it's obscure because no one uses it. No one sees it.
SYMONE: I covet my $2 bills.
BEHAR: Ever hear the phrase, "As phony as a $2 bill?
HOSTIN: Yes, yes.
BEHAR: That's a phrase.They know what they're doing, those two.
[Guest co-host Melissa Joan Hart suggests changing all the paper money every 50 years except George Washington.]
FARIS: I just think it's funny because we're getting so bent out of shape, I, we were talking about this in the makeup room, like, I honestly can't name every single President or influential person that's on our currency. So can I ask you guys who's on the $100 bill?
HART: Ben Franklin.
BEHAR: The $100 bill?
FARIS: Good. The $50 bill?
BEHAR: I don't know. I use credit cards.
FARIS: See? We're getting so upset, and we don't even know who's on our currency.
(...)
SYMONE: Joy, I think you would appreciate this. Someone -- Lonnel -- from Twitter said that Ben Carson, "Perhaps he should put his failed candidacy on the back of the $2 bill."
HOSTINS: Ohhhhh!. Lonnell!
BEHAR: Ben Carson is the guy also who said that Obamacare is worse than -- that slavery -- is worse than slavery. What is wrong with him? What is the matter with him?
HART: Didn't someone say he needs brain surgery?
[everyone laughs]
BEHAR: Okay, we'll be right back.
