According to Joy Behar of 'The View,' someone is "out to get" Anthony Weiner because "they don't like his politics." Behar and her co-host Whoopi Goldberg advanced a conspiracy theory on Thursday and included the possibility that the Congressman could have been at a beach and had an innocent photo digitally manipulated. Meanwhile, Barbara Walters pronounced dead the political goal of the politician to one day be New York's mayor.
Offering cover for Weiner, Goldberg theorized, "Well, you know, if you have been on a beach in a bathing suit with friends- and I've had this happen, so I know that this can get done- where they take, you know, a little piece of you and they put you in a diaper or whatever."
[See video below. MP3 audio here.]
Journalist and co-host Walters asserted that the Representative, who has long discussed his dream of being mayor of New York City, "can forget about that." She added, "I do think his chances of being the mayor are diminished, if not abolished."
Walters dismissed the conspiracy theory, suggesting that such an idea was highly unlikely. She repeatedly endorsed the scenario that Weiner took a picture of his penis and inadvertently made it public on Twitter. This caused Behar to retort, "Well, somebody is out to get him, apparently, 'cause they don't like his politics."
A transcript of the June 2 segment, which aired at 11:02am EDT, follows:
[Clip of Weiner]
JOY BEHAR: It never happened to Dick Cheney, I'll just say.
BARBARA WALTERS: One day a teapot, he next day a feather duster.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: The question that people are asking is how could you not know whether it's you or not? I mean, I get how he's not sure.
BEHAR: Tell them your theory.
GOLDBERG: Well, you know, if you have been on a beach in a bathing suit with friends- and I've had this happen, so I know that this can get done- where they take, you know, a little piece of you and they put you in a diaper or whatever. It sounds cute but it's no fun because you look and you think, that looks like my belly button. Now, I'm sure he doesn't want to say I think that could be my package, I don't know.
WALTERS: That might happen with you.
GOLDBERG: Barbara, it happens with a lot of people.
WALTERS: But wait. Yes. But- If you are a congressman or a senator or someone in public life, you are very careful about that. You don't have somebody taking a picture of you from here to here.
GOLDBERG: No, no, no. I'm saying a photograph, if you've gone on a vacation-
WALTERS: I understand what you're saying.
GOLDBERG: If you're gone on vacation, they can take a picture of you from your page.
WALTERS: It depends who "they" is.
SHERRI SHEPHERD: Hackers.
GOLDBERG: Hackers. Yeah, that's what they can do.
WALTERS: But the hacker isn't with you when the picture is taken.
SHEPHERD: No, but if the hacker gets in your computer, Barbara, they can take any picture, Barbara, and photoshop it.
WALTERS: I realize that. I am talking about the original picture. You are careful not to have those pictures taken. I understand you can manipulate it.
BEHAR: But, Barbara, couldn't he be fully clothed almost and then they photocopy it [gestures] and put it like that?
WALTERS: Somebody has to go to a lot of effort to get you in trouble.
BEHAR: Well, somebody is out to get him, apparently, 'cause they don't like his politics.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK: This must not be a very flattering picture, because any man, if the picture of flattering, would claim this thing. Without a doubt! I have not seen it.
WALTERS: You know, if you're a congressman- I mean, the thing that I-
HASSELBECK: I mean, if the thing is big enough, they'd be like, "That is me!"
WALTERS: I think that's funny. But in the meantime- and it is funny- in the meantime, we have so much going on in this country and this, we are spending four days. This man, who was going to run for mayor, that- we can forget about that. And we are still-
BEHAR: Really? You think so? Just because of that?
WALTERS: Oh, I- I know Anthony Weiner. I said this the other day. He's a good congressman. He's very effective. He's very sarcastic. He may have a personality problem. But, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be elected. I do think his chances of being the mayor are diminished, if not abolished.
BEHAR: Well, I think I have to agree with you, because he was Twittering back these young women and apparently he has not denied that he has a picture of himself like this. He hasn't denied it.
