The View Host Advocates Violence Against Trump On-Air, Tries to Deny It
An on-air discussion Thursday of the rekindled feud between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden resulted in one co-host of “The View” being warned that she was about to receive a call from the Secret Service.
Though critical of both men’s behavior, Sunny Hostin said Biden’s recent taunt aimed at Trump was “chivalrous” in a certain context.
The former vice president addressed a crowd in Florida for an anti-sexual assault rally earlier this week, using the forum to condemn prior comments made by Trump.
“A guy who ended up becoming our national leader said, ‘I can grab a woman anywhere and she likes it,'” he said. “They asked me if I’d like to debate this gentleman, and I said ‘no.’ I said, ‘If we were in high school, I’d take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him.'”
Trump responded in a tweet referring to “Crazy Joe Biden” as “weak, both mentally and physically,” claiming that in a fight he “would go down fast and hard, crying all the way.”
If there was upper ground to be had in this feud, Hostin said it belonged to Biden.
“I thought, you know, there’s something about that, because he was also speaking at an event where he was encouraging men to stick up for women and not just be bystanders,” she said.
Did Sunny Hostin's comments go too far?
Co-host Meghan McCain accused both men of acting like bullies, an allegation Hostin used to double down on her initial point.
“Trump is such a bully,” she said, wondering out loud why no one has “taken him out back and kicked his little butt” as described by Biden.
“We shouldn’t be advocating for violence,” McCain responded.
She noted that some of her co-hosts “had a lot to say” about then-candidate Trump for the way he behaved on the campaign trail.
“I don’t like double standards,” McCain said.
Hostin attempted to backtrack, but even some of her fellow Trump critics on the panel were not convinced and ultimately jumped in to force the conversation in a different direction.
“I’m not advocating beating up the president,” she said. “But why doesn’t anybody just stand up to him?”
Whoopi Goldberg interjected with a warning for her colleague.
“Here’s what’s going to happen to your behind: the Secret Service is going to call you,” she said. “OK? Let’s move on.”
Joy Behar attempted to further downplay any perceived endorsement of violence by encouraging Hostin to deny such intent.
“She didn’t mean it,” Behar said. “Say it.”
Instead, Hostin repeated her previous argument.
“What?” she said. “I mean I wish somebody would stand up to this president.”
Goldberg again attempted to steer the discussion elsewhere.
“We’re trying to help you,” she said. “Stop, stop. Don’t talk about it. Moving on, moving on.”
What do you think?
