Rush Limbaugh is a terrorist. That according to Joy Behar, who said so on the October 22 edtion of "The View." Barbara Walters, who previously only held such a standard for Elisabeth Hasselbeck, called out both Behar and Hasselbeck for allegedly never diverting from a partisan or ideological line. Hasselbeck defended herself noting past criticisms of Rush Limbaugh. Joy Behar, who also called Sean Hannity a "Dangerous Force in America," immediately jumped in and shouted that Rush Limbaugh is "not a Republican" but a "terrorist." [audio excerpt here]
As Joy Behar has previously described friendly exchanges with the king of talk radio in the past, one has to wonder if such a line was to attract attention. After branding the conservative icon a "terrorist" Behar proclaimed "you heard it hear ladies and gentlemen." Hasselbeck replied "make your news headline."
The transcript of the conversation follows.
JOY BEHAR: There are two other reasons I think. One of them was that Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson interview put the nail in her coffin because you saw that she was totally inarticulate, and as Bill Maher says "the sentence to nowhere was taking place."
ELISABETH HASSELBECK: What about Joe Biden who can’t, doesn’t know how-
BEHAR: We’ve known that grenade for many years, okay? We know Joe Biden very well. We have just heard of this woman a month ago, two months ago. That was one thing. The other thing is that the right wing establishment people in the newspapers, Peggy Noonan, George Will, David Brooks, have all turned on her. These are very, very important representatives of the Republican base, party. They’re intellectual and that’s how they pooh-pooh it. They say "oh, they’re just intellectuals" as if there’s something wrong with being smart. David Brooks, who has been really behind the Republican party in "The New York Times" for many many moons now, has called Sarah Palin a cancer on the Republican party.
HASSELBECK: That’s one opinion. That’s one opinion.
BEHAR: Well, I’m just saying he’s a-
HASSELBECK: You didn’t used to like his opinion before. All of a sudden-
BEHAR: Listen, you used to love Bush. Now do you love him still?
HASSELBECK: Look, I’m not- this isn’t about loving Bush. I respected him. I think has our country been safe for the past couple of years? Indeed it has.
BEHAR: We don’t know why yet.
HASSELBECK: I think there’s a certain amount of respect that we need to pay to that.
BEHAR: We’re not sure why.
HASSELBECK: Okay, you tell me why then.
BEHAR: I don’t know anymore than you do.
HASSELBECK: It’s not because of anything Barack Obama has done or will do.
BEHAR: Barack Obama was the one voice that said "don’t go into Iraq."
HASSELBECK: When? When?
BEHAR: Before we went in!
[applause]
HASSELBECK: When he was a state- he was a state senator. He was a state senator.
BEHAR: So what? So what?
HASSELBECK: And then he was against the surge. Barack Obama’s knowledge in terms of the military- here’s what I find interesting. The three people who have kids fighting for us right now, Sarah Palin, John McCain, and Joe Biden have all said Barack Obama is not fit to be commander-in-chief. Pay attention to that.
BARBARA WALTERS: No, no, no, sorry.
HASSELBECK: Yes they have. They have.
WALTERS: I have never heard Joe Biden say he’s not fit to be-
HASSELBECK: He said "it is not the time for on the job training." Right now he is not- I’ll read it.
WALTERS: No, he has not said- that’s an incorrect quote. He has made-
HASSELBECK: He has stood by it.
WALTERS: He has said things, but he has not made that-
HASSELBECK: He has stood by it.
WALTERS: He has not said that, so I would like us to try to be as accurate as possible.
HASSELBECK: I’ll get the exact quote. It’s, it’s almost exactly like that.
WALTERS: He, well, when you have the exact quote of Joe Biden the say-
BEHAR: Why would he mean that? Why would he say it and mean it when he’s the vice presidential candidate?
[...]
WALTERS: Can I ask you both a question since I’m sitting in the moderator or the mediators chair? Is there ever a time when you like Barack Obama and the Democrats? Is there ever a time when you like John McCain and the Republicans?
BEHAR: I like John McCain as a person. I’ve said it this morning. When he comes on this show, when he’s backstage with us, he’s a lot of fun. The John McCain that I’m seeing now is not the same guy that I see backstage.
HASSELBECK: That is such a line.
BEHAR: He’s not. He’s just a figurehead.
WALTERS: So you always state-
HASSELBECK: But he is the most beautifying figure in the Senate. Barack Obama is so far left-
[applause]
WALTERS: Elisabeth, Elisabeth. Do you ever, ever doubt anything about the Republicans? Do you ever doubt, well, you’re saying-
HASSELBECK: Sure, I’ve sat here and I talked about Rush Limbaugh.
BEHAR: He’s not a Republican.
HASSELBECK: I actually, when Barack Obama gave his speech and I said this, when I have said I-
BEHAR: He’s a terrorist. Rush Limbaugh is a terrorist. You heard it here ladies and gentlemen.
[applause]
HASSELBECK: Make your news headline. The-
WALTERS: I mean people running, people. Can I get into-
HASSELBECK: When I came here, Barack Obama actually could have potentially had my vote after his speech at the R- DNC.
BEHAR: Oh, come on!
HASSELBECK: You don’t believe me?
BEHAR: No, I don’t.
HASSELBECK: Call me a liar then Joy.
BEHAR: No, not that you’re lying, you’re being delusional.
HASSELBECK: I believe I was the first person to say- no I’m not being delusional.
[laughter]
BEHAR: I just don’t believe that. That is like me saying-
HASSELBECK: Do you want some more Barack Obama Kool-Aid or what would you like?
BEHAR: That is like saying I would have voted for George Bush. That was low, but we’re okay
