A then-pregnant Elisabeth Hasselbeck with Joy Behar and Barbara Walters when Walters got a star on the Walk of Fame. 6/14/07. Credit: WENN
Remember when Sherri Shepherd started crying on “The View” the day after Obama won and said she could now tell her son that anything was possible and it would be true? Token conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck was the next person to express her feelings about Obama’s election and she seemed genuinely affected by both Sherri’s emotional response and the elation of a large portion of the country. Showing some patriotism and probably an innate deference to authority, Elisabeth said she would “get in a long line of supporters… and support our president because that is what an American should do.”
According to the National Enquirer, Elisabeth may have been a lot more affected by the potential loss of her job than by the optimism and hope sweeping the nation. Hasselbeck campaigned for McCain and Palin and made some rude remarks about future first lady Michelle Obama’s preshow requests, a real faux pas for a talkshow hostess. Her boss, sourpuss Barbara Walters, is now worrying that the sought-after first lady will shun the talk show if Elisabeth doesn’t get on board quick. Walters is said to have demanded that Elisabeth make a statement in support of Obama and she even wants her to write a personal letter of apology to Michelle:
After months of criticizing President-elect Barack Obama on “The View,” the talk show’s resident Republican Elisabeth Hasselbeck has done a surprising about-face and now says she supports him.
Insiders tell The Enquirer she’s been forced to play nice because Barbara Walters fears Michelle Obama might boycott the show because of Elisabeth’s nasty remarks about the future first lady.
In September, Elisabeth hosted a luncheon for Cindy McCain and told the crowd that both Cindy and Michelle had appeared on “The View,” and that “unlike another wife of a political candidate who shall remain nameless, Cindy McCain had nothing to hide.”
Elisabeth was referring to the fact that during Michelle’s appearance, she did not want the conversation focused on the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright or on the Obama’s two young daughters.
Barbara blew up at Elisabeth when she heard that Michelle had found out about Elisabeth’s caustic comments.
“Barbara told her that if Michelle never appeared on the show again, it would be her fault,” continued the source. “She told Elisabeth she better declare on the air that she supports the country’s pick…
Barbara also wants Elisabeth to send Michelle a letter of apology.
[From The National Enquirer, print edition, November 24, 2008]
The Enquirer gets a lot of scoops about The View and I would bet they have a very solid source. There have been rumors that Elisabeth might leave the show to become one of those attractive one note pundits on Fox, but she’s denied plans to leave. Now that the political climate of the nation has changed and Fox is just singing the same old misleading song Elisabeth has little choice but to change her tune. At least she seems convincing about it.
And there I was thinking thinking that there may be a decent side to that stupidity. Honestly that is the most decent think she has ever done and now that was fake too. She has a lot in common with Sarah Palin. The far right has a way of being blind and delusional that it sometimes gets scary.
I call BS on this one. 🙄
Nothing like groupthink to quell a different point-of-view. If her opinion means that much to her, then Liz should just leave the show. Being asked to vacate one’s beliefs is not a healthy work environment to begin with, especially when it has been so publically voiced.
I hope this story is not true cuz that would be very troubling. I am an unabashed Obama supporter. I too was speechless when he won. I can’t yet find all the words to describe how proud I was of my country. But…please let’s not silence those who disagree with us. I may not agree with Elizabeth, however let be fair no EH would make the View less exciting. For me the most annoying person of thr show is Barbara Walter’s herself. She parades her affair with a married as ground breaking because he was Black. Honey, cheating is cheating. She pretended to be shocked by Star stepping up and quitting on air. Star was a huge pain, but Barbara lied. Barbara went on about the ‘lovely’ woman that Paul Macartney(sp?) was dating & how horrible his ex is. But the ‘lovely’ lady he is /was dating is a relative of Ms. Walter’s ! I have no love for the female Napoleon that reigns at the View.
what a blazing double standard. when were any of the other cast members asked to show support for O’s predecessor?
unbeeweevable…
She *is* a Fox Vapid Bottle Blonde – she’s just on The View.
But I believe part of it – Babs being worried that any exclusives she might get with The First Family would dry up if Hasselbeck didn’t shut her mouth.
I too believe Babs would be worried about being on the outs with Michelle. I was shocked at EH’s pledge of support and really, after some of what she said and how she said it, sounding a little two-faced.
I don’t believe Mrs McCain was wholly without “requests”. I don’t think she’d be happy with discussing on the View her past drug problem, using her charity as a clearing house and how that “went away”.
As for Babs, after seeing her list of Most Fascinating in 2008, she’s so out of touch with reality, I can see her putting the Obamas in the top slot/s but that would be all to save it.
I don’t know. I’m on the fence with this one. ❗ ❓
Isn’t this America? Land of FREEDOM OF SPEECH and OPINION??? or am I mistaken? and we living in a communist, speech-quelched nation??? Move to f–ing CHINA if you don’t like what the God-fearing God-loving Conservative American thinks and says! I love her to death for having the GUTS to speak out against all you left-wing people that HATE so much, but preach to the RIGHT to stop hating! BIGOTS!
I’m with Liz
I doubt this is the reason she is claiming to now support Obama. Anyone who watches the View knows she just spent the last few years saying over and over again that Americans must support their president no matter what or else the “terrorists” will see the US as divided and take advantage of that. She knows she has to verbally support Obama or her own words will be thrown back in her face.
yeah, I’m torn on this one too. Although I cannot stand EH (not entirely because of her politics but mostly just because she seems very mean spirited about it) It is “the view” and thus she is entitled to hers. But then also, losing out on a first lady interview could be very embarassing for Babs!! The ratings on an interview like that would be phenominal, and being the eternal business woman, ofcourse she would be concerned with elizabeth’s behavior! complicated
EH can have her own opinion and even talk about it. Totally fine by me, but the tone does the music. She is ALWAYS a nasty bitch, she always yells ppl down, when not agreeing with her and she is just plain rude, when others can elaborate eloquently. She is loud, dumb and mean. That’s why she’s on the show in the first place but also that’s why Barbara has to tell you once in a while to get in line. If she were able to put witty statements instead of just cough up stupid remarks with obvioulsy no background knowledge of the situation whatsoever, maybe then Barbara would not have to force her to follow her line again. This is not the first time that bitch EH is totally missing the tone and point at the same time. She is just rude and dumb. That’s the truth, get over it. 🙄
I don’t see why Elizabeth doesn’t quit. I quit a job a few years ago because I was being forced to express the left-wing opinions of my boss and co-workers. My conscience wouldn’t let me do it any longer. I would have sued but couldn’t stomach the thought of dragging it out further. Elizabeth should just save herself the anguish, but I know we all need jobs.
Sorry Liz, but “bigotry” is found in things like Prop 8 passing.
I’m not saying that there isn’t extremism and prejudice to be found, but there’s just as much on both sides of the left wing/right wing line.
I hope Hasslebeck doesn’t leave, because there will be nobody to bring up both sides of the coin, but she can very rarely back up her opinion with evidence- which I think is a sign of believing what you are told, or a small-minded nature.
As far as relevance goes, the View is about as light weight and left leaning as a ladies day time talk show can go. Liz has valid point. The fascist left has majored in hate and slander for the past eight years. I think they protest too much. They can go worship at the altar of Bill Ayers and Rev. Wright.
Mr. T- Ending your comment with a statement like that shows exactly how hateful and small you are.
“Fascist left,” ha!
Go to drama school and major in Shakespeare, I think you’ve got a great temperament for it- dramatic. 🙄
I don’t think the problem is her voicing her views- the problem is, she took something that she was supposed to be privy to as part of a professional organization and broadcasted it. It would be no different than you working for a company that is in talks to do business with another company that maybe you don’t approve of, and then going around revealing the private details of the negotiation. It was unprofessional on her part.
yeah, I agree that this is more about business than free speech; it’s not as if the View is a government-funded program or something. I mean, if you are hired onto a business venture, and you then go around speaking out against the constituency or entity that your boss (who is steering the venture) seeks the support of, you’ll be at risk of being told, by your boss, to squash it, plain and simple.
I’m not really clear as to how that represents the leftist bigotry, or the silencing of free speech. Ms. Hasselbeck can still say whatever she wants; she will just have to find another forum to voice her opinion in. Free speech doesn’t mean that you can just say whatever you want anytime you want and no one else is allowed to have any reaction to it. It does mean that you have the right to voice your opinion without fear of government suppression. So…until the day when men with FBI badges show up standing just off-camera on the set and holding up cue cards for EH, I don’t see the problem.
I mean, it’s the View – it’s a tv show, designed to increase ratings to make money, on a network that is paid for by advertisers, etc. It’s not friggin’ NPR or something, and it’s certainly not a government-sponsored program. Her boss IS allowed to direct and monitor the public presentation of her business and its employees.
Would you rather business owners were forced to let their employees act/behave/say whatever they wanted during work hours? Brilliant world that would be.
I think EH is sincere in saying we shld. support our president. As it is, other countries think we are idiots for saying such disgusting things about our leader/country. We must unite regardless of who is elected. Also, I just can’t wait to cry & be emotional b/c 1/2 Irish-Amer./ASIAN-Amer. president elected so I can tell my children anything is possible!
Thanks Al! That was a great summary of free speech rights under the First Amendment. It surprises me sometimes that people don’t understand what the First Amendment is all about. *coughSarahPalincough*
And I agree with jaedalaurez that EH’s problem was that she kind of betrayed her job by using presumably confidential information she was given in the context of her job in order to further her political agenda. I don’t blame BW for being pissed off about it.
I think most conservatives feel we should respect the Office of the President. I’m a Sarah supporter, and despise what Obama stands for (Marxist/marxist-leaning, pro-FOCA), but I am more than willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in seeing how he actually governs. Besides, his failures are our failures (as a nation) so I would rather he doesn’t make any huge mistakes.
I would hope that EH was at least a little sincere in her statements.
I dont know, I dont care if people have different views from mine..its a free country, but its the way Elizabeth expresses her views is why she pisses so many people off. She is a person that will sit there and totally demonise President-Elect Obama (when he hasn’t had anything to do with this past eight years and all he did was run for the Presidency) yet she will turn around and stick up for everything President Bush has done as if her life depended on it. Its ridiculous. She also rarely ever admits shes wrong or at least try to look at both sides of the story. She was way out of line for throwing Michelle Obama under the bus as well…its okay to support a canidate but as a talk show host she crossed the code of ethics.
I feel as if they can find a better woman who represents the Republican party and actually knows what they are talking about. Half the things that have come out of Elizabeths mouth has either made her look completely stupid or are not factual when it has come to Obama (or anything else for that matter)and that is very irrisponsible of her to sit on that platform and instead of checking facts just resight talking points from Fox News. You are starting to tell that a lot of the guest that come on the show dont like her and viewers as well. I feel like far right-wingers like Elizabth and Palin give the Republican party a bad name. Reagan is turning over in his grave from what that party has turned into…a bunch of ignorant, hypocritical, fear raising, war mongers that f*ck up the economy. SMH, they need to realise that this is NOT a far left country or a far right country…its a country thats in the middle, so they both need to stop sounding like a bunch of lunatics.
@ Gracie…people like yourself need to get off that “Marxists/Socialist” crap as well…you cant accuse someone of being a “socialist” when we just passed the biggest bailout in the history of this country to nationalise banks under the REPUBLICAN administration. Again, lets have a mind of our own (instead of reighting talking points) and use commen since. All that man wants to do is change the tax code and roll back the Bush tax cuts and some of you people have a coniption fit. Again, its ridiculous. You probably supported Bush too. SMH, and support Sarah Palin although that woman belongs nowhere near the White House. No wonder Countries have been pointing their finger at us these past 8 years and laughing, because some people in this country are determined to try to elect and put ignorant people in the White House, thank god logic won this time.
i think the comments ELisabeth made about Michelle were out of line and unfair. as for her politics i don’t care , she has no credibility after not at least being able to admit that sara palin was not ready or qualified to be vp. hell i am not sure how she became a governor,
hmm.. maybe the view hired EH because she DOES kinda give republicans a bad name… everyone on the view are democrats arent they??
Sorry but I think its GREAT that someone like EH is out there on TV, being a mean cow & representing the republicans in the process. Im not against ppl having different views, but I just don’t understand republicans, at all. I don’t understand how people can be so pro-violence and anti-gay… like all you republicans have the right to decide how other ppl live their lives??*rolls eyes* You want to ban love and give every1 a gun? And you think the world will be better that way?? HOW?
ANYWAY i think EH overstepped the line professionally by saying what she said… She speaks before she thinks… if she thinks at all.
Elizabeth Whatever her name is, should take her right wing ass to fox and leave the view. I am sure she doesnt share all right wing views. That chick is a b&@&$ along with Sara Mcstupid. God I wish Barbra Walters would fire her annoying ass already!!!
Anon02; I agree with you 100%, as far as EH goes, she is entitled to her opinions like anyone else, but there is a way of showing respect and she has never shown any to anyone. Every time I watched her go into her rants, she never allowed anyone else to debate her point of view, it was like she wanted to prove everyone wrong but instead had no valid points to back up those statements. But what is done has been done, Sarah Palin and McCain lost so we should be united to work together and fix the problems America is facing instead of pointing fingers and blaming people for what clearly was a majority win. I feel like if people continue to be bigots, maybe they would be happier someplace else, because that is not what America needs right now. 8)
I just don’t get why ANYONE watches this show anymore? You have idiots proclaiming that “nothing predates Jesus” and we’re supposed to listen to what these hens have to say?! 🙄
I agree with angel’s post above. One of the things about political talk that bothers me (although I think it’s healthy to have a rational discussion of differences) is how EITHER side co-opts terms exclusively for their side. I am a “God-fearing, God-loving” non-Marxist DEMOCRAT. Is it even possible to say those things in our current environment without one or the other side of ours calling out “hypocrisy”?
Enough. We work TOGETHER with whomever we’ve got. We make our voices heard with our opinions during campaign season and our votes during elections. After such a watershed moment for America, let’s not let the voice that emerges now remain divisive and bitter.
I neither insult nor exclude you; please don’t insult or exclude me.
I’m militarily conservative, very socially lenient, and a pagan but I still get lumped with bible-thumpers because I support the military. As a non-conservative conservative – I HATE EH! I hate babawawas even more.
I would find it incredibly petty (as I have for many, many years) if the First Lady refused to be on a show because everyone didn’t kiss her ass. It is not the responsibility of ever American to blow kisses and glitter up the butt of someone being interviewed, especially at the federal level.
Wawa needs to go away, EH needs to learn when to pick her battles, and the View needs to be canceled.
The fact of the matter is that HB is just unprofessional and a right wing hack nut! I am sorry, I have friends that are conservatives/republicans, and you can be in a professional environment and have your opinions about politicians or politics without being a NUT. It is clear that this broad has been taking her “View” out of context and distastefully in the public by making this comment. Had Whoopi or Sherri Shepherd said liberal things and their personal opinions about McCain or Cindy McCain, everyone would be crying foul and the whole liberal media mythical attacks would had cause Barbra to lose her show!
I am sorry, but if he did say these things about Michele Obama and she is disrespecting that this woman is still the presumptive First Lady of the United States, then I think Barbra has a right to go after her azz, just as she did when Star Jone’s azz got out of line!
Barbara Walters is insufferably silly and that Behar woman is a rude, obnoxious, loudmouth, just like Rosie. They steamroll over anyone who dares disagree with their beliefs. I don’t see how Elizabeth can stand to be on that show, I stopped watching years ago.
What jaedalaurez said.
Barbara Walters is a Judas of the highest sort. She stopped having journalism creds around the dinosaur age. No, really, for me, it was when she started asking everyone what kind of tree they would be.
Joy is a particular kind of loud mouth that I can’t stomach.
Elizabeth needs to learn to articulate better, with less volume and whine. Even so, without Merideth there it is a total free for all hen party.
I do believe that Elizabeth believes in full support of whomever takes on the mantel of president.
This new wave of caustic vitriol and cursing the holder of our highest national office will bite us in the ass. It’s like we’ve all sunk to the level of juniour high slam book mindthink. What will Obama be called when he fumbles or falters? If it goes along the lines of the last four years, I shudder to think. As a nation, we need to clean up our act as far as throwing out verbal and written abuse in regards to our president. We have lost the art of critique and have slammed headlong into name calling and character assassination. As everyone in the military knows, you don’t salute the man, you salute the office.
I wonder if there is a small part of Elisabeth that regrets her comments about Michelle. She made them when Sarah Palin had just been named McCain’s VP candidate and had put him ahead in the polls. She is entitled to her opinion, she should be allowed to voice it, but those remarks about our future first lady were very unkind. I watched the show a few days ago, Michelle was mentioned and Elisabeth clearly looked uncomfortable.
I watched yesterday (Nov.19) as Elisabeth enumerated on how unfair and biased media outlets are toward Obama – and were during the campaign. A different voice is always interesting and educational, whether one agrees or not. But in Hasselbeck’s case, typical “Fox News” talking points are her basic source of knowledge, much of the time without research or substance, spewed out in rote form. Many local letter writers in my conservative area’s newspaper are regurgitating the same words. If they don’t soon replace her, the View will no doubt lose many viewers.
Palin is a mental midget and anyone who supported her to the extent Hasselback did is one too. However, whether she meant it or not, as an American, I stand behind my President no matter how much I can’t stand him and hope for the best. I will voice my dissent when necessary, but he’s still my President like it or not. I am happy now to stand behind the most intelligent man in the room instead of the C average student.
and now, 3 months or more has passed, and all you posters who believed EH was being sincere – were all wrong – daily she tries to insult this current administration – and B.O. hasn’t been in office 50 days yet.
Her *sincerity* lasted less than a week.
….if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, acts like a duck, smells like a duck, it certainly is not a swan.
….horses don’t change colors.