OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
ABC’s “The View” is back in the headlines this week after several of the hosts took turns slamming Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
During a segment Monday on the show, the panel criticized Abrams for posing maskless in front of masked school kids last week.
The photo had been originally shared by Dr. Holly Brookins, the school’s principal, who said Abrams had read the class of small children her book Stacey’s Extraordinary Words to kick off Black History Month.
Stacey Abrams’s Outrageous Mask Hypocrisy https://t.co/83QUKlx7vG pic.twitter.com/ezAUA9wvSm
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) February 7, 2022
Below is a transcript of the exchange:
BEHAR: “Some Georgia Republicans are calling Stacey Abrams a hypocrite for being unmasked in a photo with school kids during a visit for a black history month. She’s calling them shameful for using a black history month event to stage a false political attack and it’s just a distraction from their failures to protect people during the pandemic. But my question to this panel is shouldn’t she have read the room there? I am a little bit shocked because Stacey Abrams to me is one of the most intelligent people in politics.”
HOSTIN: “Brilliant.”
BEHAR: “And she kind of slipped up here. They took a picture of her with these kids without a mask, giving aid and comfort to the other side. That’s what she did.”
HOSTIN: “She did.”
BEHAR: “And I’m surprised at her, to tell you the truth.” [crosstalk]
HOSTIN: “Well it was an unforced error. Like, why do that? Why give the right more ammunition? They always go after her anyway, and I think it was really hypocritical actually. Her statement. First of all, this has nothing to do with black history month. The point is she was not wearing a mask when she is one of those proponents of mask mandates, and she said, I think, in her statement, her people said that she asked to — she removed it — I’m sorry. She wore a mask to the school, but later removed it so she could be heard by students watching remotely, and for the photos on the condition that everyone around her was wearing masks.”
BEHAR: “Yeah.”
HOSTIN: “She should have worn a mask. That’s a lame excuse.”
BEHAR: “Yeah.”
NAVARRO: “This happened the same week that Eric Garcetti got caught taking pictures without a mask at SoFi Stadium stadium, he was posing with Magic Johnson and other celebrities. He claims that his holds his breath taking a picture.”
HAINES: “That’s ridiculous.”
NAVARRO: “It’s so stupid.” [crosstalk]
BEHAR: “It’s an excuse. That’s funny.” (Laughter)
NAVARRO:” We see it happening across —“
BEHAR: “How long? For, like, 20 minutes? Even Mr. Williams couldn’t do that underwater.”
NAVARRO: “They better get that shot in one click. And you’re seeing what’s happening in London where Boris Johnson is getting raked through the coals for having held a party on Downing Street when there was all sorts of measures all over the country, and so I think people really resent this idea of rules for thee but not — you know, rules for me, but not for thee.” [crosstalk]
BEHAR: “Yeah, but it is egregious somebody like Abbott and DeSantis really saying, don’t wear the masks, saying no mandates, no masks, that’s much more destructive than one person slipping up in my opinion.”
HAINES: “I think we can have a separate conversation about whether we’re changing to the time of whether we need those masks, but if someone says, I don’t think we need them, and they believe that, I almost think that’s more consistent because she says we need them.”
HOSTIN: “Yep.”
HAINES: “And to come into a school where by the way, if I went into a school and that was the going norm, I would go ahead and just put my mask on even if I wasn’t planning on it because you’re around these children and teachers and there are rules for that. I think in her defense, she’s better than that. She knows better than that.” [crosstalk]
BEHAR: “And she’s such a good strategist. Also she strategizes.”
HAINES: “She’s probably mad —“ [crosstalk]
HOSTIN: “It was an unforced error of the worst sort because I — I don’t know that I necessarily believe that politicians are role models anymore, but to many people she is, and you want better from your role model.”
NAVARRO: “She was also in a school with little, little children, right?”
HOSTIN: “Yeah, elementary school.” [crosstalk]
NAVARRO: “Which is one of the groups that’s the lestast vaccinated.”
HOSTIN: “That part.”
NAVARRO: “And so, for that purpose in itself, you know, you wear — you’ve been so careful about your grandson.”
BEHAR: “I have.”
NAVARRO: “How could she not be careful — this much more careful in a room full of such small children?”
HOSTIN: “Yeah.”
BEHAR: “All right. I look forward to hearing what her response might be to all of this criticism.”
HOSTIN: “Got to be better.”
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