The View” co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar were so outraged by a comment made by guest Bill O’Reilly this morning that they actually walked off the set in protest.
There to promote his new book “Pinheads and Patriots,” the conservative Fox News commentator brought up the proposed Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero and its support from President Obama as an example of how the president is disconnected from the American people. Goldberg and Behar took offense.
“We’re Americans! We agree with him!” Behar added.
“70% of Americans don’t want that mosque there. So don’t give me the ‘we’ business!” O’Reilly replied. The banter continued, capped by O’Reilly blurting out, “Muslims killed us on 9/11!” Behar and Goldberg went off.
“Oh my God!” Behar said.
“That is such bullsh**!” Goldberg said. “Extremists did that!”
Behar then stood up, saying, “I don’t want to sit here now. I don’t! I’m outraged by that statement.”
She and Goldberg then walked off the set to supportive applause. But co-host/producer Barbara Walters was not amused.
“You have just seen what should not happen,” Walters said. “We should be able to have discussions without washing our hands, and screaming, and walking offstage.”
With just Walters, Sherri Shepherd and Elisabeth Hasselbeck left on stage, O’Reilly eventually said he was referring only to Muslim extremists who attacked the US, and apologized for being unclear.
After a commercial break, Behar and Goldberg returned to the set, saying they were back because he had clarified his statements. [Watch below.]
