Joy Behar Defends Media Reaction to Covington Video by Admitting 'We're Desperate To Get Trump Out of Office'
“The View” co-host Joy Behar said on Tuesday’s program that the reason the media and others rushed to judgment regarding the Covington Catholic High School students is “because we’re desperate to get Trump out of office.”
Fellow host Whoopi Goldberg introduced the segment with a video clip from the incident showing Covington student Nick Sandmann standing face-to-face with Native American Nathan Phillips. In a second clip, a group of African Americans calling themselves the Black Hebrew Israelites are seen mocking the students, some of whom were wearing “Make America Great Again” hats.
Not seen in the footage aired on “The View” was that the Black Israelites were throwing racial slurs at the Kentucky high schoolers.
“Many people admitted they made snap judgments before these other facts came in. But is it that we just instantly say that’s what it is based on what we see in that moment and then have to walk stuff back when it turns out we’re wrong?” Goldberg asked. “Why is that? Why do we keep making the same mistake?”
“Because we’re desperate to get Trump out of office. That’s why,” Behar said.
Goldberg began to follow up, “What does that have to do…”
Behar interjected, “I think that’s the reason. I think the press jumps the gun a lot because we just — we have so much circumstantial evidence against this guy that we basically are hoping that Cohen has the goods and what have you and so it’s wishful thinking.”
She was referring to last week’s Buzzfeed story reporting that then-presidential candidate Donald Trump had directed his personal attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the proposed Trump Tower Moscow project.
In a rare move, the special counsel’s office refuted the piece, describing it as “not accurate.”
Goldberg encouraged Behar to stay on the subject of the Covington students.
In an interview that aired on NBC’s “Today” on Wednesday, host Savannah Guthrie asked Sandmann if he felt he owed Phillips an apology. Sandmann is seen standing face-to-face with the Native American in video and pictures from the incident.
The original reporting about the standoff by many media outlets blamed the students for the confrontation, based on a small video clip.
However, when video giving fuller context became public, it revealed that Phillips had approached the students, as they were being jeered by the Black Hebrew Israelites.
“As far as standing there, I had every right to do so,” Sandmann told Guthrie.
“My position is that I was not disrespectful to Mr. Phillips. I respect him. I’d like to talk to him,” the 16-year-old added. “I mean, in hindsight, I wish we could’ve walked away and avoided the whole thing. But I can’t say that I’m sorry for listening to him and standing there.”
An attorney representing students and alumni from Covington High announced on Wednesday that his clients are giving journalists and celebrities 48 hours to retract false statements made about them or face legal action.
“Everybody now is on 48-hour notice so by Friday, everybody needs to retract and correct any false statements they have issued about these kids,” Los Angeles-based attorney Robert Barnes said on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”
“That includes any major member of the media,” he added. “That includes any major celebrity. That includes anybody with a substantial social media platform.”
Fox News reported that journalists and celebrities who have made retractions so far include CNN’s S.E. Cupp and Jake Tapper, “The View’s” Meghan McCain, National Review editor-in-chief Rich Lowry and actress Jamie Lee Curtis.
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