The hosts of ABC’s “The View” weighed in on what seems to be an increasing probability that the 2024 presidential election will be a rematch of 2020’s Donald Trump versus Joe Biden, and what a potential debate between the two might look like.
As they went around the table during Monday’s broadcast, the cohosts offered a series of suggestions regarding debates — ranging from cohost Sara Haines calling for Trump (but not Biden) to be censored in real time to Whoopi Goldberg wishing that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had kicked Trump in the crotch during their 2016 matchup.
WATCH:
Whoopi says that when Trump and Hillary Clinton were debating, Clinton should have kicked him in the nuts: "She should have kicked her foot backwards and hit him where it hurts." pic.twitter.com/xxR5n6RXKV
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 19, 2024
Haines said that she would normally be in favor of debates, arguing that they are generally “good for democracy” — but she felt like Trump would have be placed in an isolation booth and fact-checked or outright censored in real time.
Haines argued that unless the moderators had the ability to cut off the mics after a certain amount of time or in certain circumstances, Trump would run away with any debate because “he overtalks, gaslights, and everything else.”
Goldberg responded, saying that she wished Clinton had taken the opportunity to kick Trump during one of the 2016 debates: “She should have kicked her foot backwards and hit him where it hurts.”
Cohost Joy Behar admitted that the main concern, particularly after a number of more recent verbal fumbles on President Biden’s part, that he might not be up to the task.
Haines admits that Biden has more to lose in a debate because people know he's not mentally fit:
"Biden can lose, and he can lose in a debate. Trump will not…Biden makes one mistake and the people that are undecided are out." pic.twitter.com/4l9OQLybhC— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 19, 2024
Haines rounded out the discussion by suggesting that, in a debate scenario, Biden was the one who had the most to lose. She claimed that Trump’s base would likely vote for him no matter what happened on the debate stage — but that people who were unsure about Biden would not be convinced if he failed to deliver a strong performance.
“Biden can lose, and he can lose in a debate. Trump will not … Biden makes one mistake and the people that are undecided are out,” she said.