‘The View’ Co-Hosts Blast Ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz in Heated Argument

The View welcomed ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz on Tuesday and grilled the possible presidential candidate on his proposed shift to politics.

Schultz, who is currently exploring a presidential run for 2020, was hit hard by all members of the ABC talk show’s dais, namely Joy Behar. Behar thinks that a high-profile independent candidate would only take votes away from Democratic candidates.

“The main thing that scares me is that your entry into this race will guarantee Trump another four years and we cannot have that,” Behar said. “You talk about the Democrats not wanting to negotiate, they cannot negotiate with a toddler. If you give him the cookie one day, the next day he wants another cookie. So it’s not equal on both sides. They had to play tough, the Democrats, with him, otherwise he will run amok.”

Schultz hit back, saying, “If President Trump runs against a far-left progressive liberal Democrat who is suggesting 60-70 percent tax increases on the rich and a healthcare system that we can’t pay for, President Trump is going to get re-elected. What we have is extremes on both sides who don’t represent the majority of Americans who don’t have a voice. And what I’m saying is, ‘Let’s give the American people a choice.’

“What we have is a void of leadership, a void of trust, no dignity, no honor, no respect in the Oval Office and in government today. [Not] Having government experience, I think, is not a disqualifier. I think what the qualifier is, can you bring the country together, can you lead people, and I think, can we restore a sense of values and compassion and empathy back into the American spirit and our standing in the world.”

Meghan McCain chimed in at one point, expressing her disapproval of his pro-choice stance when it comes to abortion. She theorized that point alone would cause him to lose a majority of conservative voters.

Schultz then leaned into some of the liberal-minded policies that he helped implement at Starbucks, including “comprehensive health insurance, equity in the form of stock options, free college tuition for every employee.” However, that was not enough to win Whoopi Goldberg’s approval.

“But you can’t do that with a country,” Goldberg said. “This is the same problem you-know-who has,” she said. “When you own your company you can make these changes as you want them to be. When you have to report to the Senate and the Congress and all the 50 million people that come in the middle, that’s a little bit different.”

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.

Photo Credit: ABC / Lorenzo Bevilaqua