It’s the football game that has divided America it seems. But this wasn’t because of the Cowboys and Packers, rather, Ellen DeGeneres decided to sit next to former President George W. Bush at the AT&T stadium matchup and the ladies of The View are just as divided.
People all around were angry that she was sitting next to the president despite some of the decisions he made while in office. This includes the decision to invade Iraq, which led to millions of deaths, his tardy federal response to Hurricane Katrina and his opposition to same-sex marriage that included a proposed constitutional amendment.
Videos by PopCulture.com
However, DeGeneres was quick to address these issues on her show and clarified that when she says “be kind,” she doesn’t mean specifically to those who think similarly, rather, to everyone.
“How much time we’re wasting tweeting out negative things about other people when we should be spending time with our children, with our family or, heaven forbid, friends who might think differently than we do,” Abby Huntsman said as the first co-host to address the controversy.
That was just the start of the round table conversation, with Huntsman continuing and addressing the fact that she was “upset” about the backlash the host received.
“How about we get out of people’s lives, stop judging people for what they’re gonna do, who they’re going to sit next to,” she said.
Joy Behar chimed in with, “I always say I didn’t want to meet George W. Bush because I knew I would like him, he seems like a likable kinda guy,” she confessed. “[But] if you lost a child in Iraq, then you don’t like him so much.”
“I don’t see myself hanging out with Donald Trump anytime in this lifetime. It’s not only about disagreeing with somebody,” Behar added. “She’s entitled to her choice, but it’s not just about disagreeing with somebody.”
Sunny Hostin addressed the same-sex marriage topic, saying, “In 2004, when he was in a position to do something for it, he pushed for a constitutional amendment to make sure marriage was defined as between a man and a woman.”
“I think when you are a woman like Ellen who came out and changed the lives of so many people in the LGBTQ community, I can understand why there were people that were put off by seeing her,” she added.
Meghan McCain mentioned that she was “somewhere in the middle” on the issue and doesn’t “choose who I’m friends with based on their political backgrounds, unless it’s truly radical.”
Whoopi Goldberg wrapped the conversation mentioning that DeGeneres may not have had a choice in where she sat and if she were her, she would have soaked up the moment to spend time with someone who has an opposing view, as it’s a great opportunity to show a person “your humanity.”
“The man who owns the Cowboys sent tickets and she ended up sitting next to Bush. These are two gay women. If [Bush] has got a problem, he’s gonna be real uncomfortable. I’d be leaning on him, I’d be hugging, I would be messing with him. If you have the opportunity to take a second to show people your humanity, why wouldn’t you try?”
