‘The View’ Fans Applaud Whoopi Goldberg for Breaking up Heated Debate Between Joy Behar, Meghan McCain

Whoopi Goldberg demonstrated her prowess as moderator of The View on Tuesday during a heated debate between Meghan McCain and Joy Behar. The two, who often butt heads politically, were discussing decorated Army veteran Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman’s impeachment testimony against President Donald Trump. Many viewers took to social media to praise Goldberg for “taking the reigns” on the discussion.

The debate began when the co-hosts discussed Vindman’s testimony that he heard Trump ask Ukraine’s president to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. The co-hosts later brought up Fox News’ Laura Ingraham for questioning Ukraine-borned Vindman’s loyalty to the United States.

The table, which also includes co-anchors Abby Huntsman and Sunny Hostin, was unified in their disgust over political pundits questioning Vindman’s loyalty because he was born in Ukraine. But McCain started to stray from the group opinion by comparing those attacks to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton‘s suggestions about Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard.

“Where everyone is losing me is there’s a trend in politics where people are criticizing veterans,” McCain said. “We saw it with Tulsi Gabbard last week, with Hillary Clinton saying she was a Russian asset. This is like McCarthyism. If you have a problem with what Laura Ingraham did.”

“Excuse me, I’m not done,” McCain said after Beyhard attempted to interrupt. “You should have a problem because you’re questioning people’s loyalty to America who have fought and served. Tulsi Gabbard enlisted after 9/11 and served for 12 months and is currently in the National Guard. Hillary Clinton is coming in questioning her loyalty to the United States.”

Behar insisted that Clinton wasn’t questioning Gabbard’s loyalty, and challenged McCain on her point that military veterans should never be questioned. “Hold on a second, just because somebody served does not ipso facto make them above reproach,” Behar said at one point.

After McCain and Beyhar’s back-and-forth nearly turned into a screaming match, Goldberg told everybody to “take a breath.”

“Everybody has something to say at the table, we really do want to hear from everybody but we’re starting to do that thing,” Goldberg began, before McCain replied with “I don’t know what that means, ‘This thing.’”

“It means you’re talking over each other,” Goldberg replied.

“Well, it’s The View,” McCain said to laughter from the audience.

“It is The View,” Goldberg replied. “You know what, let me tell you something about The View. This show has always had the ability to have different points of view, which we respect around the table. And when we talk to each other we also exhibit respect, so when I’m saying to you hold up because we’re not hearing each other. I’m not trying to cut you off, I’m trying to get you heard.”

Goldberg ended the debate by throwing to a commercial.

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