The panelists on “The View” took a dim view of JD Vance after he dubiously suggested that his appearance on the show earlier this week prepared him for dealing with Iran.
The vice president appeared on the show Tuesday, ostensibly to promote his new book, “Communion,” but ended up getting grilled about various topics including the economy, immigration and, of course, the Jeffrey Epstein files.
During one tense moment, Whoopi Goldberg scolded Ana Navarro for continuing to press Vance as the show was going to a commercial break.
Co-host Joy Behar did ask Vance off-air about his previous “America’s Hitler” comment about Trump but also encouraged him to run for president because he’s not a “bad guy” and would be “kinder” as president than the current occupant of the White House.
On Thursday, Vance tried to use his appearance on the show as proof that he has the skills to handle international crises.
“I have seen some progressive criticisms of me, personally, saying, ‘What experience does the vice president of the United States have with hostile, high-stakes negotiations?’” Vance told reporters. “And I would point those progressive critics to the fact that just two days ago I spent over an hour on ‘The View,’ so I actually have great experience in very hostile negotiations.”
He added: “Look, Joy Behar is way tougher than the Iranians, and she and I are best friends now, so we’re gonna get to a good place here. We’re already at a good place.”
On Friday, the “View” panelists reacted to Vance’s shout-out and were incredulous to say the least.
“What?! What?!” Sunny Hostin said. “We were more difficult to deal with than the Iranian government?”
Behar quickly noted the vice president was just “being funny,” before stressing her belief in “reaching across the aisle” and saying this is why MAGA Republicans are “coming around.”
Hostin then asked Behar, “Why were you so in love with JD Vance?”
Behar replied, “I’m not in love with him, and I’m not in love with this administration.”
Ana Navarro then pointed out that Vance seemed “strategically prepared to disarm us with niceness” when he appeared on the show and “came in being affable and laughing easily.”
She then emphasized to Behar: “It worked on you. It didn’t work on me.”
“It did not work on me,” Behar insisted. “I respect the office. I’m a civilized human being. When someone comes on my show, then you treat them like a human being. I learned under Barbara Walters.”
Fellow panelist and former Trump aide Alyssa Farah Griffin noted that she was previously “dismissive” of Vance.
“I personally think Marco Rubio is a more formidable candidate,” she said. “After having him here, I do think that he is more of a political heavyweight. I watched him at our table — play nice. He dodged questions.”
After Navarro noted that Vance “didn’t answer anything,” Griffin said Vance has “this chameleon aspect to him that can be helpful when running, or it can look disingenuous. I’m not sure yet.”
Navarro turned the conversation back to Vance’s original remark to reporters about how appearing on the show helped him with Iran.
“I know he was joking, but this is really serious,” she said. “We sent Donald Trump’s son-in-law, who has no negotiation experience; Donald Trump’s best friend, Witkoff, who is, like, a real estate guy; and JD Vance to negotiate with the Iranians, who are some of the best negotiators in the world.”
She added: “You want to ask why the deal is so bad, look at that.”