Tulsi Gabbard Clashes With Joy Behar: Are You Calling Me 'Stupid'?

When Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) was on The View earlier this year, Meghan McCain called her an “Assad apologist” who is “spouting propaganda from Syria.” After Hillary Clinton insinuated that the Russians were “grooming” Gabbard to run on a third-party ticket, Joy Behar called her a “useful idiot.”

The 2020 candidate, who as of now is still running as a Democrat, returned to The View for the third time on Wednesday morning and immediately confronted the hosts for accusing her of “being a traitor to my country, a Russian asset, a Trojan horse or a useful idiot, I think is the term that you used, which basically means that I am naive or lack intelligence.”

In an attempt to “set the record straight,” Gabbard defended herself as a “patriot” and a “strong and intelligent woman of color” who has “dedicated almost my entire adult life to protecting the safety, security and the freedom of all Americans in this country.”

But while that argument may have worked on McCain, who has recently changed her tune, praising Gabbard’s “pro-America, pro-God, pro-gun message” and pushing back on the notion that she’s a “Russian stooge,” Behar was not convinced.

Over two segments, Behar and Gabbard went at it over everything from her endorsements from white nationalists to her regular appearances on Fox News. After the show replayed Clinton’s comments, Gabbard said, It's offensive to me as a soldier, as an American, as a member of Congress, as a veteran, and frankly as a woman, to be so demeaned in such a way.”

When Gabbard reiterated her attacks on Hillary Clinton as a “warmonger,” Behar asked, “What’s your evidence of that?” Gabbard shot back, “Are you serious?”

Things got even more heated between the two women after a break when Behar suggested that Gabbard might be an “unwitting” asset of Russia, “not that that means you're stupid, but people can be used.”

“That exactly what that means though,” Gabbard replied. “Let me start with how offensive it is to say that I'm a witting or unwitting asset of a foreign country, working against the interests of my country, a country that I am willing to lay my life down for. So if you are saying it's not deliberately, then you are implying that I am too stupid and too naive and lack the intelligence to know what I am doing. And that is extremely offensive to me and to every woman of color.”

McCain, meanwhile, completed her transition to Gabbard enthusiast by comparing herself to the congresswoman. “You evoke really strong reactions from people,” McCain said. “I know what that's like, from the left and the right. And you seem to be a threat to both sides. Why do you think you trigger so many people in so many different ways, because I don't completely understand it, but I myself am a trigger, so maybe that's why I don't get it.”

“Because I'm speaking truth to power, and those in power know they can't control me,” Gabbard answered, “so they view me and the truth I'm speaking as a threat to that power base.”

At the end of the interview McCain also thanked Gabbard for not threatening to take away her guns. “I will,” Behar told her. “I’ll take them.”