Ladies from The View Debate Before VP Debate at Wash U, Elisabeth Hasselbeck Gets "Testy"

You’ve gotta give it to Sarah Palin, the woman knows how to make things interesting. Yesterday on The View, the ladies divided up on their usual battle lines, with Joy Behar going all liberal on Survivor contestant-turned-talk-show-host Elisabeth Hasselbitch’s ass, with Barbara Walters as the mediator. The fulcrum on which the argument pivoted? Palin’s remark in her Katie Couric interview that she watched Joe Biden on TV as a second grader and subsequent denial that her statement was meant as a jab.

According to the LA Times:

"To be so disingenuous as to say you didn’t want to get a laugh and that you didn’t mean it ... it’s just baloney," Behar said.

Hasselbeck initially tried to keep her cool. "I love how shook up in your boots you get over Sarah Palin," she told Behar. Barbara Walters said she didn't like reading about all the study and prep-work Palin is having to do as a vice presidential candidate, in place of having actual experience, equating it to cramming for a test in school.

"It bothers me that one has to be prepped so much for a debate and crammed full of material. I’m not sure -- and I’m talking about everybody -- that prepping so that you just pass a debate and don’t make a huge mistake is necessarily what makes a great president," Walters said.

"To say that, to reduce [Palin] to that level of mind, I think is unfair," Hasselbeck replied.

But it was only when Walters asked Hasselbeck to defend Palin and point to her presidential qualifications in specific terms that Hasselbeck turned testy:

Walters: Every day, let me say this, I’m so glad you’re on the program. We love you on the program.

Hasselbeck: Thanks, Barbara.

Walters: You are the counterpoint. But every single day, you never ever say, maybe there’s another point. So this is your chance. ...Tell us now, why you think Sarah Palin would make a very good president.

Hasselbeck: Well, since I’ve been studying for this pop quiz forever, tell me why Barack Obama is qualified to be president. ... Give me three tangible things he has done to prove that he can be president of the United States.

Walters: We’re not talking about Obama. We’re talking about Sarah Palin.

Tonight, we eagerly await the VP debate at Wash U between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden after the disappointing presidential debate last Friday, in which the two candidates never even made eye contact. One can only hope the debate tonight is half as scintillating as debates on The View. Then again, how could we worry? Sarah Palin makes everything interesting, even John McCain. Well, almost.