Elisabeth Hasselbeck returned to “The View” on Wednesday, Aug. 3 as the daytime talk show marks its 25th season on the air.
Hasselbeck, who served as the show’s conservative panelist from 2003 until 2013, was introduced with a clip package, including footage from her TV debut in the first season of “Survivor” and some of her more memorable moments from her decade on the show.
To celebrate the 25th season of The View, Elisabeth Hasselbeck returns to the show as a guest. pic.twitter.com/6uUrtQPjHh
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 3, 2022
“Welcome back to the table,” moderator Whoopi Goldberg told Hasselbeck, agreeing that she’s had “some of the best conversations” she’s ever had with Hasselbeck about subjects about which they disagreed.
READ MORE: Elisabeth Hasselbeck To Return To ‘The View’ As Guest Co-Host
“It was great, for me, to have you as my first conservative,” Goldberg added.
Hasselbeck agreed, pointing to the importance of women having a conversation that reflects opposing viewpoints.
“I think it’s sharpening to have these conversations and understand why do you think something that’s so wrong,” Hasselbeck joked.
Whoopi Goldberg admits Hasselbeck was her "first conservative … in terms of having these kinds of conversations."Hasselbeck says we need to "hold your position in one hand and your friend in another." pic.twitter.com/l3aYNEhYHs
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 3, 2022
Hasselbeck confronts The View cast on options for women outside abortion. "There are thousands of agencies that wrap around women that might not be able to care for the baby once born…that will come around at no cost…" pic.twitter.com/cPExbuPNIj
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 3, 2022
The hot-button topic of abortion rights for women came up, and Hasselbeck predictably clashed with Goldberg and co-host Joy Behar.
Hasselbeck, who is staunchly anti-abortion, urged women to explore other options, including adoption agencies that will match a pregnant woman with a family desperate to have a child.
READ MORE: ‘The View’: Meredith Vieira, Elisabeth Hasselbeck And Star Jones To Return For Season 25 Shows
Goldberg responded by sharing her own view. “God made us smart enough to know when it wasn’t going to work for us. That’s the beauty of giving us freedom of choice,” said Goldberg, who also described her own relationship with the Almighty as “choppy.”
Goldberg says "God doesn't make mistakes" and thus it's in his plan to have women choose abortion."God made us smart enough to know when it wasn't going to work for us. That's the beauty of giving us freedom of choice."
"My relationship [with God] is always choppy," she adds. pic.twitter.com/nUysEfP6zv— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 3, 2022
Hasselbeck also offered her opinion on the recent Supreme Court ruling to reverse Roe v. Wade, declaring that “just because something is a right doesn’t make it right.”
As the conversation progressed, Hasselbeck continued to spar with Behar, who explained why adoption isn’t as easy a solution as Hasselbeck suggested, while Hasselbeck dug in her heels.
Pointing out there are 117,000 children awaiting adoption in the U.S. right now, Behar pointed out that banning abortion was a form of judgement. “But when you’re prohibiting something you are, in fact, judging them,” she said.
Hasselbeck says we need to ask ourselves "what is really ethical."Joy Behar responded by arguing that babies should be aborted because there are 117,000 kids waiting to be adopted. pic.twitter.com/ElBXPPjC7z
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 3, 2022