ABC’s The View co-host Joy Behar interrupted live broadcast on Friday to joyfully deliver the breaking news that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had been charged and pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and will “testify that, as a candidate, Donald Trump directed him to make contact with the Russians.” Behar, however, jubilantly read the same inaccurate report that now-suspended ABC investigative reporter Brian Ross delivered.
“Michael Flynn promised full cooperation to the [Robert] Mueller team,” Behar read from a note card to the audience, “and is prepared to testify that, as a candidate, Donald Trump directed him to make contact with the Russians.”
“Yay. Wow! He goes to jail! He goes to jail! He goes to jail! Lock him up!” Bear shouted as the audience and her fellow co-hosts laughed and cheered in applause. “This is the antithesis of election night, On election night, I had to wear a veil, I was in mourning. So this is like the antithesis of that hideous night, and that is why I am happy.”
Behar’s on-air gloating and glee was, in fact, a reaction to Ross’ false reporting.
In an appearance Friday on ABC’s World News, Ross issued a “clarification,” noting that it was not “candidate Trump,” but “President-elect Trump” that instructed Flynn to contact Russia.
The false report went viral on ABC’s Twitter account, according to CNN: “A tweet published by ABC News containing Ross’ initial report had been retweeted more than 25,000 times and embedded in various news stories online before it was deleted. ABC posted a “clarification” on Twitter around 8 p.m.”
The stock market dropped nearly 400 points within mere minutes of Ross’ false report:
The sharp slide in the stock market came within minutes of an ABC News report that Flynn is prepared to testify that Trump directed him to make contact with Russians. https://t.co/0Muyz3cZfZ pic.twitter.com/PtBgdLY3CC
— CNN Business (@CNNBusiness) December 1, 2017
Indeed, ABC News issued a correction and suspended Ross for four weeks without pay for his massive mistake.
Behar, unaware of Ross’ colossal journalistic error, said the Flynn news would lead to President Trump’s “resignation.”
“I remember Richard Nixon, and Richard Nixon stepped down, and so should Donald Trump,” Behar said. “It’s a happy day, come on. If he is going to be taken down for what he did and this country can start to heal, and parties can work together like Meghan wants it to, then that is a happy day.”
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and it’s beginning to look a lot like collusion,” The View guest and CNN analyst Ana Navarro said.
You can watch Behar and her View co-hosts’ reaction in the YouTube clip below, as it appears that ABC has scrubbed the original clip from its YouTube page.
https://youtu.be/3sADXHgxT6s?t=8m59s
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson
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