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CNN Larry King Live
Joy Behar on Politics and Culture; More Caylee Anthony News
Aired January 25, 2009 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, Caylee Anthony case bombshell. The murdered girl's grandfather is taken into custody, found in a motel room with pills and suicide text messages sent to his wife.
Did George Anthony really try to kill himself while his own daughter remains behind bars, charged with killing her beautiful little girl?
Plus, Joy Behar on President Obama coming to Washington and George Bush leaving town and the Caroline Kennedy fiasco. Joy Behar doesn't hold back, next on LARRY KING LIVE.
Good evening.
We're back in L.A.
One program reminder. Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois will be our special guest on Monday night.
George Anthony, the grandfather of murdered Caylee Anthony, was hospitalized early Friday after vanishing and sending his family and friends suicidal text messages.
Let's meet our panel, which is going to get into this.
In Daytona Beach Florida is Kendra Oestreich. She is at the Halifax Health Medical Center. That's where the grandfather is. She's a reporter with WESH-TV in Orlando.
In New York is our own Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" on HLN.
And here in L.A. Dr. Phil McGraw, the host of his own "Dr. Phil Show." And next week, he, by the way, interviews Jesse Grund, the ex- fiance of Casey Anthony. At one point, he was considered a suspect in all this.
And our famed defense attorney, Mark Geragos, is aboard.
Before we get to the guests, let's listen to the 911 call placed by the Anthonys' attorney, Brad Conway.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911.
What is your emergency? BRAD CONWAY: Hi. I'm George and Cindy Anthony's attorney
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sorry, I didn't hear you, sir. Your phone broke up.
CONWAY: Can you hear me now?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CONWAY: I just spoke with John Allen with the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
CONWAY: George Anthony has been gone since 8:30 this morning. And he has he's taken several bottles of medication from his house, as well as some pictures. And we're worried that something is -- he's done something to himself.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
KING: All right, Jane, bring us up to date on all this.
What happened?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES," HLN: Well, basically, George Anthony left home yesterday morning and missed several appointments, including an appointment with that attorney you just heard from and Cindy. Cindy became very alarmed when she went into the bedroom and noticed, oh, two weeks' worth of his medications were missing, along with family photos.
Then, at about 11:00 at night, George begins sending text messages saying I do not want to live, I want to be with Caylee and I want to make sure that Caylee is in God's arms.
This, of course, very, very alarming.
Police move in to swift action. They begin tracing the cell phone ping. And they go 60 miles away, to Daytona Beach, where they finally locate his car at a Daytona Beach sleazy motel.
They knock on the door several times. He finally answers. He is coherent. He is mellow, but he is melancholy. He wants to be left alone. They say, sorry, we can't do that, we have to take you to the hospital on a 72-hour psychiatric hold. And on the way to the hospital, he said, you just don't understand what it's like. You just don't understand.
KING: Kendra Oestreich is at the hospital.
What about the any condition reports?
KENDRA OESTREICH, WESH-TV, ORLANDO: Well, right now we do know that George is listed in stable condition. He can have visitors. His wife Cindy arrived here at the hospital around 6:30 tonight. And we know that visiting hours wrapped up 8:00 -- an hour or so ago here.
But we do know that his attorney's car is still on the other side of the building. So we do believe that both the attorney, as well as his wife Cindy, are still here at the hospital, Larry.
KING: Mark, what he did today is not a crime, is it?
MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: No. The reason he was taken into custody is because they have -- if you're a danger to yourself or to others -- and in this case, to himself. And they've got some indication -- they've got the ability to take you into custody for 72 hours; in some cases, 14. You can extend it.
I'm always surprised that this doesn't happen more often in cases like this. I can't tell you the number of times when there's either somebody is accused of a crime or on the periphery of it, as he is in the situation.
The kind of focus and what you've seen in those photos, where there's people in their yard everyday and calling them every name in the book. He's lost his granddaughter. His daughter is in custody. People are out there acting foolish on the front lawn.
You have to really be resilient to put up with that.
KING: Is this a cry for help, Dr. Phil?
DR. PHIL MCGRAW: Well, I clearly think it's a cry of pain, no doubt about it. And I think he was not looking for help, in his mind. But clearly, this was something -- a man that's saying, look, I've had too much here.
You know, his daughter is in jail, accused of murder. This granddaughter that he apparently loved so much has now been found. You know, this is on the heels of some really gruesome details being released about the child, with the duct tape and the sticker on the tape and all of these things that really bring it so home to the tragedy of this loss.
And these people have been denied the very important ritual of giving this child a proper burial. They haven't been able to do that yet. And that is such an important ritual in people's minds of getting emotional closure and acknowledging and honoring this child. And they've been denied that -- for legitimate reasons, I understand.
But so he's got a double whammy. Plus, he hasn't had the opportunity to begin the healing process with a funeral.
KING: The text message is that he didn't want to live anymore and he wanted to be with Caylee.
Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM DECEMBER 10, 2008)
CINDY ANTHONY, GRANDMOTHER OF MISSING CAYLEE ANTHONY: It's been very emotional since day one, which hasn't been reported. Her main focus has been as same as ours, has been looking -- it's been looking for Caylee since the very beginning.
KING: When they arrested her, were you shocked, George?
GEORGE ANTHONY, GRANDFATHER OF MISSING CAYLEE ANTHONY: Oh, absolutely. When they took her into custody the very first time, I was just appalled because I wanted them to -- and I wanted to put an AMBER Alert out for my granddaughter, which they never did. They never contacted the FBI that I wanted them to contact.
I mean, I have a little bit of knowledge on some stuff and you'd really think that they'd want to have some -- someone wanting to have helped them with assist trying to find this beautiful 3-year-old little girl. And all I was trying to do was trying to help them and they haven't...
KING: But why do you think they wouldn't?
GEORGE ANTHONY: They had their mind made up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Kendra, is there a lot of media at the hospital?
OESTREICH: Yes. All of the local stations are here at the hospital. And we know Cindy came to visit him.
She has to be concerned about George. He began sending her the text messages last night, saying I don't want to live anymore.
Our sources are saying that he left an eight page rambling sort of suicide note saying that he stands by his daughter's innocence in Caylee's murder investigation. He wants to make sure Caylee, his granddaughter, is in God's arms. And he just sends that life for his family would simply be better out -- better off without him.
We do know that he can be Baker Acted up to 72 hours. But what we're hearing is he will at least stay overnight and then they'll assess his situation from there.
KING: Thanks, Kendra.
Thanks for some outstanding reporting.
There are new details about evidence in Caylee's murder. Dr. Phil just mentioned a heart-shaped sticker was placed over the duct tape. That's believed to have been on Caylee's mouth.
What could that mean?
Some answers hopefully ahead on LARRY KING LIVE.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Dr. Phil, what about that rambling letter? MCGRAW: Well, you know, I think you have to look at what people say and do when they get to that moment. You know, we always hear people talk about the importance of a death bed declaration or a dying declaration.
If this is a man that, in his mind, is checking out, he is committing suicide and he's sitting down and writing what is truly in his heart and mind, I think it's important for a lot of people to acknowledge what wasn't there. Because there apparently was nothing in that writing about his daughter having confessed anything to him. There was certainly nothing in there him unburdening himself about any knowledge that he had or any role in it.
And, you know, these are people that -- I've not seen one shred of evidence reported on that they've done anything wrong in this situation. They've supported their daughter and are giving her the benefit of the doubt.
GERAGOS: Yes. But interestingly enough, that hasn't stopped a lot of people from certainly accusing them of complicity.
KING: Why?
MCGRAW: No, it hasn't.
KING: What's the anger at them?
(CROSSTALK)
KING: What do they do?
GERAGOS: It is amazing to me. I mean, you see the reel that you're showing here. And there's people in that front yard who are just yelling at them. And there's shock jocks who sit there and broadcast from in front there.
They're the grieving grandparents.
KING: Jane, why is somebody mad at the grandparents?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, there is a general feeling out there -- and I'm not saying it's based on any facts -- that they're not telling the whole story, that they could actually say things that would help prosecutors convict their daughter.
And you can certainly understand, Larry, why they would instinctively not want to do that.
Now, their attorney is seeking immunity for them. And he says it's not because they want it, it's because he wants to do his job as an attorney, to make sure that they don't get charged with obstruction or aiding and abetting.
If, for example, they did something unintentionally -- let's say throwing something out innocently, that turned out to be a crucial piece of evidence, they don't want... KING: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: ...he doesn't want the Anthonys to end up getting charged with anything. So he's asking for immunity. And the general sensation out there is they know more than they're saying.
KING: The Anthonys were on this program hours before Caylee's remains were found. We played them an audiotape of investigators interviewing Casey.
Here's the tape with their reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM DECEMBER 10, 2008)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why didn't you call prior to today?
CASEY ANTHONY: I think part of me was naive enough to think that I could handle this myself, which obviously I couldn't. And I was scared that something would happen to her if I did notify the authorities or got the media involved or my parents, which I know would have done the same thing.
Just the fear of the unknown -- fear of the potential of Caylee getting hurt, of not seeing my daughter again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Why do you think she was arrested and charged, George?
GEORGE ANTHONY: Because they had their -- like Cindy said, they had their mind made up. It was too easy for them to just close the book on this and say well, we're going to charge you with your daughter's disappearance and just be done with it.
KING: Did they ever look at why a mother would kill her daughter?
I mean, did anyone ever question motive?
CINDY ANTHONY: Right. There is no motive and they haven't found a motive. They even said they haven't found a motive. They -- they told us they thought it was an accident and she's scared and she's trying to cover it up.
KING: Killed her by accident and then...
CINDY ANTHONY: Right.
KING: ...buried her or something.
CINDY ANTHONY: Right, they don't feel there's the motive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Mark, Cindy Anthony asked George yesterday, apparently, to pick out some jewelry for Caylee's funeral.
Could that have pushed him over the edge?
GERAGOS: I don't know if we -- I don't know that you can ever identify -- I'll defer to Dr. Phil on this -- what the final straw is, if there actually is one.
But I think that part of what the coming to terms with this is, that there's only so much -- I've been in so many of these kind of eye of the storms where there's is a focus and when you've got -- you're lawyered up. And you have the police focusing on you. And you've people coming down on you. And the media is focused on you. And there's only so much that people can take at a certain point in that situation. It just -- it never ceases to amaze me that it does not happen more often in these cases, as I sit there with people and they just -- I watch that they go through. And it's heart-wrenching.
MCGRAW: There are three or four characteristics that are common to most suicidal people. And from my estimation, they were all present here with George.
Number one, they feel that they're a burden. And you've heard it said that he believed that his family was better off without him. Anyone who thinks they're a burden.
Number two, they have this loneliness and self-disconnect -- the social disconnection.
And how disconnected can you be?
You've got people on your lawn. These are just normal average people. They've got people on the lawn. As recently as a few weeks ago, or this week, they've been accused of trying to profiteer with a memorial for this child.
And I've seen no evidence of that whatsoever.
Thirdly, they begin to develop a fearlessness of pain, injury or death where it's kind of like that looks better than the pain, injury and death that I'm having here.
And, lastly, people that talk about it do it. You often hear people say, oh, people who talk about it don't really kill themselves. That's not true. They do kill themselves.
KING: More details. More of our interview with Caylee's grandparents, Cindy and George Anthony, in 60 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: As we mentioned, Cindy and George Anthony were on this show just hours before Caylee's remains were found. They were confident then she was still alive and I asked them how they were coping.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM DECEMBER 10, 2008)
KING: How are you holding up? CINDY ANTHONY: We take one day at a time. You know, it's very hard -- a lot of sleep lost, lost a lot of weight. You know, we just take one day at a time.
KING: When did you last see Caylee?
GEORGE ANTHONY: I last saw her on June 16th, the day after Father's Day.
KING: What happened the day she went missing?
CINDY ANTHONY: We actually didn't find out until July so...
KING: She had been missing how long when you found out?
CINDY ANTHONY: About a month. And...
KING: Isn't that strange?
CINDY ANTHONY: Well, not really. My daughter, you know, had her. And, you know, we just -- we just assumed that Casey and Caylee were, you know, off visiting friends. KING: George, why wouldn't your daughter have called you and say Caylee's gone?
GEORGE ANTHONY: That's really a good question. I -- I know we kept in contact with her -- at least Cindy did -- almost every day or every other day -- a little text message here and there. And everything was fine.
KING: So what do you make of it?
I mean, she's your daughter. You have to have some -- why wouldn't she not -- why would she tell you -- not tell you?
CINDY ANTHONY: I think she's -- I think she was frightened. I think, from what we understand, that, you know, there's been threats to not only Caylee's well-being, but also to our family's well-being.
KING: By?
CINDY ANTHONY: By the people that have Caylee.
KING: You think Caylee was taken. Your daughter obviously knew she was taken.
CINDY ANTHONY: Um-hmm.
KING: For what purpose?
CINDY ANTHONY: You know, I'm still trying to sort that out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: When we come back, a sneak peek at Dr. Phil's interview with Casey Anthony's former fiance.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back.
When the Anthonys were on this show on December 1, I asked them about the search for Caylee.
Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM DECEMBER 10, 2008)
KING: Have they looked for the child?
CINDY ANTHONY: We've had five searches done by the sheriff's department, done by Tim Miller with Texas EquuSearch.
KING: I know him.
CINDY ANTHONY: And it's come up with nothing. There's nothing that they have found that, you know, has given them any evidence that Caylee is no longer with us.
KING: Where do you think she is, George?
GEORGE ANTHONY: Oh, Caylee?
She's with, hopefully, a loving family that's taking good care of her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Turned out to be wrong.
New evidence shows that Caylee's body was placed in a laundry hamper bag and then secured in a plastic garbage bag before it was left in the woods. The girl's mouth was covered with duct tape that had been adorned with heart-shaped stickers.
What does this say about the person who did this?
And how are we learning all this, Jane?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, court documents, through the discovery process, were released to the public -- and hundreds of pages. In those hundreds of pages, we got to see detail what evidence authorities collected from the scene of the remains. And that is all extraordinary evidence.
For example, if they could tie the hamper back to the Anthony home, if they could tie the duct tape back to the Anthony home. And, in fact, there are reports that there was duct tape on a gas can that was confiscated from the Anthony home that looks like the duct tape that was put over Caylee's mouth.
If they match those up, if they match garbage bags -- that the garbage bag that the hamper was in, that the body was in -- two garbage bags at the home -- that's extraordinarily incriminating evidence.
KING: Can she get a fair trial, honestly, Mark?
GERAGOS: No. I mean there's just no way that you get a fair trial in the terms that it's normally referred to. And there's, you know, you can talk about the forensic evidence. But I said before, the forensic evidence, you're never going to really get a match, so to speak, on duct tape. You're never going to really get a match on bags. You'll get somebody who will say, well, it's consistent with or this or that.
The biggest problem with this case, for her, is this "she didn't act" right evidence. And that is what the defense has to deal with. Nobody is going to be able to understand how it was that she went this long. And unless you give voice to her as to an explanation that makes some kind of sense for something that's seemingly inexplicable, then they've got their work cut out for them.
KING: Dr. Phil, by the way, has a special one week from today, next Friday, with Casey's ex-fiance.
We'll show you a clip and we'll ask him about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "DR. PHIL," COURTESY CBS TV DIST./PETESKI PRODUCTIONS)
MCGRAW: I would love to tell you that there were five warning signs that if you had seen that you would have been able to avert this or whatever. But the truth is, we just don't have that ability. There was nothing you could have or should have seen that you didn't see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Well, we saw you ask him, but we didn't see him answer.
MCGRAW: Yes.
KING: What did he tell you?
MCGRAW: Well, of course, the thing is, he's always looking and saying, did I miss something?
Because he was so involved with her and so involved with this child, how can you not see that this is coming?
But the truth is, you can't. You know, we talked about that with the Virginia Tech tragedy. You say, look, look at characteristics of this individual. After the fact, you go, wow, that's the kind of person you would expect to do something like this.
But that's not predictive. It explains it after the fact. But there's nothing you can point to -- there's month profile, no test that we can give people that predicts that they're going to do something like this. I mean the parents are clearly blind. George and Cindy are clearly blind to their child.
They're in denial about it and very blind to it. But even those that look at it objectively before this happens, did she lie all the time?
Yes.
Was she maybe looking for some freedom from this child?
Yes.
But how many other people are the same way that never do anything like this?
So you really can't assume that Jesse, who I think is a very fine young man, could have seen something that he missed. There was not a warning sign that says this is somebody that's going to kill their child.
KING: Why was he one of the suspects?
MCGRAW: Well, I think because he was so intimately involved. And, at this point, it's like point to anybody but you. It's deflection, deflection, deflection to create some kind of reasonable doubt -- some alternative theory.
And as Mark was just saying, I mean this court -- this case has been tried in the court of public opinion. I've been involved in assisting in jury selection for years and years and years. This case has been tried in the court of public opinion.
(CROSSTALK)
MCGRAW: You're not going to get anybody on the planet that hasn't heard about this.
GERAGOS: You've got to have -- I mean, I think I've seen prejudgment rates before. But in this case, I don't think that there's anybody in that state who doesn't -- who hasn't prejudged this. Although, the one thing I do sometimes hear, surprisingly enough, in this case, is some people say, well, she knows what happened -- she may not have done it, but she knows what happened and was complicit in some way.
KING: Could there be a change of venue, possibly?
GERAGOS: Well, this is the problem in these supersized cases.
If you change the venue, where do you change it to?
I mean you'd like to change it out of that entire state. And I don't know that -- legally you can't, because it's a state case. That's a -- that's a real problem on that.
MCGRAW: You'd have to get off the planet to find somebody that doesn't know about this.
GERAGOS: Right. Exactly. I've had judges say that -- what am I going to do, shoot the jury into something that rotates the Earth?
KING: That's next Friday on your show, right?
MCGRAW: Next Friday.
KING: Thanks, guys.
Thanks, Jane.
We're changing gears, as they say, in a big way.
Joy Behar is here. And, boy, she has something to say.
What does she think about the Caroline Kennedy mess?
Stick around.
I'm sure she's going to tell us.
Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: By the way, next Friday, one of the great figures in baseball history, the manager of the Dodgers, Joe Torre, will be here.
Right now, joining us from New York, one of my favorite people, Joy Behar, the co-host of "The View" and the frequent sit-in host of LARRY KING LIVE.
Let's get...
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST: How are you, Larry?
KING: How are you, dear?
Let's get right to it.
What do you make of the naming of your new senator?
BEHAR: What's her name?
I wrote it down. Kirsten Gillibrand.
KING: Correct.
BEHAR: Yes.
KING: A conservative Democrat.
BEHAR: I know. Well she has a -- I looked a -- I looked her up a little bit. And she has a sort of a liberal background. But she's so -- the NRA is so in love with her that it makes you question it, you know?
But Caroline Kennedy, that was kind of a tragic thing there, wasn't it?
KING: What did you make of it?
BEHAR: I felt like if I was going to say that Sarah Palin was not qualified, then I had to say that Caroline was not -- that, you know, to the manner born isn't necessarily qualification to be senator. And I actually thought that he should have put in Bill Clinton, because what we need now, after eight years of underachievers, is a bunch of overachievers. And that's what Bill Clinton is -- an overachiever.
He would have been fantastic there, don't you think?
KING: Great. I never thought of that. That's -- he's a New Yorker.
BEHAR: Yes, we need someone who's really smart. We could use that in this town. But, you know.
KING: How about Andrew Cuomo?
BEHAR: Andrew Cuomo, very nice Italian boy. I would have been rooting for him and his father Mario. They're great -- but again, it is a political family. Maybe this woman is -- she's new to the game, I guess. She hasn't been around, never heard of her. And, you know what, good luck to her. She's a woman, I'm rooting for her.
KING: Do you think Caroline Kennedy thing was handled poorly?
BEHAR: Yes, I do. I mean, the woman was dragged around and, you know, being told, supposedly being whispered that you're the one, Caroline, you're the one. And then, you know, they pull the rug out from under her. I don't think Paterson was very cool about it. He kind of -- he kind of tripped over himself a little bit. And that is not because he's blind. It has nothing to do with that.
KING: Although it is a cute pun. Let's move on to the inaugural. What struck you the most?
BEHAR: Dick Cheney in a wheelchair. I thought -- first of all, let me say what everybody else has been saying, it was awesome. It was fantastic. I've never seen anything like it. I remember the Kennedy inauguration, and that wasn't anywhere near what this was. And it was a beautiful, beautiful event. And everybody seemed to be happy and coming together and it was great.
Even somebody like Rush Limbaugh, with his negativity -- I understand this week, he's been all over it, that he hopes that he fails. That's really patriotic, Rush. I'm so happy to hear you really step up to the patriotism plate. But he was -- the event was remarkable to watch. I had to watch it on television because I was not invited. I'm not bitter.
KING: Cheney in a wheelchair, what fascinated you about that? BEHAR: It was almost Freudian, you know? It is like I won't stand for this, that kind of thing.
KING: I get it.
BEHAR: You get it?
KING: I won't stand for it.
BEHAR: I won't stand for this. I'm out of power. And then to come in it like an FDR sort of motif, in the wheelchair, so he looks important again and he looks as though he's got some kind of -- you know, some kind of clout. He doesn't have any more clout. And aren't we glad to be rid of him.
And the other Freudian thing was Justice Roberts, who flubbed the oath of office, and reminded everybody that Obama did not vote for Roberts to be the -- to be on the Supreme Court. So that was a little bit of a -- like, let me see if I can trip the guy up. It is all, you know, couch potato psychology.
KING: I think you're into a stretch. OK, is this administration going to be hard for the comics to have fun with?
BEHAR: Yes. And all I can say is thank you for Joe Biden, because he is going to always give us some laughs. He'll say something crazy and out there, and it will be fun. And Sarah Palin, you know, we can always rely on her to come back and give us some material. But it is really not easy to make fun of the Obamas, because they're really -- they're kind of really perfect, aren't they?
KING: Let's -- speaking of that, Michelle Obama and her fashion choices. This was a post-inaugural topic on "The View." Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, "THE VIEW": First lady Michelle Obama has been taking a lot of heat for her fashion. The paper said she looked like Maimy Eisenhower at church yesterday. They called -- yes, called one of her inauguration day looks matronly.
ELIZABETH HASSELBECK, "THE VIEW": I think, look, if this is the media's attempt at trying to be objective as we move into the next administration, they're moving in the wrong direction. Her fashion, she made good choices. She's chosen American designer as much as possible. The kids are dressed in clothes that are economical. I think that they actually, in terms of fashion, have done a great job. And all these naysayers on the side, better find something else to get upset about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What do you make of --
BEHAR: Elizabeth Hasselbeck almost sounded look a Democrat.
KING: Almost.
BEHAR: Yes, almost. I thought that she's a curvy woman. She's not a skinny bitch like some of these other ones. She's got hips. She's got a body. She's six feet tall. So clothing is going to be an issue at times for her. I say wear black. Just wear black everywhere you go, like I do. Me and Richard Belzer, Richard Lewis, we all wear black and nobody has anything to say.
She's in -- I think she's a beautiful woman, don't you?
KING: Yes. She's -- and terrific. A terrific lady.
BEHAR: She's gorgeous.
KING: Ann Coulter was on "The View" last week. Was her appearance as uncomfortable as it looked? We'll ask Joy about it. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Conservative fire brand Ann Coulter was on "The View" last week. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOLDBERG: We are not attacking you.
(CROSS TALK)
ANN COULTER, CONSERVATIVE COLUMNIST: -- Like you're reading "Mein Kampf" and I just did.
BARBARA WALTERS, "THE VIEW": Can I just read a section aloud?
COULTER: Read it like you're reading "Mein Kampf" again. I think you did. I throw out the words when I wasn't sitting here.
WALTERS: Let me do this. In that case, I would like to discuss something current.
COULTER: That was lovely. You can do the audio book. Well, we don't know that much about her.
(CROSS TALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- I'm attacking you. I don't appreciate the way you're talking to her. Nobody is attacking you. You didn't have to talk to her --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: In the history of Ann Coulter, Joy, there has never been an interview where there was a question and an answer and a question and an answer and a thank you. Never happens.
BEHAR: Yes. KING: What did you make of her on "The View?"
BEHAR: Well, she was rather rude to Barbara, saying that she read her book like she was reading "Mein Kampf." We kind of had a laugh about it, because it was suggested in the post-mortem meeting -- I suggested that the next day we could have a segment where Barbara just reads from "Mein Kampf." Don't you think that would be fascinating? Just Barbara sitting in a big chair reading from "Mein Kampf."
KING: What do you make of Miss Coulter?
BEHAR: Miss Coulter likes to sell books. Where do all these Republican women have long blond hair and wear their skirts up around their you know what? What is that about? Monica Crowley dresses like that, Ann Coulter, all the girls on Fox all look like that. She is trying to sell her books and she needs to be audacious and wacky and out there. And I think she's fun, to tell you the truth. I don't mind her, because I think that anybody who has a brain in his head knows she's a whack job. And so it is kind of fun to talk to her, you know?
But Sherri went after her, didn't she? She was like, don't you talk to my boss like that. You be nice to her. As if Barbara can't take care of herself. She can.
KING: Like she hasn't been around.
BEHAR: Right.
KING: Any hopes being -- do you think hopes might being pinned on Obama too high, too much expectations?
BEHAR: Oh, yes, I think so. The American people seem very patient with him, because they know what preceded him. Like today, it was a miracle, something was -- stem cell research was opened up. Imagine all those people who have that horrible ALS disease, thinking wow, maybe I can walk. I don't have to be in this prison for the rest of my life.
For eight years, the guy puts the kibosh on all that stem cell research. It is outrageous. I wonder if Dick Cheney, now that he's in a wheelchair, can identify with the handicap now. And if he were in the same position, would he vote against Meals on Wheels now? I don't think so.
KING: You're cooking tonight. You're cooking.
BEHAR: I'm cracking you up today.
KING: Has "The View" become more political?
BEHAR: Yes, because of the election year. Yes. I think that -- don't you think that comedians were very instrumental this year in helping Obama get elected?
KING: By attacking Bush, you mean?
BEHAR: Yes, I mean Tina Fey, she really put the nail in the old coffin there. And "The View," we had our little interactions, little (INAUDIBLE) with the McCains, although I like John McCain very much, but I didn't want him to be president, so I had to do what I had to do.
KING: He was here last night and he was very good.
BEHAR: He's a charming man. I like him very much, yes.
KING: Is there anything you missed about President Bush?
BEHAR: Let's see --
KING: Silence is deafening. Come on. I'll give you another ten seconds.
BEHAR: Let's see. Um, um, no.
KING: No.
BEHAR: No. And you know what? I'm sure, you know, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, she went to the White House and she met him. She says he is really nice and he was really great with the children. Probably read from "My Pet Goat" for them and everything. But I'm sure he's fun and charming, and if you met him in a bar, you would have a few laughs with him.
I don't want a president like that. I want somebody who is sober and almost humorless. Obama doesn't have a fantastic sense of humor, I notice.
KING: No, he doesn't.
BEHAR: He's kind of restrained, like he sort of gave the old fish eye to Joe Biden the other day when Biden opened his big mouth. Remember that?
KING: With the Supreme Court and the mispronunciation.
BEHAR: With that Roberts maybe has a memory lapses, which I thought was kind of funny. But Obama didn't seem to like it.
KING: He didn't think it was funny.
BEHAR: Not really, because he's going to have to deal with Justice Roberts very shortly in trying to get things through, right?
KING: You're not kidding. There is a fake Joy out there and he -- yes, I said he -- was on "Saturday Night Live." See if imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery in just 60 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Back with Joy Behar. "Saturday Night Live" took a satirical view of the ladies of "The View" this past weekend. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He said you look like a angel from heaven, from a Mexican heaven.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're too nice. You're making me blush.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I blush, it looks like I got a rash. So what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come on now. You are all beautiful women.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Beautiful? I got on seven layers of foundation. I still look like a frog in a circus. Who cares?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Bush claims that he handled Katrina in a timely and responsible way. What do you ladies have to say about that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't live there. We can't speak for them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New Orleans is in great shape. I went there with my family last year and I loved it. And there was no water damage at all at the Ritz-Carleton.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Actually, Elizabeth, New Orleans has been overlooked tremendously. And there is still a lot of neighborhoods that look like they suffered through tremendous wear and tear.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what suffered through a lot of tremendous wear and tear, my control tops. Who cares? So what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't even go near water, with the waves and the sharks and the this and the that. When people say you want to go swimming, I just give them this look.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: That is funny.
KING: Did you enjoy it?
BEHAR: Yes. I think they could pick someone a little prettier. I mean, the guy -- and also how about a shave? Get rid of the hair on his face. I know I'm Italian, but really.
KING: Good satire, wasn't it?
BEHAR: Very funny. They do have me down. I do fidget and twitch. I'm always pulling my bra down, fixing the hair on camera. I'm a twitcher and they have it down. Who cares? So what? I think I'll make that the name of my next book. They were a little mean to Elizabeth, though, I thought. She's not -- she was not somebody who thought that the way they handled Katrina was so great, and that she doesn't have sympathy. They made her look mean and she's not mean at all. She doesn't have a mean bone. She's just a Republican. She can't help it.
KING: She can't help that? We'll be right back with more of Joy Behar right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWS BREAK)
KING: Back with Joy Behar. Rush Limbaugh said of Obama, I hope he fails. How does that strike you?
BEHAR: Nice. Sometimes I think that Oxycontin is going to his head. He doesn't make sense anymore. I don't know who these millions of people are who listen to him. Doesn't that tick you off that these -- I think it is Merrill Lynch, these executives got all these bonuses from my money, your money? Isn't that unbelievable? There he is. Look at him.
I used to work with Rush on WABC radio. And I didn't work with him, but I used to precede him. And he gave me the best advice. He said to me when I got fired -- he said to me, whatever you do, be bold, Joy. Here I am on your show being bold. I don't really dislike him personally. I think that he says some outrageous things. It just sounds un-American to me. He waves the flag of patriotism and then he says, I hope the Obama administration fails. That's really sick.
KING: He also said that the media was unfair to Sarah Palin's family and that the McCain campaign mishandled her.
BEHAR: We'll see when her book comes out and she trashes the McCain camp. How are they going to pay her all those millions of dollars? Not to talk policy, right? She is going to have say some nice, dishy things about John McCain, maybe Cindy. She won't be nice. I don't trust her. I do not trust her.
KING: Was she on "The View?"
BEHAR: No, she is scared to come on, I think. Wouldn't you be, if you were her?
KING: Condoleezza Rice is coming?
BEHAR: Yes, Condoleezza is coming next week. That will be interesting.
KING: Are you looking forward to that?
BEHAR: I am. I have never met her. They gave Hillary Clinton the most incredible reception the other day, didn't they? They love her. Last year, she was persona non grata some places. They were calling her Tracy Flick. Remember? Now, I understand -- on Politico, I think I read it, that this new woman -- what's her name again? I can't remember this girls name, Kristen Gillibrand -- they said that when she was in high school, she was Tracy Flick. Well, Tracy Flick did very well for herself, thank you very much.
I think that Condoleezza has some explaining to do about those last eight years, Ms. Rice, don't you think? Yes.
KING: What do you make of Hillary? How well is she going to do?
BEHAR: I think she is fantastically smart. I think she's an incredible survivor, both personally and politically. She is very personable. She is in reality. I am very impressed with people who are in reality. I don't want people who are delusional and crazy anymore. She is in reality. She is somebody who is pragmatic the way Obama is pragmatic.
I think between the two of them, they are going to solve a lot of these problems that have been intractable for all this time, that have been exacerbated by the Bush administration. Obama looks even better because of who he is following. He is coming off the worst administration in the history of the United States. So he looks even better.
It reminds me of something I read one time about Spanish women in the 15th century. In order to look pretty, because they had money and they were not that pretty, they would walk around with a monkey on their shoulder. And compared to the monkey, they would look gorgeous. Well, I say that's similar to what's going on now. Compared to Bush, Obama looks gorgeous.
KING: Wait a minute. You actually read that Spanish women did that?
BEHAR: Yes. I took Spanish in college. Habla espanol?
KING: That's why you love LARRY KING LIVE. We learn something new every day.
BEHAR: Yes, the women with money.
KING: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Back with Joy Behar. What do you think George Bush is going to do now?
BEHAR: Take a nap. You know, we have Blagojevich on "The View" on Monday.
KING: We have him here Monday night.
BEHAR: We are getting him first. I'm sorry. He is supposed to have a hearing on Monday, you know. Instead, he is coming on "The View." What does that tell you about him?
KING: I think the Senate is discussing the impeachment on Monday. I don't know if it is a hearing.
BEHAR: He is doing television anyway.
KING: What do you think Bush is going to do now?
BEHAR: What is Bush going to do? Well, first of all, does he automatically get a library or is that not necessarily true?
KING: He has to raise funds.
BEHAR: He has to raise funds. He has a lot of rich friends in the oil business. He could get some money from them.
KING: They are planning a library. I mean, do you think he will do something, like commissioner of baseball or travel the world.
BEHAR: Travel the world? He has never been out of the country until he was president. With all his money -- the Bush family had quite a few shekels, I understand. He never went anywhere, this guy. He stayed in Crawford. I read somewhere that about one-third of his presidency was spent on vacation. One-third he has spent on vacation. Why? Doesn't he have enough to do, this guy.
KING: Were you in New York for Flight 1549? Were you there on that miraculous occurrence?
BEHAR: I was in my apartment in New York. Is that good enough?
KING: You were part of the scene. Were you proud of the New Yorkers, the way they handled everything?
BEHAR: That guy, what's his name? Sullenberger.
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: Oh my god, if I wasn't going to be married soon, I would sleep with him. I'm just kidding.
KING: Are you going to marry your long-time guy?
BEHAR: Well, this summer will be 27 years together. Do you think it's time to get married?
KING: Yes, then have a baby.
BEHAR: That's funny. That's really funny. What am I, a man? I can have a baby at your age? No. My eggs are pouted. So what else do you want to talk about?
KING: Quickly, what do you think of the Oscar nominations? Did you see the curious saga of -- it's a great movie.
BEHAR: No. I hear three and a half hours, and I'm not there.
KING: It's two hours and forty five minutes and it's really good.
BEHAR: You loved it? An old guy gets young. Is that how it works?
KING: Right. He is born old and he gets younger as the picture goes on.
BEHAR: Well, that's going to win in Hollywood, because in Hollywood that kind of a setup is a documentary. I'm really cracking you up tonight. I wish I was there with you.
KING: That's very well put.
BEHAR: We're not together here. I'm so far from you.
KING: Do you like, Joy, hosting this show?
BEHAR: When you're not here, I do.
KING: What do you mean when I'm not here? Of course, that's when you host.
BEHAR: Yes, I understand you are going to be taking off a couple of days and they want me to sit in for you. I enjoy that very much.
KING: We would like you to sit in. You do enjoy it?
BEHAR: I love it. I had Alec Baldwin last time. We had a wonderful time.
KING: I saw that. It was fantastic.
BEHAR: You must love your job, Larry. I almost forgot your name.
KING: What's not to like, Alice?
BEHAR: I love how we are just sort of tap dancing now. It's fun.
KING: I love this job. It beats work and you get in, you meet fantastic people. You ask them questions. It's a great way. I have been doing this kind of thing for a long time. I'm glad you like it, because it's a great way to earn a living. It really is.
BEHAR: Well, I feel very privileged to be on "The View." I have a great job there too. You come in, you talk, you shoot your mouth off and they pay you for it. Who is better than me?
KING: Joy, good luck. Thank you. See you soon.
BEHAR: OK, Larry. Thanks for having me on again.
KING: As always, Joy Behar, one of our favorite people.
Monday, Rod Blagojevich will be sitting right here for the hour. The Illinois governor will take your calls regarding charges that he tried to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. Go to CNN.com/LarryKing to see who else we have on the guest list. You can download our latest podcast, find show transcripts, check out photo galleries. Don't for get our own blog.
Time now for Anderson Cooper and "AC 360," winding up the week. Anderson?
