The co-hosts of "The View" have taken a strong stance against critics who have suggested that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor should step down.
This comes in response to former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan's suggestion that the Justice should retire.
The co-hosts questioned the continued presence of Justice Clarence Thomas on the court, and criticized Hasan's viewpoint. "This guy, to go for Justice Sotomayor, who we know her thoughts, we dont always agree with them, but we know her thoughts and shes a thoughtful person. We dont know some of these other folks, and getting her off doesnt mean somebody else is going to get on and be better. So what is his point?" said co-host Whoopi Goldberg.
Goldberg further argued that there are individuals who should be removed from the court due to their perceived lack of performance. "Clarence Thomas should have recused himself. He shouldnt be sitting there," she stated.
While co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin defended Hasan, noting that he has also called for Thomas to recuse himself, Goldberg dismissed her defense, stating, "I did not want to hear this." Goldberg continued to express her disapproval of the call for Sotomayor's retirement, describing it as a disrespectful act towards a 69-year-old woman.
The co-hosts also engaged in a debate about the political manipulation of the court, with Goldberg and Sunny Hostin arguing that Democrats do not "stack the court," but Republicans have done so by "stealing two seats."
Hostin defended Sotomayor, whom she considers to be highly intelligent. "This take, I will say to my friend, I thought was the wrong take. Especially because, as you pointed out, Clarence Thomas is 75. Samuel Alito, who wrote the Dobbs decision, is 74. John Roberts, the Chief Justice, is the same age as Justice Sotomayor. Hes 69. Kagan is 63. When you point those out how can you say this woman who by the way, Justice Sotomayor is managing diabetes like millions of people in the world," she said.
Hostin further emphasized the importance of Sotomayor's presence on the court, stating, "The bottom line is she is such a stalwart on that court that we need her voice and they have established allegiances. Shes been on the court for almost 15 years. Its not the time to go."
Hasan, however, argued that Sotomayor should retire to allow President Biden to appoint another liberal justice to the court, citing Donald Trump's polling as a reason for his stance. He also pointed out that other countries require their justices to retire by 70, and questioned the presence of individuals in their 80s on the Supreme Court.
Journalist Josh Barro has also called on Sotomayor to retire, echoing Hasan's argument.
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