Joy Behar Scolds Alyssa Farah Griffin During Contentious Abortion Debate

For the second day this week, Alyssa Farah Griffin found herself at odds with the co-hosts during a contentious debate about abortion. Though Griffin was critical of the extreme views espoused by some conservatives, including Rep. Matt Gaetz, she toed the party line when she asked when "a baby in the womb [has] rights," inflaming tensions at the table.

Interestingly, Griffin began her anti-abortion argument by agreeing with Whoopi Goldberg, who said the male senators who voted against codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law don't "know where we are today" as women. "None of you have any uteruses. You don't have a vagina," said Whoopi. "You don't have anything that goes to carrying or making decisions about babies."

"You said something very important, Whoopi," replied Griffin. "This needs to be a conversation that's led by women. It affects women. It doesn't need to be a bunch of male lawmakers. The Matt Gaetzes of the world, I am not here for your stupid takes."

Griffin then called on her party to "invest in maternal care, paid parental leave, funding for rural healthcare, funding foster care, etc." if leaders really plan to "undo 50 years of precedent by overturning Roe." However, she also accused Democrats of putting forth an "extreme" bill that "went further than Roe v. Wade," and encouraged politicians to meet somewhere in the middle. "47% of this country considers themselves pro-life. Surely we can come together around something that actually represents the plurality of the country," said the guest co-host. "Those are the conversations that aren't being had that need to be had in the public square. Not simply the most extreme of both sides."

SENATE BLOCKS BILL TO CODIFY ABORTION RIGHTS: After the Senate casted their votes Wednesday for the Women's Health Protection Act that would have codified Roe v. Wade, #TheView panel reacts to Democrat Joe Manchin and every Republican voting against it.https://t.co/AEAQjRzDHG pic.twitter.com/JvhGVI6oYy

— The View (@TheView) May 12, 2022

After some back and forth between the other co-hosts, Sunny Hostin cited polling showing that 64% of Americans, including Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, do not want Roe v. Wade overturned. "These numbers are correct, but—" said Griffin. "Of course the numbers are correct!" replied Hostin. "I don't get the numbers wrong!"

"Of course you don't," said Griffin, as the audience gave Hostin a round of applause. "But according to Pew research, 71% of Americans believe there should be some limitations on abortion. This is forcing a conversation that's – this is an uncomfortable conversation we have to have. At what point does a baby in the womb have rights separate from the mother?"

"Listen, it doesn't matter what you think — when you think it is," insisted Whoopi, as Griffin asked whether it's "the ninth month" or "the third trimester."

"It's none of your business!" fired back Joy Behar, in the most memorable moment of the debate. "It's your decision what you do with your body, and how your family works," added Whoopi. "I don't care what your religious beliefs are."

Griffin insisted that her stance on abortion "is not even a religious" issue, but "a really important philosophical debate" about the rights of "the baby in the womb." Hostin tried to explain that just because she and Griffin agree on this particular issue, it doesn't mean they should force those beliefs on everyone else, but time ran out, and The View went to commercial.

The Trump official turned CNN commentator remains the presumptive pick for the fifth seat, so expect to see plenty more debates like these in the weeks and months ahead.

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.