In a notably cringeworthy moment on Wednesday’s The View, co-host Whoopi Goldberg called for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to appoint his wife Jill Biden as surgeon general should he win the White House—erroneously believing her to be an “amazing” medical doctor.
Following Biden’s dominant Super Tuesday performance, in which he took the majority of the 14 state primaries up for grabs, the hosts of the popular ABC talk show celebrated the former vice president’s new frontrunner status.
“We have to move on about Biden’s big win last night, and this group of people at the table rarely agree on anything, but we were all holding out for Biden and said not to count him out,” conservative host Meghan McCain said to ABC News correspondent Jon Karl at one point. “We got a lot of criticism because we said don’t count him out. So The View was a little right—just saying.”
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The conversation ultimately moved to speculating on Biden’s shortlist for a running mate, should he defeat Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in the primary. Goldberg had seemingly already decided who should get one prominent position in a Biden administration.
“I’m hoping Dr. Jill becomes the Surgeon General, his wife,” she exclaimed, prompting Karl to awkwardly laugh.
“Joe Biden’s wife,” Goldberg continued. “She would never do it but, yeah, she’s a hell of a doctor. She’s an amazing doctor.”
Liberal co-host Joy Behar appeared entirely confused by Goldberg’s claim, and McCain chimed in that she believes Biden isn’t actually a medical doctor.
“I could be wrong,” Goldberg replied.
“She’s a teacher but might be good for [Secretary of Education] Betsy DeVos’s post,” co-host Sunny Hostin stepped in. Behar excitedly declared in response, “Yes, perfect!”
Jill Biden has spent much of her career teaching English in high school and community college, and received a doctoral degree in education from the University of Delaware in 2007. The current U.S. surgeon general, Jerome Adams, is an anesthesiologist who previously served as Indiana’s state health commissioner.
Following a commercial break, Goldberg addressed her on-air faux pas.
“I was wrong about his wife,” she said. “I was wrong, before you start texting and emailing.”
