Greta: Calling Elisabeth Hasselbeck racist was grossly unfair

Greta: Calling Hasselbeck racist was grossly unfair

'Off the Record,' 7/29/15: Elisabeth Hasselbeck was accused of being racist for merely asking whether Sandra Bland's cigarette could have been a provocation in her encounter with a police officer. Thumbs up to Whoopi Goldberg for standing up for Elisabeth

By Greta Van Susteren

Let's all go "Off the Record." For starters, I have a real problem with Sandra Bland being pulled over for just failure to put a blinker on when changing lanes. The cop did not like that she had a cigarette and ordered her to put it out.

She did give him some lip and he put his hands on her and she was arrested. I have problems with that. You know what happened after that, but one of my colleagues here at Fox News had a question about that cigarette, whether it could be a provocation for the cop.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELISABETH HASSELBECK, 'FOX AND FRIENDS' CO-HOST: But what if -- I mean there are times I'm sure -- in the history of this land uses a cigarette against a police officer, maybe chucked it at him, pushed it at him. If he indeed felt that was a potential threat, was that the wise thing to do on his part?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Some people didn't like that question. But what followed was grossly unfair to Elizabeth. She was called a racist. She is most certainly not a racist. And if you don't believe me, ask Whoopi Goldberg:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ABC'S 'THE VIEW' CO-HOST: I guess people have this idea of who Elizabeth is. I've been a friend -- we've been friends for about seven, eight years. She has not asked me to pick any cotton. She has not -- no, I'm saying that -- I'm saying that because -- I'm saying that because people -- and I say this all the time, people love to throw that phrase around. You're a racist. You're this. You're that. It is not racist to ask a question.

NICOLLE WALLACE, ABC'S 'THE VIEW' CO-HOST: She's an anchor of a morning news program. She does ask the questions.

GOLDBERG: And it's also our jobs...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Good for Whoopi Goldberg for stepping up. And remember that the next time someone says something nasty about Whoopi. That's my "Off the Record" comment tonight.