'The View' blames Kamala Harris criticism on racism, misogyny: 'There's a racial aspect to it'

The co-hosts of ABC's liberal daytime talk show "The View" complained Friday the criticism leveled against Vice President Kamala Harris over her performance while in Europe has been rated in racism and misogyny.

During the opening segment of their Friday show, co-hosts Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro specifically pointed to the criticism Harris received following an awkward moment at a joint press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda.

After a reporter asked a question about Ukrainian refugees, Harris and Duda appeared confused about who would answer the question, leading to Harris laughing while saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed." Duda then offered to respond first and began speaking.

Harris was ripped by critics following the exchange, accusing her of looking to Duda for help answering the question and slamming her for laughing amid the suffering of Ukrainians at the hands of the Russian military.

US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a joint press conference with Poland's President Andrzej Duda on the occasion of their meeting at Belwelder Palace, in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, March 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

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"The laugh got them … I personally think if she was a guy, they would never say it," Behar declared, referencing critics previously mocking Hillary Clinton's laugh while she was running for president in 2016. "I don’t see them making fun of Pence’s laugh or any of the guys."

Hostin turned the criticism to race, arguing that critics were claiming Harris was unprepared during the press conference because she was a Black woman.

"What it is is that they constantly question the qualifications of Black women, and that’s why people are saying that she’s unprepared," she said.

Guest co-host and former Trump White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham jumped in, saying she disagreed and thought Harris was "a very accomplished woman."

"You can disagree, but that's the truth of it," Hostin snapped back, appearing frustrated. "This is based in racism. This is based in misogyny. And we’re talking about a woman that has extensive experience abroad, extensive experience as an attorney, extensive experience as the chief legal officer of one of our largest states in the country and I think this is just much ado about nothing."

Joy Behar, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Sunny Hostin (Getty images)

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"She is prepared … she gets wonderful marks across the board, but this is just something that I think happens to women and especially Black women," she added, claiming Harris received positive reviews on her job performance despite her historically low approval rating.

Navarro claimed that critics who thought Harris wasn't qualified or serious needed to go "qualify" their "heart" and "opinions," citing the latter's immigrant roots and experience as a lawyer and in the Senate.

Behar later claimed the harsh criticism of former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin during the then-presidential campaign was justified, and suggested "the right" was now trying to get payback.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, right, and US Vice President Kamala Harris pose for a photo as she arrives for a meeting, in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, March 10, 2022. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP) (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

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Navarro ended the segment by arguing that critics were trying to prevent Harris from becoming the next Democratic presidential nominee.

"Absolutely there’s a racial aspect to it," she said.

Brandon Gillespie is an associate editor at Fox News. Follow him on X at @BGillespieAL.