Joy Behar told The View producer Brian Teta that during a commercial break on June 16, she privately encouraged J.D. Vance to run for president—even as she made clear she won’t vote for him.
Joy Behar didn’t waste time trying to square the circle—at least not in her own mind.
During a June 16 appearance on The View, J.D. Vance sat down with the show’s table of talkers and took questions. But according to Behar, the moment that stuck wasn’t strictly on-air. She later told The View producer Brian Teta on the “Behind the Table” podcast that she spoke with Vance privately during a commercial break and encouraged him to run for president.
That confession came with an immediate caveat: Behar said she remains firmly opposed to voting for him.
She also explained why, despite their political differences, Vance’s story left an impression. In her telling. the Republican politician—whose memoir Hillbilly Elegy she referenced—felt “actually a different kind of person” before he became Donald Trump’s “boy.” Behar said she thinks that if Vance were president. “he would go back to being a kinder person. ” adding. “Trump is the one who’s not kind.”.
Teta pushed for clarity when Behar’s comments sounded like more than casual praise. He asked whether her remark was an endorsement, and Behar shot that down quickly. “No, because I’m not voting for him anyway—especially if he runs against one of the good Democrats that we have out there.”
When Teta later reminded her of what she told Vance in that break—“You told [Vance] during the break that he should run for president because he has a good vibe”—Behar confirmed it. “I think [he should]. … I do.”
Her position still holds firm on party lines. even as she tried to separate the person she thinks Vance could be from the politics he’s currently tied to. Behar said she’s “not a Republican. ” and described her view of city-level Republican leadership as something she can tolerate: she “doesn’t mind a Republican on the city level because it needs a little discipline.”.
But on the national stage, she said she wants something else. “On the national level. I want somebody with a good heart—and those are more in the Democratic Party. in my opinion. ” Behar said. She argued that Democrats “care about the poor. they help people. ” while she believes the Republican Party is “more about saving taxes for the rich people.”.
The “Behind the Table” interview also turned speculative, with Behar weighing what it might mean if Vance faced a high-profile Democrat such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom. She said a match-up would be “an interesting debate to see” because both men are “intelligent.”
Even while she said she doesn’t consider Vance a “bad guy,” Behar didn’t let the story end on compliments. Her criticism landed on how Vance addressed his earlier remark calling Trump “America’s Hitler.”
“He called [Trump] ‘America’s Hitler’ [and] blamed it on the media that they were misrepresenting Trump. Don’t give me that. … That’s where I draw the line on the guy,” Behar said.
After Behar’s comments, Teta added that Vance is “definitely good at spinning” facts—an observation that sharpened the contrast between her private encouragement and the public standards she says she won’t compromise on.
Joy Behar J.D. Vance The View Brian Teta Behind the Table podcast June 16 Hillbilly Elegy Donald Trump Gavin Newsom America’s Hitler spinning facts
Joy Behar saying “good vibe” like it’s a job interview is wild.
So she didn’t endorse him but told him to run? That sounds like endorsement to me, sorry. Either way I’m not trusting her math.
I swear TV people say stuff off-air and then everyone pretends it’s not a big deal. She brought up Hillbilly Elegy which like… okay? Also “kinder person”??? Trump not kind… yeah we all know, but Vance has his own stuff too.
This is why I don’t watch The View, it’s like gossip with politics. She told him to run “against all odds” like odds are some destiny thing. Then she says she wouldn’t vote for him especially if he runs against a “good Democrat,” which like, who decides what’s a good Democrat? Sounds convenient. Also they keep saying “during the break” which means nothing now, but of course it becomes a headline.