On her first day as a co-host on "The View," Whoopi Goldberg defends Michael Vick

[Terminator]

So much for the sedate alternative to Rosie O'Donnell on "The View." Whoopi Goldberg used her first day on the daytime chat show Tuesday to defend football star Michael Vick in his dogfighting case.

Goldberg said that "from where he comes from" in the South, dogfighting isn't that unusual. "It's like cockfighting in Puerto Rico," she said. "There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of the country."

The Atlanta Falcons quarterback pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges last week, admitting that he provided money for a dogfighting ring that operated on his Virginia property and helped kill six or eight pit bulls. Vick grew up in Newport News, Va.

Goldberg was selected by series creator Barbara Walters to replace O'Donnell, whose stormy tenure on the ABC program lasted less than a year.

In the Vick discussion, Goldberg served notice that she won't shy away from controversy.

Co-host Joy Behar looked horrified at Goldberg.

"How about dog torture and dog murdering?" Behar asked.

For many people, dogs are sport, Goldberg replied, and it appeared it took awhile for Vick to realize that he was up against serious charges. "I just thought it was interesting, because it seemed like a light went off in his head when he realized this was something that the entire country didn't appreciate," she said.

Vick has been suspended indefinitely by the National Football League and will be sentenced on the dogfighting charges in December. He apologized and asked for forgiveness upon entering his plea in federal court last week.

[BEB]

So, which region of the country will she insult tomorrow?

Rosie and Whoopi talking nonsense get the show attention, but I wonder if they draw viewers. I rather hope not.

[conalabu]

This is starting to look like an intentional ploy to get controversial people talking about controversial issues. Sad. I freaking hate sensationalism that gets attached to crimes.

[ManImBored]

Birds of a feather stick together. Im not surprised she defended him.

[Pudge]

Figures, another "B lister" with a flickering career finds rebirth on the view and tries again to make a name for themselves.

[SaraJ]

Just cause something is popular in a certain area of the world doesn't make it right. What about fox hunting, bullfighting, cock fighting, bear bating? Should we embrace those "sports" just because they're practiced in certain parts of the world? Shame on Whoopi.

[jmur5074]

I wonder what the folks in Virginia think.

[Vendetta]

I wonder what the folks in Virginia think.

We say........"His ass is from eastern Virginia which is as far from the South as Boston is. He ass played football and did a damn good job of it in Southwest Virginia and probably put Virginia Tech on the map. But we recognize stupid as stupid here and as sad as it is to say.......you can take the boy outta the hood but you cant take the hood outta the boy.
He grew up in the projects and had the world by the balls because he truely has some god-given talent but he fucked it up by hanging with his "homies". While I still think he was a great player...........I think as a person he is an idiot"

Signed, Vendetta
A "True" Virginian

[Star Man]

Woopie Goldberg is a liberal idiot.

[lewisipso]

Unbelievable. I'm still waiting for one of our local dogfighting cases to make it to Congress.