The View Hosts Urge Republicans to 'Speak Up' After Neo-Nazis Gather at Turning Point USA Conference

After a group of neo-Nazis gathered outside the conservative Turning Point USA conference this weekend, Joy Behar and The View co-hosts called on Republicans to condemn their swastika flags and anti-semitic signs, lest history repeat itself.

"Neo-Nazis were out there in front of the conference with anti-semitic slurs and the Nazi swastika, and a picture of a so-called Jewish person with exaggerated features, just like Goebbels did, and Hitler, during the Third Reich," said Behar. "It's the same thing. Right out of that same playbook."

"And [Florida Governor] DeSantis did not say anything about it. It's his rendition of 'good people on both sides,'" she continued. "Why trade a headache for an upset stomach? Because that's what's going to happen if they get rid of Trump and put him in. It's the same thing."

Ana Navarro urged the list of Republican politicians in attendance — including former President Trump and Reps. Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene — to speak out against the neo-Nazi group.

"It's important that every single person that attended that Turning Point, every Republican, speak up against the swastikas, against the Nazi flags that were waved. It was really painful for me to see," she said, noting there are "vibrant, numerous Jewish communities" in Florida. "Speak up! Because whenever you see bigotry of this level, you can't let it go. You can't pretend you didn't see it. You've got to condemn it, regardless of party, regardless of politics. It's the right thing to do."

TRUMP SAYS HE'S MOST PERSECUTED PERSON IN U.S. HISTORY: After former Pres. Trump and GOP stars pulled out all the stops at a young conservative voter summit in Florida, #TheView panel questions if Republicans are moving to other rising stars in the party. https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/ek4wHXUPcB

— The View (@TheView) July 25, 2022

Behar, a World War II history buff, then returned to her earlier comparison. "There were Germans in Germany at that time who did not speak up because they were like, 'Well, maybe it'll go away,'" she said. "And they were quiet. And then when it became full-blown Nazism and Jews and other people were being thrown in concentration camps, it was too late for them."

"So now is the time for everyone to speak up. Every time someone makes an anti-semitic remark or a racist statement, you must say something about it," she said. "You should stand up and speak against it!"

After some back and forth, Whoopi Goldberg echoed Behar's sentiment. "This is not a surprise. We know these folks have been out there, and now they're in the light," she said. "So you have a decision to make: where do you stand? Because if they come for one, they're coming for all."

With Sunny Hostin out for the day, Sara Haines chimed in with a legal note about Turning Point USA saying it "100% condemns those ideologies in the strongest of terms" and the protestors have "nothing to do" with the organization or the conference.

"But you let them in," replied Whoopi (she later corrected herself, saying the protestors were outside the event). "You let them in and you knew what they were. So you are complicit."

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.