Elisabeth Hasselbeck emerges from TV retirement to respond to Rosie O’Donnell book comments

I cringed yesterday when I read that Rosie O’Donnell had a crush on Elisabeth Hasselbeck when they worked together on The View because, frankly, I’m not a fan.

Hasselbeck, who is seems retired from television a few years ago, has resurfaced to appear on FOX & Friends, where she was a former co-host, to respond to Rosie’s remarks: “I’d like to be able to say that I didn’t, but I read that. I’ll be very honest. I read it and I immediately started praying, because I’m like, how am I going to handle this in my old self would be another split screen moment, but now I really feel like by God’s grace … I just started praying — and I pray now the Holy Spirit gives me the words to articulate this — but I think it can be addressed with both truth and grace.”

“If you took her words and replaced Rosie with Ronald, there would be an objectification of women in the workplace,” added Hasselbeck. “So that is disturbing and it’s wrong. And whether you’re a man or whether you’re a woman, and you’re objectifying women in the workplace, it’s wrong.”

Hasselbeck continued: “I think her casting a stereotype on female athletes in what she said — that all female athletes are a little bit gay… I would say this directly to her. And I would say, ‘That’s an unfair stereotype and it seems selfish in a way and I think that it’s untrue.’ I can handle that with the grace of God because I need grace and I need forgiveness. So Rosie, I think it was disturbing to read those things and it was offensive to me, but I forgive her. I totally forgive you, Rosie. I really hope that we can be at peace and that we can have, both hold our beliefs in one hand and hold each other’s hand in the other and still have a relationship that’s at peace.”

“But, more than that, just like I would pray for my friends, I hope that she has the peace of God,” added Hasselbeck. “Because Rosie O’Donnell is still seen and known and loved by God, and I hope that she feels that and I hope that she can find, ultimately, the peace. Even more than I want to be at peace with her, I hope she finds that peace because God wants that for her too.”

UPDATE: Rosie responds via Twitter:

hey eh – my crush on u was not sexual – sorry u got scared – surely u recall b4 it all went wrong – i never objectified u – i did find u fantastic – broadway shows – my pool -we were friends once god love ya kid – i always did #hasselbeck #raminSUX

— ROSIE (@Rosie) March 26, 2019