ABC News star Joy Behar: Hanging with Farrakhan 'baggage'; talking to Jesus 'mental illness'

Louis Farrakhan and Joy Behar. (Reuters/AP)

Apparently, ABC News star Joy Behar thinks it’s okay to talk to anti-Semitic figures, but not to Jesus.

Behar and former Obama aide Valerie Jarrett sparked outrage on Friday on "The View" when they defended Women’s March co-founder Tamika Mallory, who has been criticized for her ties to bigoted anti-Jewish Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Behar is no stranger to controversy, as she has been under fire for saying that Vice President Mike Pence suffers from “mental illness” because he believes in communicating with Jesus.

This time, Behar asked if Mallory is being scrutinized for “guilt by association” because she attended an event where Farrakhan mocked both white and Jewish people while predicting their demise.

Women's March national co-chair Tamika Mallory (Reuters)

Meghan McCain pointed out that Mallory didn’t simply attend the event, but also took a photo with him and referred to him as the “GOAT,” an acronym for “greatest of all time.” Mallory clearly has an “affinity” for Farrakhan, McCain said.

Behar attempted to defend Mallory, who has said the Nation of Islam supported her after the death of her son’s father 17 years ago.

“She has a personal relationship,” Behar said.

“Louis Farrakhan said, ‘Hitler was a very great man,’” McCain said. “This is black and white. It’s very simple: You think Hitler is a great man, don’t associate with that person… there should be no normalizing of this one way or the other.”

The crowd applauded McCain’s analysis and Behar chimed in that Farrakhan is a “notorious anti-Semite.”

The outspoken Jarrett, who was a guest host on the program, said that part of being an effective leader is working with people that you disagree with.

“I met with the Koch brothers when we were working on criminal justice,” Jarrett said. “She’s learning to be a leader. She’s young.”

McCain responded that the Koch brothers are “nowhere near” anyone who has said Hitler was a great man.

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Behar then said “almost everyone has baggage,” adding “Unless you’re in utero, you have baggage.”

Behar eventually said, “We don’t like Farrakhan,” but it wasn’t enough for McCain.

“I agree, but my baggage isn’t that I think Hitler’s a great man,” McCain said.