Guest Co-Hosts to Fill Elisabeth Hasselbeck's Spot on ABC's THE VIEW

Elisabeth Hasselbeck made an emotional Exit from ABC's long-running talk show The View this morning. The host walked on to the set arm-in-arm with an emotional Barbara Walters, who told the live audience, "I'm a little verklempt."

Walters, who credited Hasselbeck with being, "a big part of the show's success," announced that the exiting co-host's spot would not be filled in the immediate future, explaining there would be "plenty of guest co-hosts." But she quickly cautioned viewers, "Don't send us any tapes or resumes, please!"

Hasselbeck confirmed the news that she would be joining the FOX & Friends team beginning this September and went on to thank the cast, crew, security, sound, makeup and "everyone behind the scenes." She singled out executive producer Bill Geddie who she noted, "challenged me every single day to be my best" and made her "never be fearful of voicing my opinion here."

The former Reality Show contestant then went on to give a special message to the four ladies with whom she has shared the couch with for the past 10 years:

To Whoopi Goldberg: "You are one of the most talented artists on the planet. ... But you are even more loving than you are talented. You are walking unconditional love... I am blessed to have gotten to call myself a friend of yours."

To Joy Behar: "Joy and I have spent the past 10 years sparring over politics, but you know I have an insane amount of respect for you. ... I love you. I truly do."

To Sherri Shepard (who is currently on vacation from the show): "Your protest about this is not working," she joked. "Even when you're not right beside me here, I know you are always with me. You are my sister in Christ, my friend for life and when I see you just be warned I will hug you for probably three and a half days straight."

To Barbara Walters: "I did the math last night and I believe, I could be wrong, I have over 3,000 days working by your side. I think it's fair to say over the course of a decade I feel as though I have attended the Barbara Walters school of broadcasting journalism. I feel like I have my master's in communications from being next to you. I don't know if there's a program out there that could offer the depth of knowledge, technique and art of interview that you have offered to everyone at this table and especially to me."

She added, "I feel more than prepared at this point because of all you've given me... to more forward. I've worked with the best in the business... You are the best there is."

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