Elisabeth Hasselbeck is known for being the conservative right-wing “Republican Cheerleader” but has shocked the world with her latest comments. For one, she says that President Barack Obama is an “incredibly cool guy” and not only that, but she also supports gay marriage.

President Obama made a special guest appearance on “The View” at the end of July and Hasselbeck discussed what it was like to meet with the POTUS. She told FanCast.com:

“The president is an incredibly cool guy. We were able to go backstage with him [after the show] in our Green Room and talk about how everything seemed pretty orderly with him there and how comfortable everyone was. And there was definitely a moment – I mean, he and I looked at each other, and I remember him answering my question and I could see the intensity in his eyes. He wasn’t just answering me, he was sending through me a message to the American people that felt special. Now in terms of my prep, I prepared. I mean, I don’t know how you don’t prepare for the president coming to your office and you having the ability to ask him two or three questions. I went and got a manicure and pedicure right beforehand to relax! [Laughs]“

The “View” co-host also said that it might surprise folks that she’s a supporter of gay marriage:

“I am not ultra-ultra-conservative on every issue. I actually support gay marriage. I think the gay marriage thing would definitely surprise people I mean, for some people, it will surprise them to the point that they won’t want to hear it. ‘No, that can’t be, I really want to have this sort of idea of her in my head,’ so I sort of rain on their parade there.”

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That crazy white lady from The View (Elisabeth Hasselbeck) has put her foot in her mouth. Hasselbeck is apologizing for offending “Dancing With the Stars” contestant Erin Andrews with comments she made on the show. She even cried a little.

On Tuesday, the football player’s wife commented on the convicted stalker who peeped at the sideline reporter through a hotel-room keyhole, filmed it and placed the clip on the Internet. In effect, the conservative Hasselbeck was making the point that Andrews’ revealing outfits on “Dancing With the Stars” could have saved the stalker the jail term because he would have seen nearly as much.

The point was deemed ill-advised by many, including Hasselbeck herself a few hours after the show’s taping. The former “Survivor” contestant said on Wednesday’s show that she left work feeling badly about the comments, and her 5-year-old daughter explained to her why she should apologize.

“She’s so cute; she said to me, ‘Mommy, why don’t you just call Erin and tell her you’re sorry?,’ ” Hasselbeck reported on “The View” Wednesday. “So, thankfully, I listened to her — she’s a wise little girl — and I did. So, I’m really sorry, and I wanted to offer that publicly too, even though I did follow that advice.”

For Andrews — who has waged a very public, very emotional battle against the stalker and additional threats — the comments of Hasselbeck were an insult. “[It's] a slap in the face to victims of stalking and sexual predators,” Andrews said after Tuesday’s “Dancing With the Stars” results show. “[As a] woman, I’m disappointed she went there.”

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Continue reading to peep video footage of Elisabeth’s teary apology…

Actress Whoopi Goldberg (who also speaks on The View’s panel), Media mogul Oprah Winfrey and Financial advisor Suze Orman attended and posed for a pic together at the 2009 Time 100 Most Influential People in the World Gala, which was held Tuesday night at the Frederick P. Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The annual gala saluted the best and the brightest people in the categories of leaders & revolutionaries, heroes & pioneers, scientists & thinkers, artists & entertainers and builders & titans. Other honorees and attendees of the gala included John Legend, Michelle Obama, M.I.A. and more. Continue reading for more photos from the gala and to peep the complete 2009 Time 100 list!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES // WIRE IMAGE

The Complete 2009 TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World

Leaders & Revolutionaries
Edward Kennedy
Gordon Brown
Christine Lagarde
Thomas Dart
Avigdor Lieberman
Joaquín Guzmán
Nouri al-Maliki
Hillary Clinton
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Boris Johnson
Norah al-Faiz
Elizabeth Warren
Paul Kagame
Nicolas Sarkozy
Angela Merkel
Wang Qishan
Xi Jinping
David McKiernan
Ashfaq Kayani
Barack Obama

Builders & Titans
The Twitter Guys
T. Boone Pickens
Ted Turner
Tessa Ross
Carlos Slim
Brad Pitt
Meredith Whitney
Suze Orman
Lauren Zalaznick
Timothy Geithner
Nandan Nilekani
Stella McCartney
Jamie Dimon
Sheila Bair
moot
Alexander Medvedev
Alan Mulally
Robin Chase
Jack Ma
Bernie Madoff

Artists & Entertainers
Rush Limbaugh
M.I.A.
Sam and Dan Houser
Kate Winslet
Werner Herzog
William Kentridge
Penélope Cruz
Lang Lang
John Legend
Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio
Gustavo Dudamel
Jeff Kinney
Tavis Smiley
The View
Zac Efron
Tina Fey
Tom Hanks
Jay Leno
A.R. Rahman
Judith Jamison

Heroes & Icons
Michelle Obama
Chesley B. Sullenberger
Richard Phillips
Seth Berkley
Michael Eavis
Leonard Abess
Hadizatou Mani
Rick Warren
Van Jones
Somaly Mam
Rafael Nadal
Suraya Pakzad
Jeff Bezos
Tiger Woods
George Clooney
Brady Gustafson
Sister Mary Scullion
Oprah Winfrey
Sarah Palin
Manny Pacquiao

Scientists & Thinkers
Nouriel Roubini
Amory Lovins
Jon Favreau
Dambisa Moyo
Dan Barber
Yoichiro Nambu
Roland Fryer
Martin Lindstrom
Barbara Hogan
David Sheff
Steven Chu
Paul Krugman
Connie Hedegaard
Daniel Nocera
Stephan Schuster and Webb Miller
Nicholas Christakis
Doug Melton
Paul Ekman
Shai Agassi
Nate Silver