White House gatecrasher says Whoppi Goldberg didn’t hit her

New York: The White House gate-crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi have backtracked over their earlier claims that Whoopi Goldberg got physical with Michaele Salahi during a taping of ‘The View’.

The allegation led to a backstage battle between the show’s host and the couple. "I never said the word hit," the New York Daily News quoted Salahi as saying at a lunch in the W Hotel with her husband, Tareq. It was a "young employee" of the show who concocted the hitting story and told Goldberg about it, insisted the Salahis. "Whoopi says, ``Oh, no, you effin` said it.`` I started to cry," said Salahi. The Salahis said they don`t know the instigator``s name, but said that she did not hold the ladies on ‘The View’ in high regard. "She said, when I was coming off the show, ``Those women are b-----s,``" said Salahi, dressed in a skin-tight Betsey Johnson dress. "I say, ``It`s okay, I can deal with it.`` She said, ``Did she hit you?`` I go, ``No, she grabbed my arm,``" she added. The Salahis, who became infamous after they reportedly bluffed their way into President Barack Obama`s first state dinner last fall, gave their side of story a day after Michaele and other members of ‘The Real Housewives of D.C.’ appeared on ‘The View’ to plug their show. On yesterday`s ‘View’, Goldberg aired footage showing she lightly touched Michaele`s arm. Goldberg was unapologetic about "choice words" she used when confronting the gatecrasher about the hitting claim. "I told her she knew I didn``t hit her," said Goldberg. ANI