NEW YORK -- Whoopi Goldberg started her stint on ABC's "The View" Tuesday by coming to the defense of convicted felon Michael Vick.

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Just 15 minutes into the show she brought up Vick's conviction on dogfighting charges.

"You know from his background this is not an unusual thing for where he comes from," said Goldberg.

"There are certain things that are indicative to certain parts of our country."

Co-host Joy Behar seemed shocked at Goldberg's statements.

"How about dog torture and dog murdering," Behar asked.

"Unfortunately it's part of the thing," Goldberg replied.

"You're a dog lover. For a lot of people dogs are sport," she added.

Behar continued to shake her head in disgust.

Goldberg said it seemed to her that it took a while for Vick to realize that the charges against him were serious.

"It seemed like a light went off in his head when he realized that this was something the entire country really didn't appreciated, didn't like," Goldberg said, referring to Vick's guilty plea.

She said if the case had involved somebody from New York City her feelings would have been different.

Goldberg pointed out that Vick was raised in the South.

"This is part of his cultural upbringing," said Goldberg.

Co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck said she was encouraged by the NFL suspending Vick indefinitely.

But Goldberg continued to defend Vick saying "This is a kid who comes from a culture when this is not questioned."

It was Goldberg's first day moderating the talk show. She took over from Rosie O'Donnell who quit the show earlier this year after feuds with Donald Trump and Hasselbeck.

Last month Vick entered a guilty plea in federal court in Richmond, Virginia

In his written plea, Vick admitted helping kill six to eight pit bulls and supplying money for gambling on the fights.

Vick will be sentenced on the dogfighting charges in December. The federal sentencing guideline projects a year to 18 months, but the judge can impose up to the five-year maximum.

Vick and three co-defendants, Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach, Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Tony Taylor of Hampton all pleaded guilty to interstate dogfighting conspiracy charges.

The details outlined in the indictment and other court papers fueled a public backlash against Vick and cost him several lucrative endorsement deals, even before he agreed to plead guilty.

The case began in late April when authorities conducting a drug investigation of Vick's cousin raided the former Virginia Tech star's rural Surry County property and seized dozens of dogs, some injured, and equipment commonly used in dogfighting.