Hyperlink in External List webpart isn't working

So I was able to add <a> <xsl:attribute name="href">....</xsl:attribute>View</a> in my xslt code for modifying my external list. It works when I view the list separately. However, on my homepage where I add the external list as a web part, I don’t see "View" word or it being hyperlinked. Instead I see the link created in the attribute tag. Anybody have ideas on why it’s not displaying?