Sean Hannity Defends President Bush and The Iraq War The Only Way He Knows How: By Being A Bigger Bully
Reported by Ellen - March 19, 2006
Friday night (3/17/06), Hannity & Colmes hosted Democratic Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon who has introduced new legislation to order US troops from Iraq, starting with the National Guard soldiers. Rather than debate the issues, Sean Hannity did his best to berate and tyrannize Rep. Blumenauer. But the Congressman refused to capitulate and his calm, pithy responses to Hannity’s cheap theatrics makes Blumenauer our next top dog.
Alan Colmes, surely knowing what Hannity would have in store for Rep. Blumenauer, asked if the Republicans had started attacking him yet or called him a traitor or un-American. “I don’t know if you have any purple hearts they could question like they did with Jack Murtha,” Colmes semi-joked. "What's been the response?"
Blumenauer said his constituents agree that the US troops have done what we have asked them to do and that it’s time to turn Iraq over to the Iraqis. He added that it’s “1,049 days after President Bush famously announced, ‘Mission Accomplished.’ It’s time for us to bring those troops home now, starting with the National Guard.” He also told Colmes that the majority of Iraqis believe that the violence will diminish once US troops leave. “After hundreds of billions of dollars, thousands of lives lost, it’s time for us to re-focus our efforts, to start bringing those troops home and having the Iraqis take responsibility for their own defense and for their own governance.”
Colmes seemed as though he was trying to shore up Blumenauer for the onslaught that was certain to come from Sean Hannity. “You know people defending the Administration’s actions here will tell you you’re undermining the troops, undermining the president at a time of war. And a recent Zogby poll tells that 72% of the troops, themselves, feel that we should be out of there in a year or so. There’s been no plan, no exit strategy. The Powell doctrine has not been observed.”
Sean Hannity rudely cleared his throat while Blumenauer answered that our military has done what we asked it to do and that it’s time for the Iraqis to take control of their own country.
Hannity came up with not one justification for staying in Iraq, not one defense of Bush’s military and/or exit strategy, not one fact refuting the Zogby poll, and not one reason to overlook the eroding public support for the war. Instead, he chose to turn up his bullying tactics a couple of notches.
Hannity began with a dose of phoney-baloney Hanctimony. “You know what, Congressman? I just thank God every day that you cut-and-run, you cheap shot, weak on homeland security and national defense Democrats - you didn’t win the election. You don’t make that decision. The president got the approval of Congress. He’s the Commander-in-Chief. And what I find frankly repugnant about you and some of your fellow Democrats – you have undermined our president, you have undermined our troops, you have undermined our war effort from day one and you’re doing it for the sinister reason of political gain and for that reason, I think you will find yourselves out of power again after the elections in 2006 cause I don’t really hear a plan for you (sic) on our homeland security. What’s your big plan, sir?”
Rep. Blumenauer provided a good defense of himself and a good rundown of the Bush Administration’s failures but I wish he had called Hannity on HIS cheap shot efforts and demanded that he defend the Bush Administration’s policies if he thought they were so super-duper. But Blumenauer did the next-best thing. First, he invited everyone to look at his comments in advance of the war in which he predicted it would go exactly as it has. Then he said, “Anybody who thinks this administration is on top of homeland security just has to look at the footage of your own news in Katrina where they couldn’t get their act together knowing it was coming.”
Hannity briefly started to blame the mayor of New Orleans but as Blumenauer delved into the bi-partisan 9/11 Commission’s criticisms of Bush, Hannity dodged and changed the subject again, apparently thinking nobody would notice if he just ratcheted up his browbeating. “Your party and your candidate said Saddam had weapons of mass destruction… You know something? You send the troops in harm’s way and then you undermine them, Congressman. That’s what I find despicable about you and your party… You’re undermining our troops, our homeland security and our national security and for political reasons.”
As Blumenauer rightly said that the majority of Americans agreed with him, Hannity harangued harder. “You want to hurt the president. You want to make him look bad. You want to embarrass him. Isn’t that what it’s really about, your agenda?”
Blumenauer, unruffled, responded, “36 people in my state have lost their lives. It’s time for us to wrap this thing up.”
Rather than defend Bush, Hannity continued throwing accusations at Blumenauer.
Blumenauer coolly stated, “I think the litany of what this president has done wrong has been identified by the bi-partisan 9/11 Commission.”
Blumenauer was still talking when Alan Colmes interrupted to end the segment. In the first-ever criticism I have heard of Hannity by Colmes, he said “He doesn’t need your help to look bad. He’s doing that all by himself.”
Hannity, apparently frustrated by his inability to intimidate Blumenauer added peevishly, “Cheap shot by Democrats. What a surprise.”
Sean Hannity is always complaining about the “intellectual dishonesty” of others. Let’s ask him and FOX News why HE can’t have the intellectual honesty to argue on the merits instead of changing the subject every time a guest says something he doesn’t like?
~~~~~~~~~~
“Cheap shot by Democrats. What a surprise.”
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ROFL!!!!!!!! Insean Vannity spends every waking moment of his pathetic reich-wing life taking cheap shots. What a tool.
Posted by: Dr. Matt at March 19, 2006 08:30 PM
REP MURTHA
Mr. President, let’s go back to fighting the war on terrorism. Let, let’s reduce our presence in Iraq, let’s start to rebuild the Army, because the Army’s broken as far as I’m concerned. And the military commanders know this.
I talk to the military commanders all the time. I know what’s going on in the military. And, and most of the military in Iraq, 70 percent of our troops say we want out of there, and 42 percent say they don’t know what their mission is for heaven’s sake.
MR. RUSSERT: Does the Pentagon support what you’re saying?
REP. MURTHA: Well, the Pentagon doesn’t support it publicly, obviously, because of what happened to General Shinseki.
MR. RUSSERT: Have they told you privately?
REP. MURTHA: Oh, absolutely. I mean, so many of them have said, “Keep saying the truth, keep telling the truth.” All kinds of military commanders have said that to—they know.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11823851/page/5/
THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF THIS REGIME
Posted by: woke dude at March 19, 2006 08:35 PM
Today on ABC’s This Week, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) rejected the administration’s upbeat rhetoric on the Iraq war, claiming that its “mindless banter” hides the real picture of what’s going on in the region.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So we have to start thinking about a staged withdrawal?
HAGEL: Well, we always should be thinking about that. But somehow we are going to have to bring into the mix here the obligations, responsibility, not just of the Iraqi people but of the region.
And this mindless kind of banter about, well, if we leave, the whole place falls apart; we can’t leave; we can’t even think about leaving. Wait a minute: You just showed on your screen the cost to the American people of the last three years.
It’s helping bankrupt this country, by the way. We didn’t think about any of that and not just the high cost of lives and the continuation of that but our standing in the world.
And I would define it this way. Are we better off today than we were three years ago? Is the Middle East more stable than it was three years ago? Absolutely not. It’s more unstable.
from thinkprogress.org
Posted by: woke dude at March 19, 2006 08:39 PM
Hannity came up with not one justification for staying in Iraq, not one defense of Bush’s military and/or exit strategy, not one fact refuting the Zogby poll,
___________________________________
That's because they can't defend Bush. There's no way they can defend Bush and sound like they've got one ounce of brain in their head.
Not that Hannity has a brain to begin with.
Posted by: john t at March 19, 2006 08:56 PM
BTW, I hope the Democrats clean house in the 06 elections. I'll even watch H&C to see Hannity's meltdown.
Posted by: john t at March 19, 2006 08:59 PM
Wow, that is great! I had no idea he was complaining so loudly. Nice that he was given an interview to try and make him look foolish...which BACKFIRED! HA!
...and "woke dude", your home page is AOL???
Posted by: Jane_Dohrn at March 19, 2006 09:01 PM
just put that in there for the hallibut, jane
liked yours tho
Posted by: woke dude at March 19, 2006 09:06 PM
“You want to hurt the president. You want to make him look bad. You want to embarrass him. Isn’t that what it’s really about, your agenda?”
While that is true in a way, the reason we want to do all this to Bush is becasue he is a very twisted, evil, incompitent piece of shit who has done everything in his power to destroy the American dream, American values and way of life. And again, while this statement is true in a way, Bush does a better job of hurting himself, making himself look bad and embarrassing himself than anyone else could ever do. Even if we all had good will for shrub, he would still look like a shit head because of his own actions.
Posted by: dan at March 19, 2006 09:26 PM
Democrats should use Monica-gate to their advantage with turds like Hannity. Let him harangue with his rhetorical "you just want to undermine this president, you just want to embarrass this president" b.s., then ask "isn't that what you did to Clinton for six years?" Then shut up and see what the gas bag says to that.
Posted by: big johnny at March 19, 2006 09:42 PM
you didn't mention (that i saw) if this congressman is repub or dem.. i'm not familiar with his name.. but bravo to anyone who holds their ground against vannity.. he really is a big bully and it may be wrong but i'd love to hear someone met him around the corner and beat him up, not robbed him, just beat him up for being a big mouth arrogant bully..that would put a smile on my face for days...
Posted by: PCL at March 19, 2006 09:45 PM
It's not about being right. It's not about debating the issues. It is about ratings and money. Could Hannity be so delusional that he DOES NOT KNOW the techniques he is using when he debates a topic? He is smart enough to know that by throwing incendiaries he will continue to appeal to the 70% of republicans that continue to support the President and people that DON'T like him will listed to and read what he says just to hear it.
Ratings and money. That's all.
Posted by: drb at March 19, 2006 09:59 PM
Just SAD. I still have trouble believing that this repulsive little tool actually has an uncomfortably broad flock. We'll never see this guy ever engage in any honest and meaningful debate. Sean, there's a room in hell being prepared especially for you....by Josef Goebbels
Posted by: ingsoc_2112 at March 19, 2006 10:16 PM
PCL,
You're right, I forgot to mention that Rep. Blumenauer is a Democratic. I amended the post to put that in.
Thanks for the heads up.
Posted by: Ellen at March 19, 2006 10:36 PM
wouldn't it be funny if this were all just a vaudeville act?
Posted by: wharton mascot at March 19, 2006 10:41 PM
Here we go again! Blah blah blah Hannity Hannity Hannity! Get a life people. Pick a subject and stay on point. My God people Rome is burning, and some pompous ass named "Arnold Horshac" shuts me of and dismisses my comments like he is such a sage.
Spend your time blogging about how fucked up this administration is. You wont make Fox or Sean Hannity go away at the polls. Baby steps. Get control, and then impeach the little
prick. At that point Sean can blow it out his ass. Over 60% of the people think "W" is a piece of shit, go with it!!!!!!!
Posted by: nocoolaid at March 19, 2006 10:45 PM
deleted, personal attack
Posted by: john t at March 19, 2006 11:04 PM
Well, nocoolaid, I can see your immense frustration, but it's my understanding that Newshounds exists to watch Fox and report on the biased disinformation coming from them. There are approximately 50,000 political blogs out there focusing on Bush (btw I pulled that number out of my head--the number might vary) and his evil empire, but only one that does what Newshounds does. Cut them some slack--they can't do everything.
Posted by: kactus at March 19, 2006 11:24 PM
nocoolaid,
Fox, Hannity and O'Reilly have done everything they can to help the Bush administration, no matter how ignorant or unfair their agenda is.
They are a big part of the problem. They need to be more honest with the American people.
How can we make informed decisions if we are not informed correctly?
They are more an advertisement for the Bushites than a News show.
Posted by: Summer at March 19, 2006 11:51 PM
I also want to be a witness to Insannity's meltdown, which can't be too far off. He's getting shriller all the time. I swear I can hear him ticking.
This was a bad week for Seanny (he now calls Sen. Schumer Chuckie). Blumenauer made him look crazier than usual by keeping his cool. The day before that he barely missed being zipped into that straight jacket with his name on it when he lost it with Councilman Barron over 7-year old Autum Ashante, who Seanny thinks is rascist. He should consider himself lucky the girl didn't appear with Barron. She probably could have made him look completely nuts (spitting, pointing, eye-bulging, vein-bulging, etc.) without saying a word.
Posted by: Rob at March 20, 2006 12:16 AM
thing is drb he doesn't debate, he just bullies and berates them.. there's never any debating of facts..
Posted by: PCL at March 20, 2006 12:33 AM
"– you have undermined our president, you have undermined our troops, you have undermined our war effort from day one and you’re doing it for the sinister reason of political gain and for that reason, I think you will find yourselves out of power again after the elections in 2006 cause I don’t really hear a plan for you (sic) on our homeland security."
********
Has Hannity never heard of the words banal and redundant? I mean, this is his constant rant in its entirety. The guy really should stop talking and learn something new for god's sake.
Posted by: Nihilistic at March 20, 2006 01:00 AM
As a reminder, below are some of Hannity's past statements regarding Clinton's war in Kosovo in 1999, demonstrating how concerned he is with not "undermining" the President, the troops, and the war effort for "the sinister reason of political gain."
"So it seems that we're talking about a very ill-conceived military action here. And now the question is, do you go in further and deeper, or do you pull back and rethink what the strategy's going to be here, because there has really been no stated goal, mission or objective."
- Hannity, March 31, 1999 (Fox News)
"But if you know - every mistake we've made up to this point, there's no stated goal. There's no definition of success. All these important things. There's no exit strategy. One mistake after another. Why would you go in deeper when we have not been successful up to this point? That seems to me to be folly."
- Hannity, April 1, 1999 (Fox News)
"Joint chiefs doubted the strategy from the very beginning. And the outline, they didn't think the air campaign would work."
"And they turned out to be right. They didn't prepare for the refugee problem. They didn't prepare that Milosevic would up the ante against the ethnic Albanians, none of this. There was no preparation at all here."
- Hannity, April 5, 1999
"We've hurt the people we thought we were going to help."
- Hannity, April 1, 1999
Posted by: Nihilistic at March 20, 2006 01:14 AM
One min. it's you have been undermining the war since day one, then it's all you dems voted for the war.
I don't have fix news here because I decided cable net is worth more to me then cable tv, but i'm seriously thinking to have it for november this year. I too want to see the melt down.
hanity i'm sure will become shriller all the time as the ship sinks and the rats "cut and run". Someone should start now documenting hanity and make a doc after. It would be a riot.
Eric
Posted by: Eric of Montreal at March 20, 2006 01:17 AM
The big show is really in 2008, that's when the fat lady will sing.
Eric
Posted by: Eric of Montreal at March 20, 2006 01:21 AM
