Bigoted Hannity Suggests Obama Not Thankful Enough For Being Elected, Harbors Deep Resentment “That He Just Hides"
Reported by Ellen - April 4, 2009 -
Sean Hannity was full of smears and jeers for President Obama in Europe last night (4/3/09), all the while posturing as some kind of super patriot (who just happens to hate the large segment of Americans who call themselves liberal or support Obama). As part of his attacks, Hannity suggested Obama was not thankful enough for having been elected and harbors deep resentment “that he just hides.” Given Hannity's track record of animosity toward African Americans and friendliness toward bigots (including at least one white supremacist), there's little doubt, at least in my mind, that Hannity was suggesting that Obama's “resentment” was racially oriented. With video.
What Hannity was worked up over last night was Obama's remarks in Europe earlier in the day. Hannity began his show with the inflammatory headline, “Obama attacks America” and saying that Obama did “his best Dixie Chicks impression.” With utmost bullyboy Hanctimony, Hannity said, “Of a country I am proud of, Obama attacks America.” Funny how such an America lover spends so much time attacking it.
“Patriotic” Hannity then played a clip of Obama speaking, selectively edited to show Obama criticizing the United States, conveniently leaving out the part where he criticized Europe for their anti-American sentiments, calling them “not wise,” as well as the part where Obama said that America and Europe need each other. Media Matters caught FOX's new website making a similar edit.
Really wearing his love for country on his sleeve, Hannity took a swipe at another segment of it. “The liberal tradition of blame America first, well – that's still alive.” And who was blaming America first now, Sean?
He went on to attack a few more Americans. “Should we really be surprised, from a man who sat in Rev. Wright's church, from a man who launched his political career in the home of a man who bombed the Pentagon and is unrepentant?”
Then it was time for America-loving Hannity to lay some hate on Michelle Obama. “Mrs. Obama may not be proud of her country but I bet she's proud of her husband tonight.”
I'm sure Hannity's white supremacist former chum must have been proud of him.
Then, with laughably unintentional irony, Hannity hammily asked, “Gee, Mr. President, I wonder where people get the idea that Americans are arrogant.”
Moments later, Hannity swaggered up on his “more patriotic than thou” high horse where he could brag a little more about all the reasons he thinks America (excepting, of course, President Obama, his associates and liberals) is superior. Hannity said. “All we have done, just in the last century alone, to save Europe from themselves.” Hannity later said, “We're the most generous people on earth... We've advanced the human condition more than any other country on the face of this earth, while Europe has adopted socialism.”
Gee, Mr. Hannity, do you think that might be construed as just a tad arrogant?
Guest Mike Huckabee said, “This nation has been given a unique place in history. Now some people don't believe that.” We know who he meant by “some people,” and it wasn't the Europeans. Huckabee went on to say that even Richard Dreyfuss, “no conservative,” agreed. “He recognizes that America is special,” Huckabee said, with the clear implication that Obama did not.
Somehow those two patriots “forgot” Obama's election night speech in Chicago where he said, “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”
“He's diminishing ourselves,” Hannity said. “All that we've done for the world. Why doesn't he tell that story, the great American story, the great American sacrifice, the blood, the sweat, the tears? Why? Why didn't he say that?”
For the same reason you don't go bragging about your own house when you go to a friend's housewarming party, of course. But “patriotic” Hannity was so intent on suggesting that Obama hates America that he spent no time trying to get the answer to his question.
After chuckling derisively over Obama's call for a nuclear-free world, Hannity moved in for the race card.
“Here he is, he achieved in this country the highest office in the land,” Hannity began. “The American people elected Barack Obama. I think it says more about him that he didn't make the case... about the goodness and the greatness and the wonder of America, and he talked about Americans' arrogance... Didn't we see all of this in the campaign, and as I was bringing up. Didn't Rev. Wright give us a little insight into his thought process? Didn't, you know, Michelle Obama, 'America's a downright mean country'... Didn't we get some insight? When you sat on a board and give speeches with Bill Ayers, Do you think he harbors deep resentment that he just hides? 'Cause I believe he does.”
Hannity never directly stated any racial context but the suggestion was clear: That Obama was not thankful enough to have been elected the first black president and was harboring “black” resentment. What other kind of resentment would Hannity be referring to? Given Hannity's friendly associations with a white supremacist, with "most blacks are racists" Jesse Lee Peterson and with other notable bigots such as Mel Gibson, Duane “Dog” Chapman and Andy Martin, and given Hannity's obsession with black racism against whites (which was also reflected in a later segment favorably profiling a reverse discrimination lawsuit) the likelihood is great that Hannity had race on his mind when he said that.
But that wasn't enough smearing for one segment. Hannity went on to say Obama was “lowering our defenses and he's emboldening the world's enemies."
Funny, Hannity must have forgotten how he thought that criticizing our president in a time of war emboldened our enemies. I guess that was only when it was a Republican president.
How long can it be before “Great American” Hannity accuses Obama of being a traitor?
