Ever Eager To Smear Obama, Hannity and Fox News Baselessly Call "Mob Connected" Giannoulias Obama’s “Protege"
Reported by Ellen - August 5, 2009 -
Merriam-Webster defines “protege” as one who is protected or trained or whose career is furthered by a person of experience, prominence, or influence. But Sean Hannity offered no information to indicate such a relationship existed between President Barack Obama and Alexi Giannoulias, running in a primary for Obama’s Senate seat and supposedly connected to the Mob, last night (8/4/09) during a “Special Investigation” into what Hannity called “Obama’s newest protégé.” In fact, it was clear from the report (though buried) that Obama has not even endorsed Giannoulias. With video.
What was shown was a Chicago Sun Times reporter saying the two “got to be friends playing on the basketball court” at the University of Chicago. According to the report (and I take nothing Hannity, the Misinformer of 2008, ever reports without a grain of salt), Giannoulias gave Obama “seed money” for his 2004 Senate campaign and provided entry into the Chicago Greek community. Obama, now referred to by Hannity as Giannoulias’ “good friend,” also endorsed Giannoulias’ candidacy for State Treasurer. So they knew each other and had been friendly. That's hardly cause to call someone a protege. By those standards, one could easily call white supremacist Hal Turner Sean Hannity's protege.
Apparently, Giannoulias’ bank made loans to some mob figures such as Tony Rezko and has since made some “questionable” decisions as Treasurer. Giannoulias also has some kind of connection to William Ayers. Hannity showed no connection between those circumstances and Barack Obama.
But that didn't stop Hannity from suggesting that Giannoulias' alleged wrongdoing and Obama were connected. Hannity intoned, “He’s (Giannoulias) still relying on his relationship – yes, with the king of Chicago politics (Obama) to pull him through (the primary).” It was noted that Giannoulias always cites his friendship with Obama. Yet, when Hannity showed Giannoulias’ specific response to a question as to whether Obama had endorsed his primary run for Senate, the response was equivocal: “The president and I will be just fine We’re excited about this.” In other words, obviously not.
In concert with Hannity's misinformation, Fox News inappropriately subtitled its video "'Hannity' special investigation: Obama protege and Senate hopeful tied to organized crime?" You have to click here to see the subtitle.
