Geraldine Ferraro Takes The Bully By The Horns Re Obama And The Flag Lapel Pin
Reported by Ellen - October 5, 2007 -
For once, a Democrat (and a FOX News contributor, no less) confronted Sean Hannity on his despicable attempts to smear his fellow Americans for political gain. Geraldine Ferraro interrupted Hannity as he misrepresented what Democrats have said about the war and harangued her for not condemning them. “You really HAVE to stop that,” she told him in no uncertain terms, and pointed out that Democrats are Americans, too. Alan Colmes was in top form, also, as he hilariously mocked Republican Kate Obenshain and her ridiculous claim that it mattered to the troops whether or not Obama wore a flag lapel pin. With video.
The discussion on last night's (10/4/07) Hannity & Colmes was about Barack Obama’s decision to stop wearing a flag lapel pin because, as AP reported:
"The truth is that right after 9/11 I had a pin," Obama said. "Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we're talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security."I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest," he said in (an interview with KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa). "Instead, I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testament to my patriotism."
On Thursday, his campaign issued a statement: "We all revere the flag, but Senator Obama believes that being a patriot is about more than a symbol. It's about fighting for our veterans when they get home and speaking honestly with the American people about this disastrous war.”
Naturally, FOX News chose to avoid talking about the war or Obama’s opposition to it and focused, instead, on his lapel pin.
As Obenshain tried to attack Obama for taking off the pin, Colmes (a former comedian) did a comic riff at her expense. “Are you wearing a pin right now? …I don’t see your pin. Where’s your pin? I think you should have a pin.”
“Kate, come on,” Ferraro added. “I have never walked around with a lapel pin. I also don’t walk with a yellow bracelet. I don’t walk around with a pink ribbon. But if you want to ask me if I raise money for cancer research, yes, I do… I don’t need to let people know what I’m doing and I don’t think wearing a flag on your lapel says you’re any more patriotic than the next person.”
Obenshain has to be one of the worst Republican spokespeople on television (so I hope they keep booking her and booking her often). She was clearly struggling with ways to tarnish Obama for not wearing the lapel pin. So she came up with the ludicrous claim, “It matters to our troops who are in harm’s way.”
Ferraro said, “Get real. It’s ridiculous.”
Obenshain switched attacks. She said, “People already have some serious questions about Barack Obama on foreign policy.”
“Who?” Colmes asked. “Who does?”
She couldn’t answer. “A lot of Americans!” she said, fatuously.
As Ferraro continued to refuse to allow Obenshain to question Obama’s patriotism, Obenshain grew obviously frustrated at her inability to throw her flames. “You’re being a little rude tonight!” she squeaked.
Hannity must have sized up the situation and realized that there wasn’t much to be gained by sticking to the lapel-pin attacks. So he started in with his old chestnuts: distorting comments of Democrats, then attacking them for what they didn’t really say.
But first, without a trace of irony, he asked, “Can’t we just stop politicizing the war?
Seasoned Hannity-watchers know that whenever Hannity complains about someone else doing something, it’s a signal he’s about to do exactly that. Sure enough, he proceeded to reiterate his false distortions. “Your party has called our marines murderers, like John Murtha,” Hannity accused. (See more here on Hannity’s distortions of what Murtha actually said.)
“That’s ridiculous,” Colmes jumped in.
Hannity continued, “Barack Obama said we are air raiding villages and killing civilians. John Kerry called our troops terrorists, and you guys have sat there silently and allowed this to happen.” (Click on the links for the contexts of Obama’s and Kerry’s comments.)
Ferraro replied, “I’m sorry, Sean, you’ve got to stop that. You really HAVE to stop that… Democrats, we’re Americans. Forget all this garbage. We’re outraged at how this war has been going. (Hannity tried to interrupt with another distorted attack, “Why does Dick Durbin compare our troops to Nazis?” but she wouldn’t let him.)
“We’re outraged about how the war is going,” Ferraro continued, unfazed. She went on to say that while the vast majority of our troops are “pure,” some have, in fact, not behaved well.
Hannity, with the most phony-baloney Hanctimony I have seen displayed yet (and he’s a champ), said, “What’s bothersome to me here is the American flag on your lapel ought not be politicized.”
“It ought not to be,” Obenshain whined, then went in for what she thought was the political kill. “We are at war. Our men and women are in harm’s way. Somebody who wants to be Commander in Chief should have pride in our country enough to wear the lapel – CONTINUE (she screeched) to wear the lapel pin.” By the way, at age 38, Obenshain is eligible to join the military and really make a difference to those troops in harm's way. But I'm not holding my breath.
Colmes broke in to end the discussion. He once again (and he must be tired of repeating this, much less hearing it night after night) pointed out that Hannity had taken the Democratic comments out of context. Then Colmes said, “And Kate, next time you’re on the show, I want a big pin, OK? A really big pin.”
