Yesterday, Romney-surrogate John Sununu made a series of stunning statements that were distinct dog whistles about President Obama’s American bona fides. One of them, “I wish this president would learn how to be an American,” even Sununu walked back slightly. Yet, when Sununu appeared on Hannity last night for a debate with liberal Juan Williams, he made no effort to call Sununu on such inflammatory rhetoric. In fact, Sununu again suggested that Obama is somehow Un-American even as the discussion was framed around the supposedly outrageous rhetoric coming from Obama.

As Molly Ball wrote in The Atlantic yesterday:

(Sununu) told reporters on a conference call Tuesday, “I wish this president would learn how to be an American.” He also said President Obama comes from “that murky political world in Chicago where politician and felon has become synonymous,” and brought up what he described as a “smarmy” real estate deal with convicted felon Tony Rezko. And he called the Obama campaign “stupid” and “a bunch of liars.”

Before the call was even over, Sununu was backpedaling on the “learn how to be an American” bit, saying that what he meant was that “the president has to learn the American formula for creating business,” which is not government-driven but creating “a climate where entrepreneurs can thrive.” But it was hardly an isolated outburst. Earlier in the day, Sununu had posited that Obama’s lack of appreciation for the American system of job creation stemmed from the fact that (t)he president “spent his early years in Hawaii smoking something.”

But when Sununu appeared on Hannity later that night, none of that was mentioned, much less challenged. Special GOP Victim Sean Hannity introduced the segment by whining about “more insults” being launched against Governor Romney by Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz. He moved on to attacking President Obama for having “insulted every small business owner” (thus regurgitating Fox’s dishonest attack on Obama’s remarks) and to praising Romney for striking back “fiercely” with “one of his most impressive speeches.”

“How ignorant is this, how out of touch is Obama with what it takes to build a business?” sensitive Hannity asked.

Sununu reiterated his dog whistles. “How can you be President of America, how can you be President of this country if you condemn the success that America is noted for?” Sununu “asked.” He later said Obama had “reveal(ed) his real feelings about the country” and described his policies as, “not very happy with an American agenda of success.”

Williams did a good job of spiritedly countering the charges. He pointed out, for example that Obama bailed out Wall Street. But Williams never once challenged any of the over-the-top rhetoric. Nor did he put up any resistance to keeping the focus on President Obama’s supposed condemnation of “success.”

Why? Because Democrats buddy up to Republicans on Fox while almost no attack on Democrats or liberals is out of bounds.