Hannity falsely suggested that Obama "attack[ed] our troops as murderers"
SUMMARY: On Hannity & Colmes, during a segment highlighting Barack Obama's August 13 remark that "[w]e've got to get the job done there [in Afghanistan] and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians," an on-screen graphic read: "Obama criticizes U.S. troops for 'air-raiding villages and killing civilians.' " During the show, co-host Sean Hannity asserted that Obama was "slamming the troops," and later suggested that Obama had "attack[ed] our troops as murderers." In fact, Obama expressed support for increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan so the U.S. military is not so reliant on airstrikes in the region.
On the August 15 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, during a segment on Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) August 13 remark that "[w]e've got to get the job done there [in Afghanistan] and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous pressure over there," an on-screen graphic read: "Obama criticizes U.S. troops for 'air-raiding villages and killing civilians.' " Earlier in the show, co-host Sean Hannity teased the segment by asserting that Obama was "slamming U.S. troops" and, during the segment, suggested that Obama had "attack[ed] our troops as murderers." In fact, as the video clip aired before the segment indicated, Obama did not "attack[] our troops as murderers" in the statement, nor did he "criticize[]" them; rather, he expressed support for increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan so the U.S. military is not so reliant on airstrikes in the region. As Media Matters for America noted in response to Hannity's earlier mischaracterization of Obama's comments, U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan -- and accounts of resulting civilian casualties -- have been widely reported in the media and have reportedly provoked criticism from Afghan President Hamid Karzai and a British commander stationed there. Additionally, as the Associated Press reported in a "Fact Check" responding to conservative attacks on Obama, "Western forces have been killing civilians at a faster rate than the insurgents." Further, in a July 7 article on NATO and U.S. airstrikes reported to have killed more than 100 Afghan civilians, Reuters cited the assessment of military analysts that "a shortage of ground troops means commanders often turn to air power."
Also during the segment, Fox News contributor and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) asserted: "[I]f you look at the statement made by [Obama's] press secretary afterwards, which was very clear, saying that the policy of this administration is to bomb civilians. What he -- what his press secretary and, obviously, in conjunction with that, what Barack Obama are doing, is saying that we are targeting civilians, which is against the Geneva Convention, which says that our troops are war criminals." Santorum was presumably referring to an August 14 article in the Nashua Telegraph which originally reported: "[Obama] Campaign spokesman Reid Cherlin said Obama was not endorsing the current Bush policy, which consists solely of air raids and bombing of civilians." However, the article has since been updated -- without a correction -- and now reads: "Campaign spokesman Reid Cherlin said Obama was not endorsing the current Bush policy in Afghanistan." Both versions of the article also quote Cherlin saying, "Senator Obama believes that the Bush administration sent our troops to fight on the wrong battlefield and that we've got to make sure we have the resources and troop strength in Afghanistan to root out al-Qaida and counter the threat posed by the Taliban. ... Right now, that's not happening.'' Nowhere in either version is Cherlin quoted saying that "the policy of this administration is to bomb civilians," as Santorum asserted.
The on-screen graphic shown throughout the Hannity & Colmes segment on Obama's August 13 comments:
Earlier in the show, Hannity teased the segment by asserting that Obama was "slamming U.S. troops." During the segment, guest co-host Kirsten Powers stated that the August 13 comments have "caused Senator Barack Obama nothing but trouble," adding "I think that this was obviously a sloppy thing to say." Powers continued, "But it's very hard for me to believe that he was really attacking the troops, which is now what all the Republicans were saying. I mean, it seems pretty clear, even President Bush has talked about how badly he feels about all the civilians that are being killed in Afghanistan. And this is not in dispute." Hannity then referred to Obama's remarks as "disgusting" and "despicable," and said to Democratic strategist Michael Brown: "What is it about your party that you lecture us how much you support the military, and every time we turn around, you embolden the enemy and stab these guys in the back and defend it?" Later, in response to Brown's assertion that Republicans "continue[] to defend a flawed policy," Hannity asserted, in reference to Obama's statement: "You're a broken record. That's how you defend attacking our troops as murderers?"
From the August 15 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:
HANNITY: And Obama's comments slamming U.S. troops: it continues to haunt the presidential contender. When is the apology coming? We're going to look at some of the damage this may do to his campaign, straight ahead.
[...]
OBAMA [video clip]: We've got to get the job done there. And that requires us to have enough troops that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous problems there.
POWERS: Welcome back to Hannity & Colmes. I'm Kirsten Powers, sitting in for Alan [Colmes] tonight. That was the comment that's caused Senator Barack Obama nothing but trouble. Joining us now is Democratic strategist Michael Brown and former senator and Fox News contributor Rick Santorum. Thank you for being with us. Senator, I think that this was obviously a sloppy thing to say. And I am not afraid to criticize Democrats and in fact have been somewhat critical of Obama on some of his other foreign policy statements.
But it's very hard for me to believe that he was really attacking the troops, which is now what all the Republicans were saying. I mean, it seems pretty clear -- even President Bush has talked about how badly he feels about all the civilians that are being killed in Afghanistan. I mean, this is not in dispute.
SANTORUM: Certainly, civilians are being killed. Unfortunately, that's one of the consequences of war. The civilians get killed. But you look at his statement -- if you look at the statement made by his press secretary afterwards, which was very clear, saying that the policy of this administration is to bomb civilians. What he -- what his press secretary and, obviously, in conjunction with that, what Barack Obama are doing is saying that we are targeting civilians, which is against the Geneva Convention, which says that our troops are war criminals. Calling our troops war criminals is not a way to move forward, in my opinion, to say that I'm worthy of being the commander in chief of this country. And that's what he did today and yesterday.
POWERS: I completely agree with the fact that you shouldn't be calling them war criminals. I don't think that's what he did. Michael, I want to bring you in. I mean, is this how you heard what he was saying?
BROWN: Of course not. And I think the senator knows that. The senator's good, though. He's looking at his Republican talking points, and he's following them line by line. And so he's doing a good job with that.
[...]
POWERS: I want to just go to the substance of what he was talking about, what was going on in Afghanistan. I mean, what he's talking about is that there has -- there has been a disproportionate number of civilians killed. And it's not just that civilians are being killed. And I think that this is an issue that certainly is worth raising.
SANTORUM: Well, it certainly is worth raising. But you notice that there was no response to what -- to defend what Barack Obama said. What he said was not well-honed. What he said was not a substantive policy. What he said was just trying to take a cheap shot at our president and take a cheap shot at the -- at the effort being put forth by our troops. And again, that's been sort of part and parcel of the Democratic attack, is just go after the activities that are going on there in a very difficult situation, offer no credible alternative but to cut and run, which is what the major candidates on the Democratic side are doing --
BROWN: But Senator --
SANTORUM: -- and calling our -- in this case, calling our --
BROWN: Senator --
[crosstalk]
HANNITY: Hold on. Michael Brown, you know what? The senator is far too nice a person here. What he said is disgusting, despicable. He said our troops are just air-raiding villages and killing civilians. He said that about American soldiers. Just like Dick Durbin compared them to Nazis. Just like John Kerry said that they're terrorizing women and children in the dark of night. And just like John Murtha said they're killing innocent civilians. What is it about your party that you lecture us how much you support the military?
BROWN: Sean, what is it -- Sean, what is it about your party that they're --
HANNITY: And every time we turn around, you embolden the enemy and stab these guys in the back and defend it?
BROWN: Sean, what is it -- what is it about your party -- what is it about your party that continues to defend a flawed policy when --
HANNITY: You're a broken record.
BROWN: -- the safest way to protect our troops --
HANNITY: That's how you defend attacking our troops as murderers?
[...]
BROWN: And you're talking -- you're talking about -- you're talking about a broken record, when the best defense you have to this flawed policy is that no one wants to defend the troops on the Democratic side?
HANNITY: Let me tell you something. What he said is despicable --
BROWN: It's not true, and it's irresponsible that you say that. We all care about the troops.
HANNITY: -- and if you had an ounce of intellectual honesty and integrity, you should defend our brave men and women that are risking their lives for your freedom --
BROWN: Sean, we are --
HANNITY: -- and being called murderers.
I have been critical of Obama's comments in the past but Hannity is way off base here (what a surprise). This pathetic (albeit effective with certain viewers) method of sumerizing what comments "really" mean is getting really old. Obama made a comment about the situation in Afganistan and anyone who is following the goings on there (I know hard to do since MSM doesn't think it is important to cover) would know this is the exact issue that is being debated there. Of course in his usual intellectually DIShonest way Hannity is telling his ignorant audience what that means...it is really facinating that apparently anything someone on the left says ultimatley leads to either meaning they are unpatriotic, military haters, or terrorist sympathizers. He never said we targeted civillians therefore he is not calling the troops war criminals. He acuratley pointed out that a disproportionit number of civilians are being killed and the way to fight this war is not air raids but on the ground. Not even getting into whether this is a better policy it is certainly an acurate fact of what is happening on the ground and a plausable remedy. The dems are often asked to say what they would do...in this case Obama did that...identified the problem and offered a solution. Apparently many on the right don't really want to hear facts and solutioins...it might actually make them start thinking...so much easier to spout off this garbage and dodge an intellectually honest look at the situation.
Its the old tactic of blurring the distinction between criticising tactics and policies and criticising the troops
Leave it to Hannity to kick over the rock that all that Santorum oozed under.
hannity will not stop lying .
I can't believe I heard the "cut and run" mantra again. I guess Santorum didn't get the memo. Oh, thats right, the suck up got canned in the last election. And Hannity, what can you say about his, intellectual honesty and integrity, easy, he has none.
This is a pretty cut and dried distortion on Hannity's part. Good work, MMFA. Not much else to say other than it will probably happen again soon. These conservative moron robot pundits love to repeat each other endlessly. The truth be damned.
Here's a story that Sean and his boss Bill Shine refuse to broadcast on Hannity and Colmes. Since they won't do it, I will.
Hypocrite Sean accuses Obama of "embolden the enemy and stab these guys" and "attacking our troops as murderers?
Sean, I guess you can apply these same statements towards military officials who charged their own with murder. And there are many more stories like these across America. But you won't see it on Fox News Channel or hear it from Sean's small lips.
This is a partial news release sent to all news organizations:
Private Robert B. Pennington was released from Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar following a clemency decision by Lt. Gen. James Mattis. Lt. Gen. Mattis made his decision following a meeting with Pennington today. On Feb 18, 2007, Pennington was sentenced by a military judge to 14 years confinement, reduction in rank to Pvt./E-1 and a dishonorable discharge for his involvement in the death of an Iraqi man in Hamdania, Iraq in April, 2006.
Yes or no Sean, are military officials "stabbing the troops in the back and attacking our troops as murderers?"
I challenge everyone to call his worthless radio show (if you can bear it) and ask him that question. I can guarantee that this uneducated media hack will have problems answering the question. He gets so defensive when people challenge him. What a big baby! Patrick is more of a man than Sean. Ha!
I wish, just once, one of the guests Hannity is "grilling" with his broken record repetition of his talking points, the guest would say, "Sean, if you interrupt me again, I'm going to punch you in the friggin' mouth."
Sean Hannity believes his "talking points" to be so fragile and weak, they cannot withstand ANY scrutiny ... and he's RIGHT about that. That's why he won't allow a complete sentence to be spoken by his "guests". He needs and deserves a punch in the chops, and I would pay good money to see it.
Like all bullies, Hannity is a physical and intellectual COWARD. He needs to be challenged strongly ... or don't go on "his" show.
This is what Fox "News" pays him to do. He is supposed to look for some way to twist something a democrat or liberal said and turn it into evidence that this person is "unamerican" and hates the troops. He must also do it in an loud and incredibly obnoxious manner because that is what constitutes winning an argument these days.
This is one of many times I've heard Hannity substitute buzz words for rhetorical skill. The other one that sticks in my mind is when he had Arriana Huffington on after she was involved in a tv ad that made a very straight, linear connection between oil consumption and middle east terrorist funding. Hannity didn't actually argue the point with her, but asked her to look into the camera and tell all those poor soccer moms that their SUV's where helping to support terrorism. See? It's not as if he argued against it, he just appealed to his audience's emotions. He's doing the same thing here. I mean, hey, maybe bombing civilians is not a good thing to do, but instead of arguing the point, he just tosses around buzz phrases and calls those who disagree un-patriotic. This is why The Colbert Report is only really funny if you also watch Fox News. The idea of "feeling" the news rather than analyzing it. It's so spot on.
And by the way, "intellectual honesty and integrity" doesn't mean suspending all debate, donning the jack boots, and stepping in line. Quite the opposite, actually.
And one more thing; if I hear the phrase "embolden the enemy" one more time, I will vomit.
Fox News, next time you hire someone to comment on the news, please, please, please, make sure they are qualified to do so. No more college dropouts whose only real experience in ANYTHING in operating a soundboard.
When is Mr. H going to apologize for his innuendo style of journalism?
On a more humorous note I am reminded of a very famous, and prophetic, quote by V.I Lenin in his work entitled: What Is To Be Done, in which he rightly enjoins on the current state of affairs in political discourse :
"He who does not deliberately close his eyes cannot fail to see that the new trends in cable news journalism is nothing more nor less than a new variety of opportunism."
P.S. Apologies for the self indulgence here I have to admit that the above is not really an exact quote. The paraphrase is an attempt to illustrate a point and an attempt at humor... ( you decide™)