Hannity repeated false allegation that Obama distributed Western Wall prayer to media
SUMMARY: On his radio program, Sean Hannity repeated the already debunked allegation that Sen. Barack Obama leaked a written prayer he placed in the Western Wall during his visit to Jerusalem. While a spokesman for Ma'ariv reportedly told other Israeli publications that the Obama campaign approved the publication of the prayer and that Obama gave copies of it to the media before he went to the Western Wall, The New Republic's Zvika Krieger wrote in a blog post: "I finally heard back from the Ma'ariv spokesman, who denied that the Obama campaign leaked the memo to them or gave them approval to print it, and who disavowed the alleged spokesman who gave quotes to at least four Israeli publications."
On his nationally syndicated radio program, Sean Hannity repeated the already debunked allegation that Sen. Barack Obama leaked a written prayer he placed in the Western Wall during his visit to Jerusalem. On the July 30 broadcast of his radio show, Hannity asserted of Obama: "[E]verything was well orchestrated, all the timing -- you know, for example, even the release of the note that he put at the Western Wall, that was all leaked to the press, and that was a big deal as well." In fact, while a spokesman for the Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv reportedly told other Israeli publications that the Obama campaign approved the publication of the prayer and that Obama gave copies of it to the media before he went to the Western Wall, The New Republic's Zvika Krieger wrote in an update to a July 28 blog post at The Plank: "I finally heard back from the Ma'ariv spokesman, who denied that the Obama campaign leaked the memo to them or gave them approval to print it, and who disavowed the alleged spokesman who gave quotes to at least four Israeli publications." On July 29, Krieger wrote that a Ma'ariv spokesman "told me definitively that 'the Obama campaign did not give us a copy of the letter or approve it for printing.' "
Hannity also again repeated the false claim that Obama did not visit wounded troops at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany because he could not bring cameras. Hannity said: "Now, I think that suggests that John McCain is right, that he was wrong not to visit the troops, there's never an excuse not to visit them, and if he wants to be commander in chief, that should have been his top priority, not whether or not he can get a photo op out of this thing." As Media Matters for America has documented, on the July 25 broadcast of his radio program, Hannity asserted: "So, if you want my take on this -- if you want to remember one thing about this trip -- is that Barack Obama chose to work out rather than see the wounded troops because he couldn't bring [CBS News anchor] Katie Couric, [ABC News anchor] Charlie Gibson, and [NBC News anchor] Brian Williams with him." Subsequently, on the July 29 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, Hannity asserted that Obama "abandon[ed] the troop visit because the cameras weren't around -- allowed and the campaign wasn't allowed."
From the July 30 broadcast of ABC Radio Network's The Sean Hannity Show:
HANNITY: So, the bottom line here is he could have gone but he couldn't bring his campaign staff, he couldn't bring all the hangers-on, he couldn't have this be a campaign event and a photo op for him, and I stand by my position that this is why he didn't go. And it just shows where his priorities are. And this whole, you know -- everything was well orchestrated, all the timing -- you know, for example, even the release of the note that he put at the Western Wall, that was all leaked to the press, and that was a big deal as well, everything choreographed, all the TV cameras in place for every single step of the visit. And meanwhile, you know, the troops were put, you know, aside because, well, there wasn't any benefit politically and he'd be better off spending that time working out. Now, I think that suggests that John McCain is right, that he was wrong not to visit the troops, there's never an excuse not to visit them, and if he wants to be commander in chief, that should have been his top priority, not whether or not he can get a photo op out of this thing.
When is Sean Hannity gonna have anything to say about church shooter Jim Adkisson having a copy of "Let Freedom Ring" in his house???
We're waiting, Sean.....
every supposition is a two edged sword. If in some eleitist sense you have to ask if this person was nuts before he obtained Hannity's book, then one has to ask the question of what was on the bookshelf of every eco-terrorist or extremist leftist radical? Was media matters on their favorites list on their web browser?
Taken to its conclusion, statements such as are made here (i.e. the using what books are owned by a person) are a step along the way to total censorship and thought control- something that I THOUGHT was an anathema to the elitist left? Or does it only apply to anything that's contrary to your dogma?
Is every two-edged sword by your definition a supposition?
MissDeeBoat sinks again
every supposition is a two edged sword. If in some eleitist [sic] sense you have to ask if this person was nuts before he obtained Hannity's book,
It's a perfectly legitimate question. Nothing elitist about it.
then one has to ask the question
No, no one has to ask. You want to ask, because you wish to create an equivalence where none exists.
of what was on the bookshelf of every eco-terrorist or extremist leftist radical? Was media matters on their favorites list on their web browser?
Provide one. What eco-terrorist? What extremist leftist radical? And even if you could produce someone who fit your own description, did such a person do anything as heinous as what the extremist right-wing reactionary did in Knoxville?
Taken to its conclusion,
To your conclusion, which was based on false premises.
statements such as are made here (i.e. the using what books are owned by a person) are a step along the way to total censorship and thought control-
Nonsense. No one's ever even hinted that such books should be banned.
something that I THOUGHT was an anathema to the elitist left?
Censorship is anathema to the left, no doubt about it. But to repeat, no one is advocating censorship. If Hannity wants to write a hate-filled, trashy book and palm it off on his gullible fans, more power to him.
p.s. "Elitist left" is a contradiction in terms.
Or does it only apply to anything that's contrary to your dogma?
Nope. We want everyone to have free speech. If you think otherwise, then you don't understand our position very well, and certainly not well enough to criticize it.
It will be interesting to see if you can come up with anything substantive in your next writing. Best of luck!
The negative influence of hate speech on the political process cannot be overstated. The right should be allowed no rest when it comes to their complicity in political violence. Instead of shunning the rhetoric of Hannity, Limbaugh, Coulter or O'Reilly, too many in the Republican Party seek their endorsements.
Wasn't Katie Couric sitting at home?
These guys just don't care, do they? I mean, they lie so much, they lie about everything.
"...and if he wants to be Commanded in Chief..."
How about holding the pantload who presently occupies the office to the same standards as that "Great American" Hannity would like to hold Senator Obama to?
HANNITY: So, the bottom line here is he could have gone but he couldn't bring his campaign staff, he couldn't bring all the hangers-on, he couldn't have this be a campaign event and a photo op for him, and I stand by my position that this is why he didn't go.
So, despite the fact that 100% of the available evidence debunks that position, you stand by it, Sean?
What's the definition of lunacy? That behavior has to be the corollary to the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. Hannity is standing by his position despite no evidence to back up that opinion.
Hannity, the poster boy for lunacy.
.
Fish swim, birds fly, and hannity lies.
Mr. Great American can't stop lying or distorting. My favorite thing is when he starts making up his own facts.
He obviously wants Obama to stop infringing on the Republicans exclusive right to public displays of religiousness...
"I stand by my position that this is why he didn't go."
Brings to mind the old adage "everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts" (or however it goes).
Very true, Irony. I've talked to several conservatives who have the idea that the sole purpose of our federal govt. is to wage wars. They seem willing to throw out an educated, healthy, financially secure populace as long as they have a daddy figure promising to protect them from those scary guys.
And , as they scream and cry about being taxed to death for wasteful things like education and infrastructure, they seem way too happy to hand over their wallets to feed a bloated military machine.
Not only that, Fawlty
The President is only Commander-in-Chief during times of war:
The Constitution reads that the President "shall be Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States." (emphasis mine)
I would argue that this precludes undeclared wars, such as Korea, Vietnam, and the current fiasco in Iraq (yes, I know that Congress authorized the use of force, but it was based on a condition that proved to be false, i.e., Hussein having weapons of mass destruction: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/10/11/iraq.us/).
FDR was Commander-in-Chief. GWB is not.
Holy cow, Hannity. Is that the best you could come up with?
You were a lot better at making up stuff when you were going after the Clintons.
Seannie...still a SISSY. Your mom, kids, wife must be proud of you. Or do they just love the money you are making? A true American Sissy.
Seannie, when can we interview you wife or mom? Leave the kids out of it. But I wonder what they will be like when they get older? Maybe they'll grow up and go to college, have a family and religious values. Something like Obama. Or they'll grow up to be liars like their wealthy dad. McShame on you, you sissy.
Why are people getting mad at Sean?
I watch late-night infomercials and I hear about the amazing spray that "lifts off" dirt and spots. The guy telling me this looks honest and he swears the stuff works.
I buy some and discover it doesn't work. Next time I won't believe this guy when he shows me the amazing oil additive that helps my car get 50 miles per gallon. If I continue to believe this guy and keep buying stuff that doesn't work, then the fault is mine.
The guy on the infomercial and Sean are just trying to sell stuff. Don't go after poor old Sean for not telling the truth. That is not what he was hired to do.