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Hannity falsely claimed Obama "said" he is "going to ... cut tens of billions of dollars in our military"

October 23, 2008 12:27 pm ET

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SUMMARY: On Hannity & Colmes, Sean Hannity falsely asserted that Sen. Barack Obama "said" he is "going to ... cut tens of billions of dollars in our military." In fact, Obama has said he would cut "tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending," not overall defense spending.

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On the October 22 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, co-host Sean Hannity falsely asserted that Sen. Barack Obama is "going to ... cut tens of billions of dollars in our military. That's what he said." In fact, as Media Matters for America repeatedly noted when Hannity made similar claims, Obama told the group Caucus4Priorities that he would cut "tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending," not overall defense spending. Sen. John McCain has also pledged to "cut wasteful spending in defense and non-defense programs."

During the October 22 program, Hannity also criticized Obama for "vot[ing] to cut off funding for our troops" without noting that McCain voted against legislation that would have funded the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and would have provided more than $1 billion to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

From the October 22 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:

HANNITY: [Former Clinton White House special counsel] Lanny [Davis], I'm going to quote a good friend of yours. First of all, let's go over the Obama plan. He's going to be cut tens of billions of dollars in our military. That's what he said. He's changed his position about pulling out of Iraq and waving the white flag of surrender.

But he voted to cut off funding for our troops that even Joe Biden said American troops' lives would be lost. He'll meet with rogue dictators without preconditions. And he said Iran's a tiny country, not a serious threat.

Now, there's a very famous person, a good friend of yours, her name is Hillary, and she said that his positions on national security issues, quote, "are naive, dangerous, and irresponsible." I actually agree with her. I agree with your friend. She was right. Why -- convince me why she's wrong.

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    • Author by pjcarter (October 23, 2008 12:39 pm ET)
         
      Now the real challenge wuold be to cut "wasteful spending" when we are in wars in two countries. One way to do that would be to get out of Iraq. Then you take some of that "wasteful spending" and use it wisely. Including spending some of it in Afghanistan. Then one could also retune our military budget to maybe spend less money on killing people in needless wars and more money inn helping combat the many factors contributing to terrorism. But then, that could be too much "socialism." Such a paradox!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by wolf kotenberg (October 23, 2008 4:05 pm ET)
           

        Rumsfeld was doing exactly that in 2000, with the commander-in-chief's approval.

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        • Author by wolf kotenberg (October 23, 2008 4:07 pm ET)
             

          to pjcarter

          sorry i meant my comment to hang out by itself in reference to Hannity's proclamation that sen Obama as president would cut billions off the military budget.

          Report Abuse
      • Author by mybrotherskeeper (October 24, 2008 2:36 pm ET)
           

        Yeah. "Tens of billions ..." What is that? Three weeks in Iraq? He makes it sound as though Obama would be recklessly putting our national security at risk.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by hurricaneyankee52983 (October 23, 2008 12:40 pm ET)
         

      As usual SEANIE BOY is slanting the facts  to get his talking points accross for his GOP heros,kind of like DR. JOSEF GOEBBLES did for his hero, ADOLF HITLER

      Report Abuse
      • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (October 23, 2008 12:43 pm ET)
           

        Sean supports the policies of Hillary Clinton and waves the white flag of surrender in the war for decent journalism. Did I get that right?

        Report Abuse
        • Author by djasper2761 (October 23, 2008 3:17 pm ET)
             

          for a 100 million dollar contract, inshannity will say anything his sycophants want to hear. I see him every nite and he is just such a joke. I would not believe ANYTHING he said.

          Report Abuse
          • Author by wolf kotenberg (October 23, 2008 5:00 pm ET)
               

            Sounds like O'Reilly is getting ripped with his newly signed contract of 40 million for four years.

            Report Abuse
          • Author by wolf kotenberg (October 23, 2008 5:03 pm ET)
               

            Come to think of it, how much of the 100 mil is Ailes getting back ? Interesting business model to present to the shareholders.

            Report Abuse
    • Author by tommy (October 23, 2008 12:41 pm ET)
         

      Considering Davis is still a little namby pamby when it comes to enthusiastically supporting Obama, it would be nice if MMFA gave us his response here to Hannity's nonsense anyway.

      Report Abuse
      • Author by pete592 (October 23, 2008 12:47 pm ET)
           

        I agree it would be nice, but it would still not have any effect on the truthiness of what Hannity said about Obama.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by shaggles (October 23, 2008 1:04 pm ET)
         
      It's almost reduntant to say 'Hannity falsely asserted...' You could save some space and effort with just 'Hannity asserted...' Of course then Media Matters would have to report on themselves. "Media Matters reported that Sean Hannity spoke today with out noting that everything that comes out of his mouth is a flat out lie. A spokesman for Media Matters responded, 'We didn't think we needed to say that anymore. By now everyone must know that if Sean Hannity says it, it's a lie.' FOX News could not be reached for comment."
      Report Abuse
      • Author by neon desert (October 23, 2008 1:33 pm ET)
           

        Maybe just a Hannity timeline would serve the purpose.  Something along the lines of:

        Hannity Log - 10/19/08

        18:03 - Obama, Ayers

        18:07 - Ayers, Obama

        18:12 - Iraq, Afghanistan, Petreus, Ayers

        18:22 - Economy, Ayers

        18:23 - Economy, Ayers, Reid, Pelosi

        18:25 - H. Clinton, Ayers

        18:26 - Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Ayers

        ...and so on.

        Could save a lot of time.

        Report Abuse
        • Author by djasper2761 (October 23, 2008 3:20 pm ET)
             

          You left out Joe the plumber. I wonder if he is still dating ralph reed. Are they expecting yet?

          Report Abuse
        • Author by wzwriter (October 23, 2008 3:27 pm ET)
             

          You forgot that at 18:04, 18:11, 18:21, and 18:24, he referred to someone as "a great American".  :-)

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    • Author by donaldmaddog5642 (October 23, 2008 1:09 pm ET)
         

      Where does one go to sign up for a job that pays a lot of money for you to just say anything that pops into your head?  I am fully qualified.  

      Report Abuse
      • Author by mary59 (October 23, 2008 1:49 pm ET)
           

        You're too honest to qualify.  Pat Buchanan, Newtie, Sean, Glen Beck, Wm. Bennett, KKKarl Rove, etc. get their big bucks from spouting nonsense at every opportunity.

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        • Author by djasper2761 (October 23, 2008 3:23 pm ET)
             

          for a 100 million a year I will learn how to lie also. Thing is, I would have to cut my IQ at least in half and I stopped drinking years ago. Guess I could sniff methane by following bush around but, then inshannity's head would be in the way. Shucks, what am I going to do?

          Report Abuse
          • Author by nerzog (October 23, 2008 4:25 pm ET)
               

            Yeah, well... I had a chance to take a job making 100 million a year, but I turned it down because I didn't want to move into that higher tax bracket.

            I'm kidding, of course, but that is EXACTLY the basis for the Republican argument against the progressive income tax.  Kind of silly, isn't it?

            Report Abuse
            • Author by djasper2761 (October 23, 2008 5:25 pm ET)
                 

              What I understand about the increase in taxes for the "rich" is: $0-250K =36%.

              THEN anything over the $250K is taxed at 39% Put a pecil to the difference and I would gladly take that deal and I believe 100% of REAL people not making 250K a year would say "hell yes, I will take that deal" This is much to do about nothing for the VAST majority. Kind of illustrates how little the repukelicans have to run on. Their tank is empty (except the straight talk express bus and that is emptied at the rallies for the brain dead that show up It's called right wing coolaid).

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              • Author by nerzog (October 23, 2008 6:01 pm ET)
                   

                Exactly.  As I understand it, if Joe the Phony really cleared 280K unclogging drains, he would pay about $900 more under Obama's plan.  Pardon me while I wipe my tears.

                Report Abuse
        • Author by wolf kotenberg (October 23, 2008 4:03 pm ET)
             

          Don't forget the other buffoon, Bay Buchanan who actually said Obama, an elected S Senator, is a socialist. Amazing Anderson Cooper did not call her out on that and would not allow David Gergen say something.  I know communisn is socialism and the unspoken connection is unerving.

          Report Abuse
    • Author by newzhound (October 23, 2008 1:43 pm ET)
         

      According to the Rolling Stone article on John McCain, in 1993 he sponsored legislation to cut off funding for our military in Somalia.

      This is not the "inside baseball" garbage we're hearing about whether or not Sen. Obama voted to cut off funding for our troops (actually, I don't think it was really a vote to "cut off" but that's another story).  Sen. McCain's budget amendment was quite clear - we have troops out there, on duty, "in harm's way," etc. etc. - and he wanted to stop funding them.  Period.

      Is Sheer Insannity going to talk about that?  Or give away some more advertising tradeouts and make himself look so, so generous?

      Report Abuse
    • Author by nerzog (October 23, 2008 1:46 pm ET)
         

      Waitaminnit..... didn't Grampy say that he would cut Defense spending, too?

      Every citizen should watch the movie "Iraq for Sale".  Iraq has turned into a money machine for Cheney's buddies in the Military Contracting business.  According to witnesses in the movie, private contractors in Iraq are blowing up trucks rather than pay to ship them back home.... and charging the Pentagon $100 per load to wash soldiers' laundry.  Now, I'm sure it's a BIG load.... but $100?

      Those of us old enough will remember all the kerfluffle over the $400 hammer back in the 70s or 80s.  Seems that ripping off the Pentagon is part of the Military Contractor handbook.  Apparently a lot of the outrage over that hammer has been forgotten, but I have a feeling that the graft going on in Iraq makes a $400 hammer look like a Blue Light special.

      Report Abuse
      • Author by mary59 (October 23, 2008 1:50 pm ET)
           

        Don't give K-mart any ideas ;-)

        Report Abuse
      • Author by nerzog (October 23, 2008 1:53 pm ET)
           

        By the way, if somebody wants to defend the $100 per load for laundry based on the dangerous conditions in Iraq.... the fact is that soldiers used to do their own laundry, or there were other soldiers assigned that duty.  I'll bet that the vast majority of soldiers in Iraq would gladly do their own laundry... and you could afford to give them a $100 a month raise. 

        Report Abuse
        • Author by shaggles (October 24, 2008 12:57 pm ET)
             

          It's all about privatizing everything the govt does.  That's what neo-cons believe in.

          Report Abuse
      • Author by djasper2761 (October 23, 2008 3:27 pm ET)
           

        With bush's trickle -up economics, I wonder how much of the 100 dollars he pockets. Or is cheaney that stingy that he gets 0

        Report Abuse
    • Author by Old_Benjamin (October 23, 2008 2:13 pm ET)
         
      Jeeze, sounds like he isn't aware of this... WASHINGTON - The final draft of the U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces agreement on the U.S. military presence represents an even more crushing defeat for the policy of the George W. Bush administration than previously thought, the final text reveals. The final draft, dated Oct. 13, not only imposes unambiguous deadlines for withdrawal of U.S. combat troops by 2011 but makes it extremely unlikely that a U.S. non-combat presence will be allowed to remain in Iraq for training and support purposes beyond the 2011 deadline for withdrawal of all U.S. combat forces. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/10/23-3 So much for gramps 100 years of occupation.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by MoonbatYouBet (October 23, 2008 2:38 pm ET)
         

      I tune in to Hannity in the car from time to time because outrageous lying can be entertaining in small doses.  So how is it that everytime I catch a portion of his show he's running down the whole "Obama Scary List" mantra he's developed?  Does he really just say nothing but that for four hours a day, five days a week?  And if so, why do people keep tuning in?

      Report Abuse
      • Author by djasper2761 (October 23, 2008 3:30 pm ET)
           

        cause pork rinds and bear and inshannity go together like a horse and carriage. Also there are those that are averse to reality.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by robotchubby (October 23, 2008 2:46 pm ET)
         

      Hannity tells his guest to "convince me that she is wrong."  I think trying to convince Hannity anything contrary to his beliefs would go something like this:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jmrd1MbNkFs

      Report Abuse
    • Author by tony rome (October 23, 2008 3:10 pm ET)
         

      Hannity is a mean, hateful little man who lies at every turn, even when praising the conservative saint, Reagan. Hannity claims to be a Christian but that is proven to be false by his constant lying.

      Report Abuse
      • Author by wzwriter (October 23, 2008 3:28 pm ET)
           

        Hannity is a mean, hateful little man who lies at every turn, even when praising the conservative saint, Reagan. Hannity claims to be a Christian but that is proven to be false by his constant lying.

        Personally, I feel sorry for his kids - having a lying loser like Sean Hannity for a father is a fate far worse than being the child of Charles Manson.....

        Report Abuse
        • Author by djasper2761 (October 23, 2008 4:27 pm ET)
             

          Isn't manson inshannity's father?  He mentioned this several times. Or is this statement similar to the stements inshannity makes?

          Report Abuse
      • Author by hurricaneyankee52983 (October 23, 2008 4:53 pm ET)
           

        TONY ROME, you hit the nail on the head concerning SHEAR INSANNITY. I couldent have said it better myself

        Report Abuse
        • Author by tony rome (October 23, 2008 6:11 pm ET)
             

          The sad part is that Hannity, Limbaugh, that wretched little cur Levin and the rest of RNC talk radio act like they are talking to America. They are not. They speak to a very small, bigotted, hateful, lunatic fringe of America that is not going to vote anything but Republican, even with the disaster of 8 years of Bush staring them in the face. Hannity keeps demanding that Obama go on his show, but why should he? To try to reason with people who believe every lie that Hannity pukes out? Hopefully, Obama is smarter than that.

          Report Abuse
          • Author by hurricaneyankee52983 (October 24, 2008 6:45 pm ET)
               

            THAT WRETCHED LITTLE CUR LEVIN,That's one of the best descriptions of LEVIN i've seen. I believe that he is  the most beligerent and hatefull of all the talking RIGHT WING GASBAGS. His attitude is us vs them. If anyone disagrees with his conservative ideas , then those persons are , unamerican , unpaitriotic,  liberal , socalist jerks.He will spit out all sorts of scorn  on his opponents. He tries to say he knows the CONSTITUTION and the law, but in listening to him I think he is all hot air.I hope and pray that OBAMA and the DEMOCRATS are elected and enact the FAIRNESS DOCTRINE that will cut the legs out from under these hatemongers. Hopefully this will end one of the darkest times in the history of media journalism.

            Report Abuse
    • Author by ukobserver (October 23, 2008 6:50 pm ET)
         
      People, HE HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET!!!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by djasper2761 (October 23, 2008 7:00 pm ET)
           

        I think his 100 million deal is based on $1 per lie. This will probably only take till the end of the year.

        Report Abuse
        • Author by Col. Harlan Sanders (October 24, 2008 1:48 am ET)
             

          A classic tonight on H&C. Hannity screeching out his "Big Issues" ( Joe the Plumber, Joe Biden's statement about Obama being tested, some other non-issue that Sean is excited about) and Geraldine Ferarro talking to him as the patient mother to the "slow" child who wants to join the circus.

          It was almost sad as Hannity offered "insight" as to the real and qualified Sarah Palin.

          Report Abuse
    • Author by captfoster2 (October 24, 2008 1:56 am ET)
         

      I swear to whatever God(s) may exist out there....... but Sean Hannity has got to be the absolute most stupid person on the face of the Earth!

      This guy makes twits like Sarah Palin and Glen Beck seem intelligent!

      Just hearing his pathetic girly-man voice causes me lose thousands of brain cells per second!

      I realize that FoxNoise has no credibility (which is why they probably keep him) .... but even they have to realize just how dumb this guy must be?  Can't they?

      Report Abuse
      • Author by captfoster2 (October 24, 2008 1:57 am ET)
           

        </b> ok....is the bold gone?

        Report Abuse
      • Author by djasper2761 (October 24, 2008 9:45 am ET)
           

        inshannity has a great memory but, he is stupid by definition. So is billybob o'really. Again, billybob has a great memory for certain facts but, reality in general has escaped them. biilybob is a pinhead. It gives me no pleasure to point these simple truths out. Both of these cretins hate America. That is what their shows are about. Pointing out all of the reasons they HATE AMERICA AND REALITY. They can't stand they way America is and want to change it. They can't stand progress and return America to a point in time when the inquisitions took place. Their rants are hate progress for America rants. Of course these 2 Bozos could NEVER see this because the money they make spewing forth their vile, hate America diatribes, justifies their "brilliance" in their own mind. Hitler thought he was right and a Great German. billybob and shyawn inshannity both think they are brilliant and great Americans. I would bet you baby bush is a legend in his own mind as well.

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    • Author by goodguy1 (October 24, 2008 9:15 am ET)
         

      "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, THE TRUTH IS THE GREATEST ENEMY OF THE STATE." -- Joseph Goebbels, German Minister of Propaganda, 1933-1945 

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      • Author by djasper2761 (October 24, 2008 9:50 am ET)
           

        And Goebbels would be at the control board in the recording studio at fake news if he were alive. faucks news personifies the definition of PROPAGANDA.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by TopekaMan (October 24, 2008 1:01 pm ET)
         

      I WISH that Obama would cut tens of billions of dollars in our military.  America spends way too damn much money on the military, and I think that it should be immediately cut to 10% of its current funding.  All it is is corporate welfare.

      Report Abuse
    • Author by hm1342 (October 25, 2008 1:04 am ET)
         

         Every four years one of the two major party candidates talks a good game about reducing "wasteful government spending" yet does little or nothing once in office.  In general, Democrats will raise both taxes and spending.  With the Republicans, you may get taxed a little less but they also keep increasing the size of government.

         Hannity is like most conservative talk-show hosts, loaded with nothing but talking points.  If you try t challenge him with any decent amount of logic, he either interrupts you, asks you a question without responding to your question, or falls back on his talking points.  Sadly the liberal talk-show hosts pull the same act so there's not a dime's worth of difference between them.

      Report Abuse
    • Author by eddy3957 reregistered (October 26, 2008 1:55 am ET)
         

       Sean Hannity falsely asserted...

      I don't get how they still want this guyAt even more money. They have to be able to to better...

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