Hannity still playing "dumb" about Nugent's use of the "B" word on his show
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SUMMARY: Discussing Perez Hilton's remarks about Carrie Prejean, Sean Hannity stated, "I would think that you wouldn't want somebody that calls a woman -- any woman -- a dumb 'b' ever on your show." However, Hannity previously aired footage of Ted Nugent calling Hillary Clinton a "worthless bitch," then referred to Nugent as a "friend and frequent guest on the program."
On the May 12 edition of his Fox News show, discussing his earlier interview with Miss California Carrie Prejean, Sean Hannity said: "[Blogger Perez Hilton] called her 'a dumb 'B.' I mean, how dare -- and not only that, he said he would've violently ripped off the crown off her head. I love Donald [Trump]; he's a friend of mine. I'm not sure why he said he would want [Hilton] back, or allow him back." Hannity added: "I would think that you wouldn't want somebody that calls a woman -- any woman -- a dumb 'b' ever on your show." However, on August 24, 2007, Hannity aired concert footage of rock musician and right-wing activist Ted Nugent referring to then-Sen. Hillary Clinton as a "worthless bitch" and calling then-Sen. Barack Obama a "piece of shit." After airing the clip, Hannity referred to Nugent as a "friend and frequent guest on the program."
In the video clip, Nugent holds up what appear to be two assault rifles, and says, "Obama, he's a piece of shit, and I told him to suck on my machine gun." He also says, "Hey, Hillary, you might want to ride one of these into the sunset, you worthless bitch." After airing the clip, Hannity stated: "That was friend and frequent guest on the program Ted Nugent expressing his feelings towards Democratic presidential contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton." Moments later, Hannity compared Nugent's comments to a statement by Obama, which Hannity distorted by claiming Obama "accus[ed] our troops of killing civilians." Hannity then asked Democratic strategist Bob Beckel: "What's more offensive to you? Is it Barack Obama's statement about our troops or Ted Nugent?" In response, Beckel asked Hannity if he was "prepared to disavow this lowlife." Hannity replied: "No, I like Ted Nugent. He's a friend of mine." When Beckel later said that Nugent "ought to never come on your show again, and if you have him on, you ought to be ashamed of yourself," Hannity responded: "Not at all. We have you on."
Nugent subsequently appeared on the October 13, 2008, edition of Hannity & Colmes to promote his book Ted, White and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto.
On the April 21 edition of his show, Hannity asked Prejean: "What did you think when [Hilton] went on this rant and actually used the 'B' word? I mean, I can't think of anything more vicious, more mean, more insulting, more degrading, just because you have a different opinion." During the January 12 edition of his program, Hannity also said: "I don't like the lyrics that refer to women as 'B's' and 'ho's,' and we've had many discussions about this."
From the May 12 edition of Fox News' Hannity:
HANNITY: Yeah. And you answered nicely and you answered delicately.
PREJEAN: I did.
HANNITY: You said I know there are people that disagree, so then the question is why did this become such a big deal?
PREJEAN: Well, it was Perez Hilton's hidden agenda that he had.
HANNITY: What do you think that is?
PREJEAN: Well, he's a gay activist, and he's very famous for, you know, insulting, particularly women. He doesn't insult men very often, and this would not be happening right now had he just, you know, gone on his way and said, I don't believe in what she said, but that's her opinion.
But he decided to make that video, not even an hour after the pageant had ended, and that's when the firestorm had begun.
HANNITY: You know, I kind of knew this because I know Donald Trump and he really went to bat for you today --
PREJEAN: He did.
HANNITY: -- and he pointed out you had taken a lot of abuse. Why don't you bring people into exactly -- for example, Perez Hilton, actually used the word -- called you a dumb B-word. Said if you had won the crown, he was going to rip it off your head.
I mean, tell me about some of the other abuse that you experienced.
[...]
KELLY KILLOREN BENSIMON (author and model): One of the biggest points of this whole topic is that Perez Hilton really sensationalized that moment.
HANNITY: He called her "a dumb 'B.' "
BENSIMON: Right.
HANNITY: I mean, how dare -- and not only that, said he would've violently ripped off the crown off her head. I love Donald; he's a friend of mine. I'm not sure why he said he would want him back, or allow him back, 'cause I would think that you wouldn't somebody that calls a woman -- any woman -- a dumb "B" ever on your show.
BENSIMON: Well, he generated a lot of press.
HANNITY: Good point.
He clings to a shallow, partisan rhetoric that serves little more purpose than giggling cheerleaders waving pompoms.
I also have the feeling that he actually believes what he is saying, and has no sense of how big a hypocrite he is.
Senator Byrd regularly used the "N" word. Why not he was a former Klu Klux Klan member. MM outraged? not.
For your fauxtrage on Senator Byrd's misdeeds of the past, you might want to look to politicsmattered.org, where I hear they also have regular updates on Chappaquiddick.
We're actually discussing Hannity and his double standard.
As noted, this is a media site. They don't do straight reporting on the comments of politicians from either party. As also noted, this was decades ago. The Chappaquiddick reference was appropriate.
By your logic, neither side can ever make a note of anything. Every single member of the Republican party could make racist comments, and you could just blow it off by saying "You're hypocrites, what about Byrd?" Likewise, every single member of the Democratic party could do the same, and you wouldn't be able to say anything because of Trent Lott. I'm sure you can find a single anti-semitic, sexist, ageist, off-color or otherwise offensive remark from a member of either party at some point throughout their respective histories.
It probably leaps to your mind that you don't agree with Trent Lott, and he doesn't speak for you. If that's the case, then obviously Byrd doesn't speak for anyone on the left either. Nobody here approved of his racist behavior, so it's perfectly legitimate to point out Hannity's partisan double-standard.
I think the point that was made is that if a Democrat makes a racist statement, MMFA either ignores it or tries to deflect it by pointing out any and all statements it can find about Republicans.
However if a Republican makes a similar statement, it will be quickly posted.
By being so patently one sided, MMFA is open to legitimate criticism for being hypocritical. Accept it. They are.
What you're saying is that you'd like to see a "Fairness Doctrine" here on MMfA.
The last on-record racist statement I could find of Byrd's occurred in 2001. Media Matters was founded in 2004, so wiz picked a pretty bad suggestion for where to look for outrage about a racist statement by a Democrat. But then again, it is pretty hard to find racist statements by Democrats.
To the extent that a racist statement by a Democrat constituted "conservative misinformation in the U.S. media," (for instance, if a Democrat made such a statement to a TV host who failed to challenge it) I'd like to see it written up in MMFA.
Here's a more recent on-record racist statement from non other than our good friend AnotherAmerican.
" by anotheramerican (April 30, 2009 2:53 pm ET)
rox,
The part you are missing, is that this was a staged media event by the White House and forced the networks to give up $20+ million in advertising revenue so our NOTUS could continue campaigning.
They had planned a flyover by Air Force One but cancelled it for some reason..."
That wasn't the point being made. The example was Byrd, specifically. If MMfA is really not supposed to address any offensive comment of any sort because a single Democrat made racist comments years ago, then it's off-limits for any site to do so. That applies to conservative sites as well.
Can you counter that?
Do you have examples of MMfA defending racist comments by Democrats? As I said, that wasn't the point being made, but I'm curious anyway.
Does MMFA carry the quotes of Republicans in the media or how they are reported on? Big, big difference.
IF THEY HAD A TIME MACHINE!
MMFA was founded three years after Byrd said that.
As for MM's outrage? Sen. Byrd calling someone a n----- would not qualify as 'conservative misinformation.' MM's mission is not to report on every tasteless and ignorant thing uttered by everyone. (Again, why do conservatives ALWAYS insist on arguing this way?)
Listen to his callers. Like most talk radio, callers do fit a format. They are lower income but will buy almost anything their favorite host tells them to buy. The shame is in the fact that Hannity and the others
build wealth off these people by telling them excatly what they want to hear and believe then run a commercial for buying gold, or seeds for their "survival" garden. According to Hannity, he is a customer for every one of companies that run ads on his show. I wonder if that guy in Kentucky knows that his support helped buy Hannity a 8.5 million dollar home in Long Island and all the "lifestyle" accessories that go with it. Nothing wrong with success but not at the expense of lies and deception about our country.
Why are liberals like you so condescending? What sources do you have that backs up your contention about conservative talk show listeners being lower income and less educated? Or are you another one of these liberals who can peer through the radio and discern income levels and education levels by listening to someone for a few seconds?
I'm sure those poor and uneducated people all run out to buy gold and then head to dinner at RuthsChris Steakhouses while buying flowers online, with truffles no less, because they heard about it on Hannity. Sounds like something someone just hanging on would do don't you think?
I just love it when the a liberal speaks as honestly as you showing the rest of us how silly you can be.
Limbuaugh - Dropped out of college after one semester, failing every course. Thrice divorced. Drug abuser / recovering adict.
Hannity - Two time college dropout.
Beck - Dropped out of college after just one course. Alchohol abuser / recovering adict.
Any questions?
Um, are we sure he's "playing?"
"Ted Nugent GOOD...Perez Hilton...BAD!"
"Ted Nugent GOOD...Perez Hilton...BAD!"
"Ted Nugent GOOD...Perez Hilton...BAD!"
"Ted Nugent GOOD...Perez Hilton...BAD!"
"Ted Nugent GOOD...Perez Hilton...BAD!"
ad infinitum...
Perhaps he should ask limpaugh about adopting the "talent on loan from God" phrase for himself.
Dimwits like Sean and the Pantload resent people questioning anyone's mental abilities. (Or in their cases lack of mental abilities).
The more chicken-hawks like you pop-off the easier it is to dismiss you and your kind.
Nugent is a lunatic. He's reduce to performing at Tea Parties instead of stadiums. I hope his career completely fails.
As an Obama supporter and Hillary Clinton admirer it drives me crazy that some Clinton supporters felt the need to cry sexism (and anything else they could cry) when Obama won in the political arena. And I have a hard time thinking that Obama supporters (though we are a diverse group) could believe so strongly in so many progressive ideals, but in general hate women. That just doesn't pass the sniff test to me, despite what some people may have written on comments on dailykos and huffpost. Hint: if you don't want to be exposed to stupid comments, don't read the comments (they're written by members of the public, you know).
This is in response to the thumbs-down sans explanation.
Well, Mr. Hannity, you should spend less time worrying about mustard and more time spell-checking your own show. The correct spelling is "Learjet."