On the February 19 edition of Fox News' America's Pulse, host E.D. Hill claimed that "[t]oday, everyone is analyzing, trying to figure out what in the world Michelle Obama [wife of Sen. Barack Obama] meant when she said, in a very -- I kind of thought it was one of these hastily worded, you know, statements, kind of jumbled out there -- but it's very deliberately worded and slowly said, I have never been proud of America, really, until now." When Hill asked Fox News Washington managing editor Brit Hume, “What in the world does that mean?” Hume replied, “Well, it means that she is a liberal, and maybe an arch-liberal. And it raises questions about whether he [Sen. Obama] agrees with her.” Hume later stated, “But I think this was something that she kind of thinks,” adding, "[T]here is this feeling, and it has affected Democratic politicians for a long time, that they are kind of embarrassed by patriotism."

Hume later referred to the 1988 presidential election, saying:

HUME: George H.W. Bush made a big deal out of the American flag and said he was supporting a constitutional amendment to ban flag burning and so forth, and he, you know -- it got ridiculous; I mean, to the point where one day he went to a flag factory and made a big deal out of it. On the other hand, it worked for him politically, because it played to this idea that some voters had that Democrats were kind of -- felt that patriotism made them a little uncomfortable. Public, outright, straightforward displays of patriotism, they thought -- seemed to think -- were a little icky. And a lot of people don't feel that way.

Hill later aired a video clip of Michelle Obama's comments. Video and transcript of her comments can be viewed here.

From the 2 p.m. ET hour of the February 19 edition of Fox News' America's Pulse:

HILL: You have watched politics for a long time and listened to a lot of stupid things that politicians have said. Today, everyone is analyzing, trying to figure out what in the world Michelle Obama meant when she said, in a very -- I kind of thought it was one of these hastily worded, you know, statements, kind of jumbled out there -- but it's very deliberately worded and slowly said, I have never been proud of America, really, until now.

HUME: Yeah, she's -- first time she said in her, I guess, adult life.

HILL: Adult life.

HUME: She -- adult life she'd been proud of America. That's --

HILL: What in the world does that mean?

HUME: Well, it means that she is a liberal, and maybe an arch-liberal. And it raises questions about whether he agrees with her. I mean, this is a -- this is, you know, we're not going to elect a spouse here, so that ought to be said right out.

HILL: So, does that --

HUME: On the other hand --

HILL: -- does that wash it out, or does it really matter?

HUME: No, no, because I think, you know, and then he needs to answer and say what he thinks of that. Is this -- I mean, for example, was he proud when the first President Bush ran Saddam Hussein's army out of Kuwait? Was he proud when the United States went to the rescue and did all that our Navy and other military forces did for the tsunami victims? Was he proud then? Indeed, one might ask her, “You sure you weren't proud then as well?” But I think this was something that she kind of thinks that the -- and there is -- there is this feeling, and it has affected Democratic politicians for a long time, that they are kind of embarrassed by patriotism. Well, I remember --

HILL: Yeah, I don't get that. There is a section of America that seems that way.

HUME: Go back to the 1988 election. George H.W. Bush made a big deal out of the American flag and said he was supporting a constitutional amendment to ban flag burning and so forth, and he, you know -- it got ridiculous; I mean, to the point where one day he went to a flag factory and made a big deal out of it. On the other hand, it worked for him politically, because it played to this idea that some voters had that Democrats were kind of -- felt that patriotism made them a little uncomfortable. Public, outright, straightforward displays of patriotism, they thought -- seemed to think -- were a little icky. And a lot of people don't feel that way.

HILL: And does that hurt even more, perhaps, because of the way this election looks to play out? When we're talking about how significant the independent vote is -- not the liberal, not the ultra-conservative, but the independent vote. How does it play out there?

HUME: Well, one senses that there are a lot of independents who have found out -- who, before now in their adult lives, have felt proud of America. Now, obviously -- look, this is something that Obama can probably handle rather deftly himself, and say that --

HILL: Does he have to? Or can he ignore it?

HUME: I think it would be -- I think -- well, it depends on how much the McCain camp wants to make of it. Now, you saw Cindy McCain fires a shot saying that she's always been proud of her country or whatever it was that she exactly said today. Well, that brings it into play. But one wonders what will happen here. It's interesting.

HILL: OK. Well, it'll be interesting also watching tonight's prime-time election coverage. Thank you very much, Brit Hume.