Radio host and Fox personality Sean Hannity hosted TruthRevolt.com founder David Horowitz to engage in an unimpeded rant that described President Obama as a “menace to American security” and accused Democrats and the “American left” of pushing the nation toward a modern day Holocaust. Hannity's promotion of the extreme figure may have completed his transition from conservative mouth piece to right-wing fringe promoter.
On the April 22 edition of his radio show, Hannity discussed the alleged growth of anti-Semitism around the world, comparing the phenomenon with Obama's purported support of the Muslim Brotherhood. Hannity asked his guests, Horowitz and writer Joel Rosenberg, whether anti-Semitism in recent news stories had the potential of turning into a “modern day Holocaust.” Horowitz replied (emphasis added):
HOROWITZ: I think that's exactly accurate. There's normal anti-Semitism which has been going on for thousands of years. And this Kansas City shooter, I mean he's a Klu Klux Klaner, he's a Democrat -- lifelong Democrat, Klu Klux Klan racist and anti-Semite. But he's obviously been encouraged. The irony of course is that he killed three Christians. Um, obviously encouraged by the American left. Max Blumenthal, who is the misbegotten son of Sidney Blumenthal who worked for the Clintons in the Clinton White House, has written a book filled with Jew hatred about Israel, which this guy read and cited as one of his inspirations. I actually pointed this out in a book I wrote about ten years ago. The alliance between the American left and the Islamo - I don't call them Islamo-Fascists anymore, they're Nazis. They preach the same doctrine that the Nazis did, they were allied with the Nazis during the second World War. The destruction of Israel, which is welcomed by you know, like I say normal anti-Semites. But after the Second World War, there was a certain intolerance towards these types of attitudes thanks to the American left which goes right into the White House. Obama is also responsible for this - attacking Israel.
After Rosenberg disagreed with Horowitz' claim of the growth of anti-Semitism in the American left, Horowitz retorted, “On the campuses across this country the American left is calling for the destruction of Israel. How can you say there's no anti-Semitism? The American left is the fountainhead of anti-Semitism now,” concluding that it is only a matter of time before the left commits violence against Jews.
Hannity refused to rebuke Horowitz' comments, actually agreeing with Horowitz characterization adding that Secretary of State John Kerry blamed Israel for the breakdown in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian authorities. Hannity then allowed Horowitz to attack Obama directly by asking “Why does the president constantly think that he can negotiate with fanatics?” Horowitz responded that Obama is an “anti-American president” and a “menace to American security” (emphasis added):
HOROWITZ: This administration is enabling Iran. Obama could care less if the Jews are killed in the Middle-East. Obama - to answer your question, Sean - Obama is an anti-American president.
[...]
But because Obama is black and because he's a leftist he's completely protected by the press. Nobody holds him to account. We live in a kind of surreal universe where people will not say the truth. And the truth is that Barack Obama is a menace to American security, and the sooner - and of course you can't impeach him because you can't impeach the first black president.
Horowitz's rhetoric shouldn't have been a surprise to Hannity, as he has a history of comparing liberals with terrorists and accusing people of being “Nazis.”
But Hannity's promotion of such an extreme figure didn't come in a vacuum. Recently Hannity has gained ridicule on the left and prominence in the fringes of the right-wing after supporting lawless rancher Cliven Bundy, who refused to pay grazing fees after his cows used federal land for over twenty years. Bundy praised Hannity, while warning of an impending civil war after an armed standoff between federal agents and armed militia supporting Bundy.
As if supporting a lawless rancher and encouraging extreme rhetoric towards the president wasn't enough, Hannity recently added to his fringe resume by calling a nun a “Communist” for saying Paul Ryan's budget hurt the poor.