Sean Hannity has repeatedly promoted “Conservative Victory 2010” -- a map on his website that is part of his project to “get people to do what I think the Republican Party should be doing, which is, you know, going back to the very simple, basic promises of conservatism.” Hannity has promised to use the map to support candidates who stand on conservative principles, thus following Fox News' pattern of aggressive promotion of conservative causes.
Hannity promotes his “Conservative Victory 2010” voting guide
Written by Kate Conway
Published
Hannity repeatedly promoted his “Conservative Victory 2010” map as a voting guide
Hannity: "[W]e're going to ask every single candidate that's running for office where they stand on the issues." On the November 9 broadcast of The Sean Hannity Show, Hannity said: "[W]e're going to put it up on the website, Conservative Victory 2010, and we're going to be -- let -- allow you to be able to click on the states, click on the district. And we're going to ask every single candidate that's running for office where they stand on the issues of national security, fiscal responsibility, energy independence, and then you'll be able to know."
Hannity: “We've launched Conservative Victory 2010 on our website.” On his November 16 radio program, Hannity described the purpose of his map:
HANNITY: We've launched Conservative Victory 2010 on our website, and it's only going to get better day by day. Yes. It's an interactive map we've put up there with every state, every district, and you -- we are putting questions to candidates and can -- and congressmen that are running for re-election. We're going to have our items for victory. We're trying to get people to do what I think the Republican Party should be doing, which is, you know, going back to the very simple, basic promises of conservatism.
You know what? To keep our nation safe, move the country towards energy independence, vow to be fiscally responsible, vow to eliminate earmarks -- you support health care reform, sure, free-market solutions to health care reform, maybe a little TORT reform in there as well -- be the party of the American dream and freedom -- just basic, simple things.
We're going to give every candidate a chance to respond, and, as they do respond, we'll be putting their responses up on the website, so by Election Day in less than a year from now, you'll be able to go to the map, find out what district you're in, and your particular congressman or woman or candidate, and where they stand on the issues.
Hannity promises to support candidates who pledge a strong conservative stance
Hannity: "[I]f they're going to be a watered-down Democrat, I wouldn't support them." Speaking with Michelle Malkin on the November 4 edition of Fox News' Hannity, Hannity explained:
HANNITY: It's very simple to me. I'm not a Republican, Michelle, I'm a conservative. Forty percent of this country is conservative. I like what Reagan said. Reagan said, what -- and by the way, he challenged Gerald Ford -- but Reagan said that, you know, no pale pastels, bold colors, it's not a third party we need, a revitalized second party: low taxes, fiscal responsibility, strong national defense, energy independence, free market solutions.
If Republicans don't support that, they're not getting my support. I will support conservative candidates that stand on those values, and I think that's the future.
[...]
HANNITY: One thing we are doing, we're putting on my website, Hannity.com, we're going to have every district -- we're calling it Conservative Victory 2010 -- we're going to have every candidate. We're going to try to get in a pledge to be fiscally responsible, strong on national defense, go for energy independence, oppose ObamaCare, and if they don't, you'll know about it. And I don't care if they're a Republican, if they're going to be a watered-down Democrat, I wouldn't support them.
Hannity: "[Y]ou can be a RINO all you want, but ... we're not going to support you." On his November 6 radio show, Hannity stated:
HANNITY: Conservative underground victory, Conservative Victory 2010 -- next week on this very program, we're going to announce our special website. And you're going to be able to go to Hannity.com, click on your state, click on your district. And we are beginning the process of finding out whether Republicans will stand on conservative principles, 'cause we -- look, if you want to be a RINO, you can be a RINO all you want, but you know what? It's not going to pay off in the end, because we're not going to support you.
Hannity's map latest example of Fox's partisan political propaganda
As Media Matters for America has previously shown, Fox News has repeatedly promoted conservative causes. A few examples of Fox's advocacy include Fox News personalities' aggressive promotion of Michele Bachmann's protest against the House health care reform bill, the network's promotion of the Tea Party Express and its producer's coaching of the crowd at the 9/12 Tea Party Rally, as well as the platform it provided to help GOP PACs raise money.
Kate Conway is an intern at Media Matters for America.