SEAN HANNITY - THE NEXT LIMBAUGH

[DRMIZER]

Of all the people on Fox's roster, Sean Hannity, the co-host of Fox’s political talk show Hannity & Colmes, has been perhaps the most outspoken in his distaste for celebrities getting involved in politics. He enthusiastically supports boycotts against "spoiled brats" in Hollywood who opposed the war and accuses them of ignorance:

When you have people from Hollywood, as some of them have come out, and definitively stated, some having been to Baghdad for five seconds, saying that [Saddam Hussein] has no weapons of mass destruction, declaring they know. It is a statement that is rooted in just utter stupidity and ignorance.

And yet, Hannity appears to be truly smitten with actor-turned-candidate Schwarzenegger, showering him with accolades like "inspiring" and "fantastic." In spite of the fact that mainstream media critics have pointed out that Schwarzenegger has run a campaign that is light on substance, that he has been evasive concerning issues like affirmative action, and that he has refused to participate in any candidate debates where he couldn’t see the questions in advance, Hannity claims that the actor is "as forthright as any politician I have ever interviewed in my life." Nor does Hannity seem fazed by Schwarzenegger's progressive stands on social issues. In fact, he seems eager to sweep such differences under the rug:

I don't agree with him on abortion. He's right on partial birth abortion. He's right on parental notification. He's right on those nuances. I don't agree with him on domestic partners, you're right. On tax issues, he said yes, no new taxes to fix the economic [crisis], only if there's a natural disaster or emergency. I actually think that's a fairly responsible position. I agree with him there. And he's talking about great economic issues -- he's conservative on immigration issues….. Taxes, economics, immigration, prayer in school, all -- just abortion and the other issue of gay rights. That's it, guys.

It is interesting to hear Hannity praise Schwarzenegger's nuanced position on abortion rights, given that the talk show host tends to view this issue in black and white. In his 2002 book, Let Freedom Ring, he likens abortion to slavery, saying that Roe v. Wade and the Dred Scott decision are "twin blots on our nation's history."

Do you think he MIGHT be the next Rush Limbaugh?

[DRMIZER]

Discussing the national shame of over 30 million people without health insurance, Hannity gets all agitated and starts complaining that he doesn't want to hear about that, it's a distortion, it's misleading. Where are the people dying in the street? There are none. All these people have access to emergency room care. So, Hannity triumphantly concludes, saying they lack health insurance is meaningless.

Hello? First of all, claiming people lack health insurance is not claiming that they are therefore dying in the street. The false assumption and straw man that Hannity sets up and then destroys is just a typical right wing tactic to obscure the real issue.

The real issue is that without health insurance, tens of millions of Americans have to forego medical care until their condition is so bad that an emergency room visit is required. Moreover, without health insurance, the uninsured forego a myriad of preventive tests and procedures designed to catch disease early and enable effective treatment: annual check-ups for children and adults, breast cancer x-rays, colonoscopies, tests for diabetes, etc.

Finally, those without health insurance inevitably forego visits to health professionals for lesser ailments. If left professionally untreated, these ailments won't kill the uninsured, but failing to treat these ailments causes much needless pain and suffering.

In short: if someone isn't dropping dead in the street, then that's good enough for Sean Hannity.


Is this the next Rush Limbaugh?

[NetxMan]

You know Drimzer all I hear you do on these boards is complain and complain. Much like your liberal political friends that you praise so much. But I never hear a breath of solution or idea from you.

Yet you wonder why your party and type is losing its base here in American. Maybe its because all we hear is your whining and crying wolf. But rarely do I ever see anything but rhetoric without the least bit of solution offered.

[The Man]

Originally posted by NetxMan
You know Drimzer all I hear you do on these boards is complain and complain. Much like your liberal political friends that you praise so much. But I never hear a breath of solution or idea from you.

Yet you wonder why your party and type is losing its base here in American. Maybe its because all we hear is your whining and crying wolf. But rarely do I ever see anything but rhetoric without the least bit of solution offered.

Well, now his/our "type" listens to nothing but bashing, bashing, bashing on every talk show medium in this country against the liberals. Hundreds of hours each week! That's all on the LIBERAL MEDIA (chuckle, chuckle)! Rush started that rumor and made it stick.

And you have a problem with our personal expression? Guess you need 100% of the media including this board? And how does this address this thread?

Since you mentioned it. . . . .part of the solution is a fair and balanced media reporting the facts instead of complete RIGHT-WING brainwashing, i.e. You've heard the old saying, "if you tell a lie often enough, people will believe it."

FOX News, Mr. Druggie, (Don't forget, "his "Talent on loan from God") I would say talent through opioids. The no spinner O'Rielly, (yea right. What he said has to be correct. Afterall it came through his lips and if you try to argue he'll cut you off and yell at you!) The new Rush, Sean Hannity that is, the babbling idiot Ann Coulter, the Savage Nation, the one who pretends to have a doctorate and doesn't, et al.

What really tickles me is that everyone of these conservatives have the same talking points. For those willing just to be spoon fed information without ever really doing any reading or thinking themselves, this information is god's truth. . . .gospel!

I could go on but I think you hit the wrong subject in this thread. . .

Anyway back to the thread . . . . . . . .

[Captain America]

Hannity is just another Ann Coulter except with testacles.

[DRMIZER]

Whoa. . . . . . . . Never thought of Hannity having any but, you could be right!

[Eric]

You sure about that?:)

I think Hannity is the next Rush. At least he's clearly heading down the same path. Rush has become a figure of aspiration to these people and following his footsteps seems to be protocol. Should only be a matter of time. I wonder which drug Hannity is addicted to?

[DRMIZER]

I couldn't possibly agree with you more! Isn't it a shame, like Rush, pretty boy never donned a service uniform before telling all of us how it is. . . . . . . .or O'Rielly. . . . . .

And they never personally covered a war zone so all they know about war is what the movies show them. At least we have brilliant right-wing reporters to tell us what to think about war.

[Simon666]

Originally posted by NetxMan
You know Drimzer all I hear you do on these boards is complain and complain. Much like your liberal political friends that you praise so much. But I never hear a breath of solution or idea from you.
What are your ideas and solutions to America? I'm new here, I'm curious.

[DRMIZER]

I'd like to hear them as well.

[steve_in_mich]

Originally posted by The Man
Well, now his/our "type" listens to nothing but bashing, bashing, bashing on every talk show medium in this country against the liberals. Hundreds of hours each week! That's all on the LIBERAL MEDIA (chuckle, chuckle)! Rush started that rumor and made it stick.

And you have a problem with our personal expression? Guess you need 100% of the media including this board? And how does this address this thread?



Oh come on this is so ridiculously blown out of proportion - I'm so sick of hearing that conservative media has taken over.

Do CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC bash liberals? (Personally I don't think Fox in general does either but I leave them out of it for now).

Many of the conservative talk shows on the radio are hosted by people who have been doing this in one form or another for a long, long time. It's not like someone just happened to go out and hire all these people because they wanted to push a conservative agenda. If they don't get ratings they will be gone.

Netxman didn't tell DRMIZER to shut up, just that it would be nice to hear an idea once in a while.

It's interesting that Netxman didn't 'bash' DRMIZER at all, but expressed an opinion and yet you consider this unacceptable. Hmmm, maybe now I understand how this all gets blown out of proportion - you guys can't stand to be challenged on anything, even your lack of ideas or solutions.

[JD3]

I will say this: I can't watch much of Hannity. I saw him talking to some poor research who was complaining about or governments practice of selling weapons that we later have to deal with. He was trying to explain his point while Hannity just kept pounding the question, "Why do you hate America?" The researcher was confused and dumbfounded. This was a clear red herring and the logic of the question didn't follow either. Not only is this conservative bias, but it is poor journalism.

[DRMIZER]

Originally posted by steve_in_mich
Oh come on this is so ridiculously blown out of proportion - I'm so sick of hearing that conservative media has taken over.

Do CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC bash liberals? (Personally I don't think Fox in general does either but I leave them out of it for now).

Many of the conservative talk shows on the radio are hosted by people who have been doing this in one form or another for a long, long time. It's not like someone just happened to go out and hire all these people because they wanted to push a conservative agenda. If they don't get ratings they will be gone.

Netxman didn't tell DRMIZER to shut up, just that it would be nice to hear an idea once in a while.

It's interesting that Netxman didn't 'bash' DRMIZER at all, but expressed an opinion and yet you consider this unacceptable. Hmmm, maybe now I understand how this all gets blown out of proportion - you guys can't stand to be challenged on anything, even your lack of ideas or solutions.

Why should any news organization (to use your word "bash" liberals or conservatives?

No, these people jumped on the $$$$$ wagon. Interesting, we're challenging you and you have a problem with it. Where's that mirror, I left it here somewhere.

And whether anyone told me to shut up or not is a joke. As if. . . .:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Missouri Mule]

These talk show hosts are on the air because people want to listen to them. Right or wrong, many people do believe that the press has a significant left-wing bias and prefer to dwell on the negative. Each of us come away with some sense of what we personally believe as opposed to the mainstream press. Rush, Sean and others have tapped into this discontent with their programs. Why hasn't ANY left-win commentators succeeded? The answer may lie in the fact that the mainstream press is indeed liberal . There isn't any market for what already saturates the mainstream news.

I mean what red blooded American really wants to listen to someone trash the United States?

[JD3]

Originally posted by Missouri Mule
These talk show hosts are on the air because people want to listen to them. Right or wrong, many people do believe that the press has a significant left-wing bias and prefer to dwell on the negative. Each of us come away with some sense of what we personally believe as opposed to the mainstream press. Rush, Sean and others have tapped into this discontent with their programs. Why hasn't ANY left-win commentators succeeded? The answer may lie in the fact that the mainstream press is indeed liberal . There isn't any market for what already saturates the mainstream news.

I mean what red blooded American really wants to listen to someone trash the United States?

I am not sure that is completely true. Many listened to Liberal views in the seventies. There was a lot of discussion about what America wasn't doing well. This present phase is just a reaction to that. Eventually the pendulum will swing the other way again.

Reagan and his revolution did much harm to the whole idea of being liberal. Many people now acept as fact many things concerning "liberals" that simply aren't true. It is a fact that republicans tend to spend as much as democrates. The difference is often what they spend it on. They spend it on their pork as opposed to democrate pork.

But the label has been linked and breaking the stero-type is difficult. A lot of debate only spouts the language without any substantive proof.

These conservatives sell right now because they have successfully framed the debate. I give them credit. But it will, I believe, swing back again. That, I think, is the nature of things.

[steve_in_mich]

Originally posted by JD3
These conservatives sell right now because they have successfully framed the debate. I give them credit. But it will, I believe, swing back again. That, I think, is the nature of things.

Exactly! Much as I might like to think we're becoming a more conservative nation, I fully realize that this stuff just cycles.

[steve_in_mich]

Originally posted by DRMIZER

Interesting, we're challenging you and you have a problem with it. Where's that mirror, I left it here somewhere.


I don't have aproblem with it all, I'm just pointing out your exaggerations!

I notice that you didn't answer my question (big surprise). I'm not the one who stated that liberals are being bashed widespread in the media, I just challenged that they were and you obviously can't answer the question.

[DRMIZER]

Originally posted by steve_in_mich
I don't have aproblem with it all, I'm just pointing out your exaggerations!

I notice that you didn't answer my question (big surprise). I'm not the one who stated that liberals are being bashed widespread in the media, I just challenged that they were and you obviously can't answer the question.

Steve,
Don't be surprised that I don't respond to your challenges. You are an obsessive fighting semantical genius. You are over there and I am over here.

I find it useless to argue with one simply for arguments sake. It appears to me that THIS is the chanllenge for you. If you can't see the overall message I write and you simply wish to dissect the smaller bits of "exaggerations with which you have problems, this is useless. Have a nice life. :sleep:

[KWJams]

Originally posted by DRMIZER
Of all the people on Fox's roster, Sean Hannity, the co-host of Fox’s political talk show Hannity & Colmes, has been perhaps the most outspoken in his distaste for celebrities getting involved in politics. He enthusiastically supports boycotts against "spoiled brats" in Hollywood who opposed the war and accuses them of ignorance:

WOW! You almost made it through an entire paragraph without telling a fib. :lol:


The Man nails it ::::::You've heard the old saying, "if you tell a lie often enough, people will believe it." ;)