Hannity Scores With Dishonest Setups

by Steve Young

One of Sean Hannity's tried- and- true weapons is to accuse "The Mainstream Media" of bias and presenting only news that bolsters the left. In effect, cherry-picking information to make a case that is anti-Republican. Anti-Bush.

After his fact-finding trip this past week, Senator Joe Lieberman, spoke positively of the war and the progress being made in Iraq. Sean spoke of it too, but wanted to know why the mainstream media was not talking about it. In fact, this was just another reason why the "New Media" (Right-wing talk radio, blogs, Fox News, et al) needs to exist. And another reason why you have to listen to Sean three hours a day (and one hour on TV).

I have long been a disciple of the "Sean Hannity mistrusts his fans with the truth" notion. One that purports that if he actually gave them all the facts -- or any facts at all -- they wouldn't believe the way he wants them to. In the old days that might have been called "lying." Today they call it "New Media." Even when plying in the truth you rarely get more than 50 percent of it. And 50 percent of the truth is no truth at all.

On the Monday following Lieberman's comments here is how some of the Mainstream Media ignored it:

The Associated Press: Lieberman 'Encouraged' by Iraq Visit
United Press International: Lieberman says Iraq still needs U.S. help
ABC News: Lieberman 'Encouraged' by Iraq Visit

Here's how The Far Left media didn't cover Lieberman's comments:

CNN: (Covering Lieberman while in Iraq) Lieberman: Failure in Iraq would be 'catastrophic'
Washington Post: Lieberman 'Encouraged' by Iraq Visit
Los Angeles Times: Lieberman: U.S. to Finish Iraq Mission

And the entire morning and early afternoon that Sean said the Mainstream Media refused to note the Lieberman story, on the top of the hour news, Los Angeles's Progressive Talk (as in Liberal/left wing/etc) station, KTLK, AM1150, made Lieberman's comments the lead story.

That might be enough to drown out Sean's unsubstantiated blather, but I ain't given up on this one yet. The following coup de gras is way to good to ignore. But let's have a little fun. What "New Media" do you think printed this?

U.S. military weighs troop cuts in Iraq...Political progress

Senator Joseph Lieberman said on Wednesday in Baghdad that he was encouraged by the political progress in Iraq. Lieberman, who arrived Wednesday to spend Thanksgiving with U.S. troops, told Iraq's prime minister that American forces will remain in Iraq until their mission is complete, despite growing unease in Congress about the conflict. "We cannot let extremists and terrorists, a small number, here in Iraq deprive the 27 million Iraqis of what they want which is a better freer life, safer life for themselves and their children," Lieberman said after his meeting Wednesday with Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari. The Connecticut Democrat, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the cost of success in Iraq would be high "but the cost for America of failure in Iraq would be catastrophic -- for America, for the Iraqi people and I believe for the world."

Wait for it. Wait for it. Ready? Da-da-da-da-da-dah...it was Al Jazeera. Yikes! In fact, I believe it might be the same Al Jazeera that the President thought about bombing.

The seeming info above proves that either Sean lied or he decided to slander without first doing the research. I wonder which one most honors his audience. BUZ-Z-Z-Z! Time's up. NEITHER!

Knee-jerk accusations of them bad, we good whether it's true or not are Sean's stock in trade. Giving them up would be like giving up his gorgeous hair He'd never be able to show up in public without it.

But since Sean said that the reason you must listen to his show is to get what the Mainstream Media doesn't give you, and since now we find that the MM is actually giving it to you, perhaps there's no more reason to listen. I think the answer is obvious, then again, I don't have 12 million listeners that I have no faith in.