To be knave or brave? The choice tortures Hannity
They used to call this “writing checks with your mouth that you lack the guts to cash.” I don’t know what they call it now, but I’m sure they still have a term for it.
If they don’t, “pulling a Hannity” might be a candidate.
NEW YORK (AP) — The debate over torture is getting personal for two of cable TV’s prime-time hosts.
After Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity made a seemingly impromptu offer last week to undergo waterboarding as a benefit for charity, MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann leapt at it. He offered $1,000 to the families of U.S. troops for every second Hannity withstood the technique.
Olbermann repeated the offer on Monday’s show and said in an interview Tuesday that he’s heard no response. He said he’ll continue to pursue it.
“I don’t think he has the courage to even respond to this – let alone do it,” Olbermann said.
Fox News Channel representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
The two men are on opposite poles of a debate that has preoccupied the worlds of talk TV and radio. Hannity says waterboarding is a fair and necessary interrogation technique for suspected terrorists; Olbermann calls it torture, says it’s ineffective and should not be done by Americans.
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161 comments Add your comment
Kamchak
April 29th, 2009
5:48 pm
Waterboarding is torture. It shouldn’t be done to anyone.
Midori
April 29th, 2009
6:13 pm
oh come on, Kamchak — REAL torture is listening to Rush and Hannity’s loud mouth bolivating drivel.
Redneck Convert
April 29th, 2009
6:14 pm
Well, I just know old Sean will take the dare. Real Conservatives back up what they say with action. I only hope he don’t drown. Then I don’t know what I’d do with the hour of time I spend watching him and the two hours listening to him on the radio. But I know he wouldn’t welch on the bet. It’s just a little water.
Kamchak
April 29th, 2009
6:15 pm
Midori
Real torture is not being able to listen to Coltrane, Monk, Ellington, Davis, Armstrong….
I Report/ You Whine
April 29th, 2009
6:20 pm
Sean- Count to sixty and you will exceed Blowberman’s advertising revenue for an entire month.
His two viewers will have to pitch in to keep him on the air.
Susan Myers
April 29th, 2009
6:21 pm
Oh, Sheyawn Insanity…is there nothing taboo you can’t p*ss on?
If he had any stones, he’d do it and admit he’s wrong, especially since he brought the good name of our troops into it by “donating” any proceeds. Seriously, he’s just like his heroes: gutless and clearly not a patriot.
How many of the following people saw combat time, which lended to their clear thinking:
* George Bush
* Dick Cheney
* Scooter Libby
* Karl Rove
* Paul Wolfowitz
* Don Rumsfeld
* Ron Pearl
* Condoleezza Rice
* Sean Hannity
* Bill O’Reilly
Wow, what a shock: a list full of war-hawks and not a single veteran among them. Some on that list are more responsible than others for the proliferation of false propoganda that led to our invasion of a non-threatening sovereign nation…as such they should be tried for war crimes in The Hague.
Boink
April 29th, 2009
6:23 pm
Kudos to Midori! Took the words right out of my mouth. Hanity is such a charlatan……
I Report/ You Whine
April 29th, 2009
6:26 pm
In the Chicago metropolitan area, unemployment rose from 9.2 percent in February to 9.4 perecnt in March, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Among regions with a population of 1 million or more, the Detroit area, home to the struggling titans of the auto industry, had the worst March unemployment figure with 14 percent.
democrat mayors and high tax rates, great combination, eh?
I Report/ You Whine
April 29th, 2009
6:28 pm
Wow, what a shock: a list full of war-hawks and not a single veteran among them.
Hey, don’t forget barak Obozo!
Paul
April 29th, 2009
6:28 pm
Watching the clip, I was surprised Hannity accepted, then it was a somber discussion when the other fellow said “no, not necessary” and the reasons he gave. They were both consistent – Hannity, in favor, willing; the other guy, opposed, and he would not do it, even to Hannity under such circumstances.
Then it gets theatrical. Sigh. Here comes Olbermann with his “me too!! me too!!’ schtick. He comes across as the guy on the outside who wants to grab the microphone after the big announcement and make it all about him. Sigh.
But the first fellow, the one talking to Hannity, brightly illustrates how he has principles and Olbermann doesn’t:
The first fellow is opposed to waterboarding and will not do it, even to Hannity for charity.
Olbermann is ‘opposed’ to waterboarding. Period. Not to jihadists, not to save lives, not under any circumstances. Wants to prosecute others who were involved. But he’ll make an exception for civilian Hannity. And justify it for charity. But he won’t do it himself, oh no, he’ll hand it off to Blackwater-type mercenaries.
So now Olbermann’s in the “No waterboarding, except for this…” camp.
Hypocrisy doesn’t begin to describe it.
@@
April 29th, 2009
6:30 pm
Pundits creating a little war of their very own. Kinda silly to me.
ByteMe from downstairs:
Obama is backing Turkey over Europe and why @@ is supporting this strategy when she won’t support most anything else Obama is doing.
You would prefer Iran as the region’s power broker?
Turkey has a stand-up military. They serve as a nice counterweight to Russia AND Iran.
Old Europe is on the decline. Turkey is on the rise.
Why does Europe complain about the U.S.? Because they see us as a young and reckless nation. Why should that bother them? Because it often puts them on the defensive. Can they defend themselves? NO! For that we are a necessary (you would say evil). I would say ally.
Since I’m on jury duty this week, I’ve had a lot of idle time to read Friedman’s “Next 100 Years” — fascinating stuff. The psychology of nations and the impact it has on geopolitics.
And what makes you think that’s the only thing Obama’s doing that I support? I support his continuation of Bush’s policies in Iraq. I do not, however, support his policy on Afghanistan which I believe puts me at odds with other conservatives.
Paul
April 29th, 2009
6:30 pm
Susan Myers 6:21
You forgot to list Pres Obama, VP Biden and Keith Olbermann.
AmVet
April 29th, 2009
6:31 pm
Waterboarding Pretty Boy?
You gotta be kidding me.
The Coiffed One wouldn’t want to break a nail.
Besides, he always seem the type that was more into golden showers.
He’s your typical pussified, chest-pounding chickenhawk that shucked and grinned for BotchCo’s Crusades.
Susan the list of those in the GOP “leadership” who had “priorities other than military service” is extensive. Think of every neo-con of the past 25 years. Chances are very high, not one served in uniform…
Susan Myers
April 29th, 2009
6:35 pm
Paul @ 6:30,
I never forget.
Paul
April 29th, 2009
6:35 pm
Let me clarify my 6:28
Keith Olbermann supports waterboarding.
Spin it any way you want, it’s a fact.
The Bush Administration, at least, limited it to a few jihadists in order to quickly fill in a ten-year deficit of knowledge.
Olbermann’s been on a consistent “no, never, it’s unAmerican, opposed to our values” streak ever since.
But now, he’s in favor of waterboarding in some circumstances.
Game, set and match.
Second sports analogy today. But it’s for sports announcer Olbermann. And it fits.
Paul
April 29th, 2009
6:37 pm
Susan Myers
Glad to hear it. Kinda thought maybe their lack of military time clouded their thinking on sending tens of thousands more troops into the meat grinder of Afghanistan. Or of keeping tens of thousands in Iraq. Well, at least VP Biden argued against the Afg policy change. Too bad he lost.
I Report/ You Whine
April 29th, 2009
6:42 pm
All the moonbat hysterics so quickly tossed to the wayside, does it stop the moonbats from gurgling up some new ones?
On Obama’s watch, defense contractor KBR Inc., a former subsidiary of Cheney’s Haliburton, was “awarded” a $35.4 million contract to design and construct a convoy support center at Camp Adder in Iraq despite that it is under criminal investigation in the electrocution deaths of at least two U.S. soldiers.
bwa
@@
April 29th, 2009
6:42 pm
Keith Olbermann supports waterboarding.
Obviously! and to compete for ratings no less.
Odd little fella, Olbermann.
American Goth
April 29th, 2009
6:48 pm
You folks are fools. Mewling children.
“Torture”. Huh.
I’ve been waterboarded.
More than once.
Never knew how long it was going to last.
Part of my military training.
No blood.
No broken bones.
No real pain.
Pretty uncomfortable, though.
I’ve seen torture. The Mujahdeen use torture a lot. They don’t waterboard, though. They enjoy inflicting pain, and waterboarding doesn’t do it. Not enough screaming to satisfy the Mullahs. No screaming, in fact. No pain.
If waterboarding is torture, then I am being tortured every time I visit the local coffeehouse and have to listen to the Lib at the next table pontificating about how “good” Obama’s policies “feel”.
Equal levels of discomfort there.
Midori
April 29th, 2009
6:56 pm
Besides, he always seem the type that was more into golden showers.
;lol;
Midori
April 29th, 2009
6:57 pm
Paul,
more clarity: Keith supports waterboarding Hannity.
another reason I love him so much.
N.J,
April 29th, 2009
6:58 pm
Sorry, KBR ANNOUNCED it was awarded that contract on January 28th, 2009. The contract had been awarded weeks earlier in the last weeks of the Bush Administration, before Obama was inaugurated. The contract award process was 99 percent complete before Congress went out of session in late November.
The Bush Appointee, Preston “Pete” Geren, approved the award of the contract, and justified it to Congressmen asking for investigations into why KBR got the award:
In a letter sent last month, Army Secretary Pete Geren told Rep. Carol Shea-Porter that KBR got the new contract because the Army Corps of Engineers felt KBR had performed well on other jobs. Geren also said KBR was the only contractor to submit a proposal, and was not on a government list of debarred companies
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/congress/42814522.html?
Chris Salzmann
April 29th, 2009
7:00 pm
Totally agree JB. Hannity’s mouth is writing checks his guts can’t cash. They don’t call them chickenhawks for nothing. I like that comment about Hannity and him liking golden showers. ROFLMAO
jon
April 29th, 2009
7:01 pm
George Bush served in the military. He was subject to being deployed to a combat zone just like any other member of the armed forces. And he flew a fighter aircraft – not a desk.
Chris Salzmann
April 29th, 2009
7:02 pm
Nice catch N.J. Whiner just loves to leave out the fine print…..just like his other ilk.
I Report/ You Whine
April 29th, 2009
7:03 pm
Mad Harris- Who is in charge of Congress and funds defense spending?
moron
Paul
April 29th, 2009
7:03 pm
Midori
All kidding aside: it demonstrates, as has been noted, how a commentator/entertainer will quickly set aside a previously inviolate moral stance when it serves his ratings. Or when it’s about someone he doesn’t like.
I know, it’s easy to laugh it off because it involves Sean Hannity. But the bottom line is: Olbermann just came out as an advocate of waterboarding. And according to his own words, the circumstances, the need, does not matter.
So much for morals, so much for principles.
jon
April 29th, 2009
7:05 pm
After the time I heard Olberman say that he never injects his own opinions into his stories, I knew he was not to be taken seriously.
Midori
April 29th, 2009
7:05 pm
oh Jon, please.
once you go AWOL out of fear of failing a drug test, it’s all downhill from there.
and wasn’t those “fighter aircraft” obsolete?
what was he protecting? his stash?
Paul
April 29th, 2009
7:06 pm
NJ
The Obama Administration could have vacated the contract. There would have been penalties, but they could have done it.
But they’re not campaigning and scoring points any more. They have to deal with the same reality as the Bush Administration – KBR’s about the only player in town.
The more things change…
StarBucks
April 29th, 2009
7:08 pm
Looking behind the scenes. First of all I could no more advocate the unilateral use of “torture” than I could justify the Spanish Inquisition. What is wrong and immoral is its own literal translation: “it is what it is”. No tongue twisting excerpts can change its meaning.
We as Americans are better than that.
I also believe that if we didn’t have such a military presence all over the world we would be much better off. Starting with Saudi Arabia. You could also argue that taking the finger out of Cuba’s eye by removing the troops from Guantanamo bay might have resolved the cold war tensions decades ago…(Put a giant Wallmart there and open up the gate).I don’t have a clue why we still have a large military presence in Germany. Didn’t the war end in 1945? WTF….
I mean people we have Nukes really big ones….We should never go to war unless the entire country is called upon and then there is pure hell to pay for the other side. These pentagon “play wars” are lunacy and divisive to our culture.
Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Bush1 & 2 all played with fire and we got burnt.
We must start thinking outside the box and in a global matter when conducting foreign policy and our militarism, what worked in 1953 might just be a tad bit outdated in 2009…..
jon
April 29th, 2009
7:09 pm
Point set and match to Paul.
There are circumstances where Olberman supports waterboarding – just not when national security is involved.
Midori
April 29th, 2009
7:10 pm
two words, Paul: Bunnatine Greenhouse
Midori
April 29th, 2009
7:13 pm
if Shawn Hannity isn’t a threat to national security, I don’t know who is.
jon
April 29th, 2009
7:14 pm
Midori,
Where oh where do you get your history?
Bush’s military record is easy to find and read. Rumors and lies advanced by MoveOn.org aren’t facts.
Nevertheless he served in the military. Revisionist history from left wing nutjobs shot down by facts once again.
Members of the National Guard don’t appreciate your insult of their service.
Dusty
April 29th, 2009
7:16 pm
This is a subject for debate? Hannity, a radio and TV entertainer, making a farce of waterboarding is worth one minute of discussion? Bookman is beleaguered.
All you suckers fell for the foolishment of entertainers. Maybe that is why we have a president for entertainment. The elected one is a magician. He can make money disappear into debt faster than you can wink an eye. Now watch someone say “Tell me exactly where you got those facts!!”
OK, you win. There is no national debt. Obama has not added trillions. OK??
N.J,
April 29th, 2009
7:20 pm
Hannity has a long history of making similar offers and not following through or staging completely controlled events.
Hannity also has a prime place on the New Hampshire Gazettes “Chickenhawk” database as do virtually all right wing talk show hosts. Brit Hume, Michael Medved, Bill O’Reilly,Michael Reagan, Matt Drudge and many others all appear on the list of those brave men who bravely did whatever it took to avoid military service. I would include Rush Limbuagh, but his medical condition while derided by many, is a very serious and sometimes fatal condition.
Paul
April 29th, 2009
7:20 pm
Midori 7:10
Oh yeah. I also read about a guy in Defense Finance – rather high up – who wasn’t going to pay KBR on a contract as they couldn’t produce (statutory required) confirmation that they’d even done the work. He was threatened with his job. He paid, waited a couple years, retired, then went public.
It stinks.
But now the Obama Administration’s dealing with them. They’ll have their reasons, but they’re dealing. They need to call in McCain for some bipartisanship and get some of those reforms done.
Susan Myers
April 29th, 2009
7:24 pm
Looks like Sheyawn Hannity was lying to Grodin and his viewers about getting waterboarded for charity. He had very little integrity before and his lack of response to his offer just eroded it further. Like Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, Hannity is just another right wing fraud who talks a big game but has no follow-up.
On The View today, Hasselbeck was defending her guy Hannity about this waterboarding stuff. Behar challenged Hannity to honor his offer and Hasselbeck got all whiny, saying that Hannity didn’t have to do it because he already gives money to the troops through his Freedom Concerts. She is deliberately choosing to ignore what Hannity said he’d do and she’s gone into defend Hannity at any cost mode…even if it makes her look like a partisan apologist. Guess she thinks Hannity shouldn’t have to honor his word.
TnGelding
April 29th, 2009
7:24 pm
Susan Myers
April 29th, 2009
6:21 pm
Bush guarded Texas and the west coast during the Vietnam war before deserting for Harvard Business School after UT had the good judgment to deny his application to law school.
Hannity will donate a million to the troops to get Keith off of his back.
It’s not torture when done for training purposes when you know it’s waterboarding. And it wouldn’t be torture to Hannity.
To think using torture would make U.S. troops more susceptible is naive. Certainly our enemy number one has no qualms about using it.
AmVet
April 29th, 2009
7:29 pm
Midori, I always like the bumper sticker that showed W with his foolish grin and said, I liked him better when he was a smackhead.
OK, so the guy did coke, other drugs, drank like a fish and screwed everything he could that had a skirt on.
So what? Tons of guys back then did.
And so what that he used his daddy’s connections to jump to the front of the line to get into the Texas ANG to avoid getting drafted.
Again, tons of guys used every trick, legal or otherwise, they could to avoid going to that clusterf&ck in the jungle.
Most of us never faulted them.
That he essentially disappeared while in Alabama to stump for some GOP hack is altogether a different story. But what the hell, he got away with it.
Excluding that last fact, which probably should have earned him a less than honorable discharge, all of the above is not the issue. And whether guys like him served at all is not the issue.
To be continued…
Susan Myers
April 29th, 2009
7:30 pm
The one thousand per second offer is brilliant…one minute, sixty grand for military families, that’s a lot of dough even for Keith Olbermann. What’s the matter, Sheyawn…do you hate our soldiers? It’s only water.
Olbermann needs to insist on a wide-shot, though. One of the effects of waterboarding is loss of bladder control.
TnGelding
April 29th, 2009
7:32 pm
Dusty
April 29th, 2009
7:16 pm
He neeeds to be a magician and a miracle worker to get out of the mess Bush left. The money is being created out of paper and is not disappearing. It’s being spent on everything under the sun because the wealthy have gone into a fetal position and big business thinks the way to get out of a recession is to fire workers after outsourcing jobs because they weren’t showing enough profit.
Paul
April 29th, 2009
7:32 pm
Susan Myers
So now another ultralib, Joy Behar, supports waterboarding in certain circumstances.
The list keeps growing.
Thanks for the tip -
Midori
April 29th, 2009
7:32 pm
oh can it Jon: I happen to be a veteran.
and I know SCORES who have nothing but disdain for that drunken fool of a loser.
Paul
April 29th, 2009
7:33 pm
Susan Myers
Looks like from your last post we can change our list of “those who formerly opposed waterboarding under any circumstance but now approve of it” to
Keith Olbermann
Joy Behar
Susan Myers
Midori
April 29th, 2009
7:37 pm
Paul,
in Hannity’s case, you can go ahead and add me to your list as well.
what are you doing? channeling Corporal?
American Goth
April 29th, 2009
7:39 pm
TnGelding, it’s not torture period. It’s just uncomfortable. Knowing that it’s training doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable. It still gives the sensation of drowning, without the risk.
Nothing listed in the CIA report qualifies as torture.
Uncomfortable, yes.
Embarrassing, yes.
Frightening, yes.
Torture, no.
I guess, as usual with you Libs, it comes down to “feelings”, not facts.
Or would one of you care to provide a clear legal definition of torture?
Not what you “believe” it is.
Not what you “think” it is.
Not what you “feel” it is.
What the actual legal definition is.
I have to go to work soon. Have fun.
Susan Myers
April 29th, 2009
7:39 pm
This just in -
Sheyawn Hannity has changed his mind from being waterboarded for charity to having a deluxe salon facial for charity instead.
Susan Myers
April 29th, 2009
7:44 pm
Perhaps a compromise can be reached. Instead of waterboarding, have Limbaugh sit on Hannity’s face. If he can handle that, I would concede he could deal with waterboarding.