CNN has a devastating article about Sean Hannity’s thin-skinned vindictiveness. It will surely get Hannity ranting and raving about the “jackasses” and/or “pipsqueaks” on CNN before long.
CNN’s Dylan Byers accurately describes Hannity when he says, “There is no room for dissent from his worldview.” Indeed, night after night Hannity puts forth the same, pro-Trump pundits. Last night, it was Laura Ingraham, Lou Dobbs, Corey Lewandowski and Herman Cain.
But tonight, we can expect Newt Gingrich. He seems to trade nights with Ingraham. I have joked on Twitter that maybe they are the same person. On Hannity, they may as well be. Along with Tomi Lahren, Michelle Malkin and maybe Pat Buchanan or Ann Coulter for “variety." Oh, yes, there may be one Democrat, such as tonight's Austan Goolsbee and/or a Muslim for Hannity to yell at. But, really, the only ways in which tonight's show will differ from any other night's show are in the specific details the crew will use to demonize Trump’s foes.
As Byers correctly notes, Hannity has “become downright conspiratorial” since Trump’s election:
He [Hannity] recently suggested that the CIA conducted "false flag" cyberattacks against Americans. He has embraced the idea that there is a "deep state" of federal officials working to undermine Trump from within government. He now calls the mainstream media the "propaganda press" and the "alt-left." When MSNBC's Rachel Maddow revealed two pages of Trump's 2005 tax documents on Tuesday night, Hannity dedicated an entire segment to what he described as "corporate jihad" by her employer, NBC.
Byers also points out that Hannity calls those who criticize Trump or himself a “jackass.” But I can confirm that “dumbass,” “idiot” and, in the case of CNN host and correspondent Brian Stelter “pipsqueak” are also pet terms. And when Rep. Keith Ellison called Hannity “a shill for the Republican Party,” Hannity struck back with two nights of racial attacks.
But none of that is as damning as Byers’ reporting that Hannity pulled a gun on liberal colleague Juan Williams:
Last year, after ending one of his many spirited on-air arguments with liberal contributor Juan Williams, Hannity pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at Williams, according to three sources with knowledge of the incident. He even turned on the laser sight, causing a red dot to bob around on Williams' body. (Hannity was just showing off, the sources said, but the unforeseen off-camera antic clearly disturbed Williams and others on set.)
For the record: Hannity's colleagues brought the Williams incident to the attention of Fox News executives, though it's not clear whether anything came of it. The sources said it went to Bill Shine, the network's co-president and longtime Fox News executive, who is Hannity's longtime friend and a former producer. A Fox News spokesperson said the incident was referred to the legal and human resources departments.
A Fox spokesperson provided statements to CNN from Hannity and Williams suggesting that it was all a friendly misunderstanding. Hannity claimed he was showing Williams his gun “for educational purposes only” and Williams said Hannity “put my safety and security above all else and we continue to be great friends.”
However I have not noticed Williams in the Hannity roster of usual guests lately.
For a taste of Hannity’s intolerance, watch him have a bullyboy meltdown in 2008 when a guest had the nerve to suggest that George W. Bush’s economy was in trouble, from the September 10, 2008 Hannity & Colmes. And do be sure to read Byers' entire article. Just so you know why Hannity will be calling him a "jackass" or "idiot" or something new before long.
Originally published at Newshounds.us
