Hannity and Malkin Take on Garofalo, Maher and O'Donnell

Sean Hannity Wednesday took on the recent attacks against conservatives made by liberal entertainers Janeane Garofalo, Bill Maher, and Rosie O'Donnell as well as the hit cartoon series "Family Guy."

As NewsBusters reported Tuesday, Garofalo was on O'Donnell's radio show that day spouting disgusting invective aimed at a littany of conservatives including Hannity himself.

That evening, Maher was on "Larry King Live" calling Americans "not bright enough to really understand the issues." On Sunday, Fox's "Family Guy" attacked former Alaska governor Sarah Palin with a Down Syndrome joke.

With this in mind, Hannity brought conservative author Michelle Malkin on his Fox News program Wednesday to discuss unhinged liberals gone wild.

Possibly the best comment of the segment was when Malkin said of Garofalo and O'Donnell, "They should not be mixed together because what you get in the end is this bubbling cauldron of toxicity" (video embedded below the fold with transcript):

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: All right, these are dark days for the Democrats. The anointed one's popularity is crumbling and the party is bracing for what could be historic losses in the 2010 midterms.

Now as a result the left is launching a downright ugly campaign against anybody who dares to disagree with them here in America. And that is our headline this Wednesday night, "Unhinged."

Now liberals have long been held to a different standard than everyone else. Well, they can usually get away with saying, well, pretty much just about everything. And several attacks from the far left, though, in recent days have gone way beyond what we've heard in the past.

Now take for example actress Janeane Garofalo's comments about Elizabeth Hasselbeck on Rosie O'Donnell's radio show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANEANE GAROFALO, ACTRESS: It's clear to me that she is anti- intellectual. She is not a -- compassionate person. Sure she can cry if the person reminds her of herself.

ROSIE O'DONNELL, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Right.

GAROFALO: And her ridiculous take on religion which is not about being inclusive. Not about giving of one's self. You know she prefers the punishing God. And the --

O'DONNELL: Right. Not very pious --

GAROFALO: No, no, no.

O'DONNELL: Christ-like.

GAROFALO: That's because she's just a very limited person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Wow. And it didn't stop there. O'Donnell and Garofalo then decided to go after, well, little old me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GAROFALO: Sometimes like when you meet Sean Hannity, you think oh, I think he doesn't know he's lying.

O'DONNELL: Yes.

GAROFALO: Some people like the -- in the "FOX and Friends" morning deutschbags, the "FOX and Friends?"

O'DONNELL: Yes.

GAROFALO: Real, really limited. You can just see it when you go on the show. Don't make that mistake, don't do that, but --

O'DONNELL: No, I won't.

GAROFALO: I won't do it again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Ah, and they're such geniuses. But O'Donnell and Garofalo, they're not the only ones on the attack. Here's what Bill Maher had to say about great Americans, about you last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL MAHER COMEDIAN: What the Democrats never understand is that the Americans don't really care what position you take, just stick with one. Just be strong. They are not bright enough to really understand the issues, but like an animal, they can sort of sense strength.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: All right, now, clearly left wingers are getting more and more vicious now that their backs are against the wall. And one of their favorite targets, of course is -- Governor Sarah Palin.

However, as we saw with the David Letterman incident liberals don't attack the governor on her policies, instead they go after her family.

Now take for example this clip from a recent episode of the "Family Guy."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you going to be this rude all evening? You haven't asked me anything about myself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, sorry. So what do your parents do?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's better. My dad is an accountant and my mom is the former governor of Alaska.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: All right, pretty despicable. And joining me now in studio with reaction, to all of this is the author of the number one "New York Times" best-seller, "Culture of Corruption," Michelle Malkin.

We love having you in studio.

MICHELLE MALKIN, "THE CULTURE OF CORRUPTION" AUTHOR: I am so glad to be here in person.

HANNITY: Why are you taller than me?

MALKIN: I've got a box here.

(LAUGHTER)

MALKIN: A gold plated box.

HANNITY: I want a gold plated box. Rush has a gold plated microphone. I want one. By the way, it's great to see you.

This -- look, I don't care what people say about me. We were talking about this in the green room. I don't care, it's over, I don't read it, I don't care.

I do care, though, when Americans are attacked. The American people - - they deserve better than what Bill Maher said or what was said about them by leading Democrats. That bothers me. What they say about Governor Palin's family bothers me.

Your thoughts.

MALKIN: Well, these are left wing moldy oldies who have nothing better to do than carp about their political opponents. It's been five years since I wrote "Unhinged: Liberals Gone Wild," all the same cast of characters -- Bill Maher, Rosie O'Donnell, Janeane Garofalo -- snarling at people with whom they disagree.

And as you mentioned, it's the viciousness of the ad homonem attacks. And there is Rosie O'Donnell and Janeane Garofalo using the worst kind of language.

HANNITY: Yes.

MALKIN: We heard the epithets. And then to sit on their high horses and talk about other people not being pious and Christ-like.

HANNITY: Yes, it's amazing the level of hatred towards FOX. Now the guys on "FOX and Friends" are friends of mine. No pun intended.

(LAUGHTER)

HANNITY: But why do you think there's such antipathy towards this news channel?

MALKIN: Because they have no answer to the breaking news, the investigative stories, the insight, the analysis, the policy discussions that take place every day on this channel. And you know, we always joke about FOX News derangement syndrome.

And of course you can apply that to every other major success of a political opposition and dissent. And we've seen that with Sarah Palin as well obviously.

HANNITY: Conservative women are attacked more than anybody else or any other group. You have been attacked viciously. Elizabeth Hasselbeck is a friend of mine. Governor Palin is a friend of mine.

It particularly disturbs me that women are viciously attacked in the worst way. Attacking their looks. Attacking their children. Why is there open season on conservative women?

MALKIN: Well, for one thing, I think that feminists feel that conservative women have betrayed them. That it is the ultimate betrayal to stand up for free market principles, to be for life, and to do so unapologetically, which of course all of the conservative women that you've talked about do.

But you know, you can look on something like Google images and see these slimy Photoshops, the sexism, the racism.

HANNITY: It's horrible.

MALKIN: That oozes out. I think it's very useful. I think it's very useful to point it out, to hold up a mirror and bounce it back at them. And it tells you something that these are the people who wag their fingers at you and me and the rest of us --

HANNITY: And if I said it, we would be excoriated.

MALKIN: Of course! And it exposes all sorts of double standards. And I think if there are any honest progressives out there that they would be condemning it. Occasionally you do get that and I've had some strange bedfellows defend me against the worst kind of slime but it's rare.

HANNITY: Yes.

MALKIN: It's the exception, not the rule.

HANNITY: There was an NBC host particularly recently was vicious towards you. And I know you can handle it. And I know Elizabeth Hasselbeck can handle it. It's not the point, though. If a conservative did it, there'll be calls for us to be fired.

Here's my question, though. There was attack on religion.

MALKIN: Yes.

HANNITY: If you are a Christian, same thing? Open season?

MALKIN: Yes. That's right. And yet -- again, while these people condemn the intolerance of their political opponents, look who is demonstrating the worst kind of intolerance the language that they use particularly against Rush in that segment.

HANNITY: Rush, yes.

MALKIN: With these two women. They are like unstable compounds. They should not be mixed together because what you get in the end is this bubbling cauldron of toxicity.

HANNITY: Could you -- that is great. Can you --

(LAUGHTER)

HANNITY: That was very well said. All right. I read on "Breitbart" today and it was on "The Drudge Report," apparently the Clinton, and James Carville, according to this report, are planning to go after the organizers of the tea party movement.

Now you're as in touch with the tea party movement. The blogosphere more than anybody I know. But to target individuals that are speaking out, investigate their backgrounds and try and get stuff on them.

MALKIN: Yes. It certainly seems plausible. I know that the story didn't cite specific sources but it's certainly in line with the Clinton attack machine. And we've seen over several weeks that they're rolling out all of these Astroturf campaigns against the tea party movement to bring it down.

Craig Varoga who's this paid Democrat consultant putting up these fake grassroots groups now.

HANNITY: I have one last question. I have one last question. Are you concerned that the tea party movement -- like they're going to have a third party candidate in Nevada. Now I supported Doug Hoffman in the New York 23rd. I am concerned that they may split the conservative vote in some races.

Does that concern you?

MALKIN: Well, here's what I think about third parties. I support third parties that will help push the Republican Party to be committed to its core principles. And that's what happened in New York 23. The conservative party called the Republican Party moderates and sell-outs to the carpet.

You know, in general, I have always supported Republican Party candidates who adhere to core principles.

HANNITY: Conservative values, yes.

MALKIN: But you know in my past, in my young dalliances, I voted for Harry Brown for president, but I guess it was one of my secrets that I'm going to expose.

HANNITY: Young dalliances?

(LAUGHTER)

HANNITY: Young dalliances? All right, Michelle, it's always great to have -- welcome to New York. It's always good to have you on the show.

MALKIN: Thanks. Great to see you.

HANNITY: We appreciate you being here.

Notice how Hannity and Malkin were able to discuss their foes without invective OR ad hominems?