Thursday, July 17, 2008

Barack Obama calls out Sean Hannity

Sean Hannity was recently singled out by Presidential candidate Obama in a recent interview for Glamour Magazine. For an opinion pundit this is an enviable coup. Apart from the traffic it generates towards Hannity's Television and Radio show, it puts him on equal footing with Obama who has essentially acknowledged and challenged the influential conservative star. Even if it's only in Hannity's own mind.

Below is the relevant passage from Glamour Magazine - Barack Obama tells Glamour: "Debate me, not Michelle" by guest blogger Cindi Leive
GLAMOUR: An AP poll shows that while the positive ratings on Michelle are higher than those of Cindy McCain, her negative ratings are higher as well. I'm curious about how as a husband that makes you feel. Does it mystify you? And what do you want to say to those Americans who don't know the woman that you know?

SENATOR OBAMA: It's infuriating, but it's not surprising, because let's face it: What happened was that the conservative press—Fox News and the National Review and columnists of every ilk—went fairly deliberately at her in a pretty systematic way...and treated her as the candidate in a way that you just rarely see the Democrats try to do against Republicans. And I've said this before: I would never have my campaign engage in a concerted effort to make Cindy McCain an issue, and I would not expect the Democratic National Committee or people who were allied with me to do it. Because essentially, spouses are civilians. They didn't sign up for this. They're supporting their spouse. So it took a toll. If you start being subjected to rants by Sean Hannity and the like, day in day out, that'll drive up your negatives.
Expect Sean to fire back at Obama and get as much mileage out of it for his shows. Hannity is already spending an inordinate amount of time on his "Stop Obama express". Hannity can make it personal now.

He has already begun challenging Obama to a debate. Expect Hannity to be more pointed in his badgering and challenge of Obama in the attempt to extend the perception of equal footing with the possible future President of the United States.
Watch Hannity's challenge here.

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