Thou Sayest, Hannity
Dig these interview transcripts from Sean Hannity's landmark two-part interview with one-time kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart and her father:
HANNITY: To help you cope during that difficult period, how did you cope? Did you think of your family? What — how did you get through that time?
ELIZABETH SMART, SURVIVED KIDNAPPING: You know, my parents, the way they brought me up, the LDS faith, and, you know, I am so thankful. That helped me so much, and because ever since I was a little tiny girl, my dad would come in and say, "OK, Elizabeth, let's say your private prayers." He'd kneel down next to me and I would pray.
And so even though he wasn't there to come and kneel down next to me, I kept praying, and there wasn't a day that didn't go by that I didn't think of my family. And I didn't know when I would see them again, but I knew that I would see them again one day and that, you know, we would be a family forever.
HANNITY: Do you want to know what happened?
ED SMART, FATHER: I don't need to know. You know, I know enough, and that's more than enough to me…
HANNITY: In the overall — I want to talk about one day in particular. It's the day after nine long months that you got reunited with your dad. Tell us about that day.
ELIZABETH SMART: You know, it was such a great day. And I was so happy to see my family. And you know, when I got to the police station they're like, oh, you can't see your family yet. And it was the best thing to just come into the room and just have my mom come and, like, sweep me up in a big hug and then all my brothers and just — and my little sister, you know, it was just truly the greatest moment of my life.
HANNITY: Could you — what was it like — you're tearing up. I know how you feel.
ED SMART: You know, it was — I remember seeing her on that sofa and just thinking, you know, dear Lord…
HANNITY: Miracles happen.
ED SMART: Yes. Is that really her?
HANNITY: Can you look at the picture of her from that day, covered? Did you ever see that picture?
ELIZABETH SMART: Yes.
HANNITY: When you think of that, what do you think of?
ELIZABETH SMART: I try not to think of it.
That's it: All the detail Fox's beefy-yet-swishy toughguy star is willing to get on the long-forgotten case.
Now, I don't really feel like seeing Elizabeth Smart raked over the coals on TV. But nobody's forcing her to be there, so why not ask some real questions instead of these marshmallows? Smart's nine-month ordeal, not to mention the weird circumstances of her recovery, were decidedly different from the version they're giving here, and to the extent that this case still has any interest, shouldn't any decent interviewer be asking about that? Was she really "brainwashed" or was Brian Doherty correct when he dismissed that theory back in 2003? What's up with the photograph supposedly taken of her at a party with her abductors? I've never seen that photo, but I'd certainly ask about it if she came to do an interview with me (which I guess is why I won't be getting that request anytime soon).
Fox News is good at exactly one thing: Keeping America up to date on vanished and murdered women with blonde hair. Here's Hannity with the Bronko Nagurski of kidnapped blondes right in his studio, and all he can do is ask her about the federal legislation she's promoting? What a pussy.
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Pussy?
Watch it, Cavanaugh, or Liddy and I are gonna have to kick your liberal ass!
Hannity can nail another scoop by interviewing that Patty Hearst broad. That didn't happen too long ago..
Fox News is good at exactly one thing: Keeping America up to date on vanished and murdered women with blonde hair.
Why's everybody got to hate on blonde women? Everybody either wants to kidnap or murder us, and then we get shit for telling our stories on national television. This is a holocaust in the making, I tell you.
Hannity is a pantload.
That's an awfully link.
Doeherty was right about the mind control, I think, and the applicability of the Patty Hearst case.
There was a piece in a recent NYRB "An Ordinary Girl" that explored the idea that Patty Hearst was a persuaded convert rather than a victim of brainwashing. It ends with this quote:
"Randolph and Catherine Hearst wouldn't be the only ones to resist this notion--that the self can move so dramatically between unwilling and willing, acting and being; that such a thing can happen to an ordinary girl."
I suspect the same thing may have happened to Elizabeth Smart.
...If I said that the same thing may have happened to the American people in the wake of 9/11, would that be... ...yeah, it would be, wouldn't it?
Elizabeth Smart is hot.
Yeeech. You had to bring that up, didn't you, Tim?
I've noted that everytime Ed Smart says something like "Elizabeth needs to get on with her life" you can bet you'll see her within a week at some carefully-choreographed media event with him. The man strikes me as one of those overly-ambitious figure-skating fathers. I would not want to be the man who eventually marries Elizabeth, if she ever does get married.
Don't get me wrong: The Smarts went through Hell. The kidnappers deserve to be in prison. It is indeed almost a miracle that Elizabeth isn't buried in a shallow grave right now.
But there are also alot of questions that haven't been answered, and what's more, the local media refuse to ask them. Part of it is because Ed's brother (Elizabeth's uncle) works for the Deseret News, one of Utah's major newspapers. Another is the Smarts live up in Federal Heights, a tony east-bench SLC neighborhood where most of Utah's power brokers live.
Back when all this went down in 2002, some female minority activist had the poor taste to publicly suggest to the effect that if Elizabeth had been named Guadalupe and was from Glendale (a working-class west-side SLC neighborhood) instead of Federal Heights, she'd still be missing. Given how things have turned out since then, I have to admit she was probably right.
The subject of the most current current case of "attractive woman goes missing/presumed murdered" playing out on crap news outlets everywhere (the grad student in NYC) happens to be a brunette. I guess that's the "fair and balanced" part.
If the Reason St. Patty's Day girl kidnapped me in the middle of the night and did everything she could to make me think we were married, I might, eventually, come to believe in her magic underwear.
Did anyone hear his interview with Stern? There's few things funnier than Sean Hannity denying that he masturbates or ever has any sexual thoughts about women other than his wife. The guy is a tool, but I give him some props for having Stern on. They actually had some decent exchanges on gay marriage and religion.
I was happy when that girl came back mainly because I thought it would've gotten her pathetic, whiny, obnoxious father off of television. I guess I was wrong, thanks Fox!
So Ken, what do you drive?
Hannity must be the stupidest man with a national TV show.
Hannity must be the stupidest man with a national TV show.
That's only true because Savage Nation isn't on TV anymore.
The subject of the most current case of "attractive woman goes missing/presumed murdered" playing out on crap news outlets everywhere (the grad student in NYC) happens to be a brunette. I guess that's the "fair and balanced" part.
I don't see why you guys are all bitching. If you want to know why people only care about attractive, wealthy women being kidnapped, look in the mirror! I hate to get on my feminist soapbox (especially since I'm not a "feminist" in the typical idiotic sense), but men are the biggest offenders of valuing looks above all else. Men generally don't give a fuck if a woman is talented, funny, insightful, or useful in any way other than cooking, cleaning, and sex. So y'all can fuck off.
Holy Moses, Hannity, that comic book link is astoundergasting!
Hannity must be the stupidest man with a national TV show.
He's certainly up there. Trouble is, old people seem to buy into his and O'Reilly's schtick.
Smacky, that's not true, in addition to being useful for "cooking, cleaning, and sex", I expect my women to play a musical instrument, for relaxation after sex or meals.
I love it when Cavanaugh's normally stoic exterior is pierced by Hannity's bullshit...
First, the all-time nausea inducing line is Hannity's "Miracles Happen.." That's the most insipid, cloying phrase I have ever read.
Second, the Smart "kidnapping" is obviously a fraud, the chick had about a dozen opportunities to take off...
Third, Stern had better get his ass on TV to promote Sirius, because his call options are out of the money!!
Tim, you're a great American!
Excuse me for pipin' up smacky, but there's nothing anti-feminist about being sexually attracted to women. ...or pop culture being more interested in sexually attractive people.
No one is suggesting that the kidnappers of fat, ugly people shouldn't be prosecuted.
...and if people are more interested in tabloid style stories about sexually attractive people, then that's not a crime either.
Hannity should have asked her if the extremely patriarchal nature of the LDS was the reason behind why she never took any opportunities to take off.
Hannity: So Elizabeth, do you think that being trained to defer to males all through your life led to your inability to act independently in your own interest during the kidnapping?
Elizabeth: I'm not sure. Let me ask my father who is with me..
michael savage had a tv show? really? not just cable access?
Men generally don't give a fuck if a woman is talented, funny, insightful, or useful in any way other than cooking, cleaning, and sex. So y'all can fuck off.
Changing teams, smacky?
I think there's a couple reasons that these cases get so much coverage. First, it's an easy sell as the public(particularly my grandmother) looks at these women/girls "people who bad things shouldn't happen to". It really no different than when some high school sports star gets into drugs, or dies in a car wreck. People say "Oh he was so good at basketball, it's such a tragedy." while ignoring similar cases with "less important" kids.
Second, the families in these cases have the resources to make a big deal out of them(press conferences to plea for the return of their loved, pulling strings at the PD, newspaper,etc.).
Second, the families in these cases have the resources to make a big deal out of them(press conferences to plea for the return of their loved, pulling strings at the PD, newspaper,etc.).
Or in the case of the Ramseys, avoiding prosecution after you've murdered your own daughter.
Excuse me for pipin' up smacky, but there's nothing anti-feminist about being sexually attracted to women. ...or pop culture being more interested in sexually attractive people.
No one is suggesting that the kidnappers of fat, ugly people shouldn't be prosecuted.
...and if people are more interested in tabloid style stories about sexually attractive people, then that's not a crime either.
Ken,
I don't think you really understood my rant. Who's complaining about sexy blond women getting too much TV coverage? Men! Am I the only person who feels this irony biting?! I wouldn't have said anything at all if guys hadn't started complaining that "oh, another cute blonde woman is getting press...". If you want to make complaints about that, why isn't anyone bitching about the Reason Fucking Pillow Girl? Oh yeah, because she has a smile on her face. Nothing bad happened to her, so she's all good. I swear, with some of you women are damned if they do and damned if they don't. I never said it was a crime to find someone sexually attractive, but are you really going to have the balls to blame a victim for being cute? Seriously, what the fuck.
Anyway, I think David has some good ideas about why cases like this get so much coverage. (And no, David, I haven't switched teams, but I'll be sure and let you know if I do).
I blame the incubi.
In addition to being a pantload, Hannity has to do that retarded "kiss the flag routine" every time he has someone on his show who questions the way the War On Terror is being waged. Is there anyone else with his/her own major network tv show who so clumsily and consistently panders to the moronically patriotic as Hannity does?
I wish for once a guest getting the "say you love this country" treatment would cop a classic line from the ee cummings poem, "I speak of Olaf Glad and Big...," and say "I will not kiss your fucking flag." It might make his head explode.
I think I did miss your point, smacky, and I'm still not sure I get it.
...Still, sorry 'bout that.
I think smacky hit the nail on the head. Who wants to watch month after month of news coverage on the kidnapping of some fat, ugly or god forbid, fat and ugly chick? Not me. Physical beauty is virtually the only factor that matters in media coverage of women. The only thing I would take exception to is the idea that cooking and cleaning are important too. That's a dated stereotype. I'd rather cook myself, and I can afford maid service. So to me, the only thing I care about is how hot she is, and that she knows when to keep her mouth shut.
While stating that Smart's lack of any serious escape attempt was a result of Stockholm syndrome is a bit of a reach, a more specific condition called capture bonding exists. There are many instances of women, mostly young and vulnerable, being held in less than rigid circumstances who, despite having opportunities to escape, are unable to do so.
"Or in the case of the Ramseys, avoiding prosecution after you've murdered your own daughter."
I thought she was killed by E. Howard Hunt?
Smacky, you don't have to tell me, just don't start wearing sleeveless flannels and a spiky mullet. Because if you disappeared, we'd want coverage. 🙂
Anyway, I don't think that people are blaming the the victims for being cute, white, blond, whatever. It's just that after Missing in Aruba: Natalie Holloway Day 13, it becomes little more than sensationalistic nonsense, and you wonder why it's still being discussed when they have no new information. As a (mostly) libertarian, what bothers me about the coverage is the hysterical reaction laws that we wind up with at their conclusion.
The most plausible Ramsey hypothesis I heard was that the older brother did it accidentally (or not) and the parents covered it up.
I think smacky hit the nail on the head.
Thank you, FatDrunkAndStupid.
Physical beauty is virtually the only factor that matters in media coverage of women.
Yes, and although we can owe that to women putting social pressure on other women to look good, it is firstly and primarily a direct reaction to men and what they value.
Like I said, to anyone who complains that yet another blonde (those stupid fucking bitch blondes! Gosh.) is on TV, y'all can fuck off.
Smacky, you don't have to tell me, just don't start wearing sleeveless flannels and a spiky mullet.
I rue the day that I wear a spiky mullet.
Because if you disappeared, we'd want coverage. 🙂
Thanks, David. 🙂 And thank you, my blonde hair.
Like I said, to anyone who complains that yet another blonde (those stupid fucking bitch blondes! Gosh.) is on TV, y'all can fuck off.
I don't have a problem with beautiful blondes such as Elizabeth Smart (or the Reason Shamrock Girl) being on TV.
I'm tired of seeing her whiny, self-promoting, media-hound father on TV. Elizabeth is usually just a prop he brings along for show.
I rue the day that I wear a spiky mullet.
"Rue the day"?
Who talks like that..
Who talks like that..
Uh, I do. But if you have a problem with that, why don't you use your real handle instead of hiding behind a fake name, Baby Genius?
michael savage had a tv show? really? not just cable access?
It was on either MSNBC in 2003. IIRC it didn't last very long. Because Savage is such an idiot.
Uh, I do. But if you have a problem with that, why don't you use your real handle instead of hiding behind a fake name, Baby Genius?
He should have posted as Chris Knight.
Ed Smart is a saint compared to Elian Gonzales' kin.
Smacky,
I suggest you view the movie Real Genius starring Val Kilmer before you embarass yourself further 🙂
It's actually quite good, IIRC.
And as for the Ramsey kid, it is most likely that an anonymous child predator killed her, but no one wants to admit it because the alternative, that it was a one time act of madness by the parents, is much more palatable to the public.
I actually don't care who killed the Ramsey's kid. I just want less "missing white woman" and more nipples on cable. Attractive nipples, mind you, not ugly ones.
"As a (mostly) libertarian, what bothers me about the coverage is the hysterical reaction laws that we wind up with at their conclusion."
What bothers me as a libertarian is that libertarians are complaining that FOX is using the free market to sell as much advertising to make as much money as possible. The fact that a large enough segment of the population is watching to make this a worthwhile endeavour is discouraging....as are the the ensuing legislation that is drummed up by a congress that is no smarter than than their constituency watching this drivel.
"men are the biggest offenders of valuing looks above all else. Men generally don't give a fuck if a woman is talented, funny, insightful, or useful in any way other than cooking, cleaning, and sex. So y'all can fuck off."
Whoa there Smacky. Before you lump us all into the same heap, perhaps it is you who should be looking in the mirror. I think the real problem may be with the men you are choosing.
Whoa there Smacky. Before you lump us all into the same heap, perhaps it is you who should be looking in the mirror. I think the real problem may be with the men you are choosing.
Ha ha ha! Thanks for the armchair psychology Kevin S., but I think I'm doing just fine. Please alert me, though, if you ever find this alleged utopia full of men who are not hung up on looks.
ALERT, ALERT Utopia is not full of men who are hung up on looks. Sure, we all like to look at good looking women. I don't think men have a monopoly on looking at the opposite sex with lustful eyes.
I will admit that I have a strict policy RE: no ugly chicks. But, you find me a woman who "doesn't care about looks" as the old myth goes and I'll be pretty impressed. Seriously, yes, we all care about how people look, that's what makes you want to see if they're compatible with you. Would I screw a girl I found attractive physically but who was boring and dumb? Under the right circumstances, sure. Would I attempt a relationship with her. Not a chance.
Is it that big a deal, really? We all like to look at pretty things, the definitions vary, the things the most people consider pretty end up on TV...that's the market, the pretty market. And, yes, Fox is pandering to its audience, we all know that. Standard libertarian disclaimer that noting aesthetic displeasure or saying something is annoying is not equivalent to calling for regulation by government. Christ on toast.
I suggest you view the movie Real Genius starring Val Kilmer before you embarass yourself further 🙂
Watching Kilmer and that buck-toothed kid playing in the popcorn while "everybody wants to rule the world" by tears for fears plays is awesome. I love 80's 'smart kid takes on the system' movies, Manhattan Project, War Games, I even lump in Cloak and Dagger too.
ALERT, ALERT Utopia is not full of men who are hung up on looks.
No shit. Or at least my utopia isn't.
Is it that big a deal, really?
What, looking at attractive things? No. But people, especially most men, shouldn't turn around and bitch about seeing them all the time on MSM then. It's a double-edged sword. If people only have the attention span most of the time to pay attention to hot things, then it's hypocritical to turn around and be all, "enough already!" when you're sick of seeing them: you watch your cute, blonde lil' Elizabeth Smart and you fucking like it. Or write to Fox and tell them the obvious - that their coverage sucks shit. But for the love of cheezwhiz, stop disparaging blondes. I didn't do anything wrong.
Standard libertarian disclaimer that noting aesthetic displeasure or saying something is annoying is not equivalent to calling for regulation by government.
I'll heartily second that! Christ.
...on toast.
Mmmmm....
Perhaps it is understandable and quite beneficial that men evolved that way, as many elements of beauty correspond to elements of health or the ability to propagate fruitfully. Can you blame primitive man for desiring a woman exhibiting increased levels of estrogen? Curvy shape, large breasts, skin without blemishes, etc... I'm rather glad they did, otherwise our species may have parished.
I honestly believe Hannity when he sez he never has any sexual thoughts about women other than his beard, er, wife.
wellfellow,
Sadly, I think my point went over your head, too. It doesn't matter, anyway; I should just go to the kitchen and make sandwiches for everybody.
Smacky: Will you feel better if I say I prefer brunettes but don't have anything against blondes? Known many good lookin' blondes in my day, all of whom I'm sad I never saw naked.
avoid prosecution
I wasn't aware that the Ramsey's fled the country.
find me a woman who "doesn't care about looks"
I suppose only Anna Nicole could see the beauty of that old codger, huh?
avoid prosecution
I wasn't aware that the Ramsey's fled the country.
find me a woman who "doesn't care about looks"
I suppose only Anna Nicole could see the beauty of that old codger, huh?
avoid prosecution
I wasn't aware that the Ramsey's fled the country.
find me a woman who "doesn't care about looks"
I suppose only Anna Nicole could see the inner beauty of that old codger, huh?
avoid prosecution
I wasn't aware that the Ramsey's fled the country.
find me a woman who "doesn't care about looks"
I suppose Anna Nicole could overcome the looks of that old codger, huh?
I wasn't aware that the Ramsey's fled the country.
I don't think that the parents did, but if I recall, the son is in boarding school overseas.
I'm 99% certain that he is the culprit. It was obvious from the start that both parents were (badly) trying to cover up an event that occurred within their own home, and the most plausible person for both of them to protect would be their only remaining child. The kid probably had sex with his own sister, and suffocated her while trying to keep her quiet.
Smacke?:
"But for the love of cheezwhiz, stop disparaging blondes. I didn't do anything wrong."
According to the invisible hand of evolution, you sure did. Your kind will be cleansed from the community of life within a century, or so they estimate.
Seriously, though, just because we give the Main Shitload Media hell for only paying attention when PWG's get killed/abducted doesn't mean we're disparaging blondes. Unless you're responding to a particular incident. Otherwise, I can say, firsthand, I've seen Faux News report on plenty of missing/murdered Pretty White Brunettes. They don't discriminate, as long as she's pretty and white.
Wasn't Natalee Holloway a brunette? I think Tim had it wrong when he singled out blondes. Just a few weeks ago, Faux News was harping on some brunette teenager who got murdered in NYC. My first thought: so? lots of murders happen in NYC. Why's this one so important? Then they showed her picture, and it was suddenly obvious: she was a pretty teen girl. Need one say more?
"Please alert me, though, if you ever find this alleged utopia full of men who are not hung up on looks."
I know a bunch of those men ... they're usually not the best-looking ones though.
Sorry for the triplepost---got here late.
Smacke?:
"I swear, with some of you women are damned if they do and damned if they don't. I never said it was a crime to find someone sexually attractive, but are you really going to have the balls to blame a victim for being cute? Seriously, what the fuck."
Again, Smacky, nobody is blaming the victim. We're blaming the Main Shitload Media for only reporting on missing/murdered pretty white girls. Why you take offense to this is beyond me. We're not saying that they should or shouldn't report on pretty white girls when they're abducted/killed---we're just saying that their reporting should be balanced by, say, a report on some ugly black crackhead getting sliced up in Queens.
Natalee Holloway is a blonde.
If I remember right, Jon-Benet Ramsey's brother who lived at home at the time was only nine years old or so; I doubt he had zex with her.
I think women follow true-crime news at least as much as men, if not more.
"Natalee Holloway is a blonde."
Shows how much I know about inconsequential sensationalist nonsense on cable news. I'm a novice, I guess. My point still stands, though: it's not so much about the hair color, it's about the "pretty" and "white" parts. If we want to talk about hair color, then our focus should turn to the cable news anchorwoman pool.
Natalee Holloway is a blonde
Ideed she is, Loreal Number 12.
Point still remains that MSM has a tendency to play the "pretty white girl gone missing" card to death. Despite the assertions of Smacky, I don't think it is due to an all male audience either.
A recent survey I found (misplaced the link, have to post it later) 58% of men claim that looks are the primary reason for initiating contact with a woman. Same survey, 40% of women say looks are the primary reason for initiating contact with men. In both sexes, looks outweigh every other factor.
yowzer - I guess I discovered how to edit on the fly, sorry squirrels.
AML - I must not follow these things closely. How old is the son?
Kwix:
I have a theory: a certain amount of the reasoning behind showing hyping these pretty white girls gone missing/dead on places like Faux News is this: the majority of the viewership is probably white. And they are probably parents. So, it goes like this: play on the fears of your audience. And breathlessly reporting about white girls in danger plays into the fears of many a white parent. Now, as for the "pretty" part, well, that's a little bit of "every parent thinks their daughter is beautiful" and a little bit of "pretty girls attract more attention". Anyway, this probably isn't the entire line of reasoning (some of it has to do with grabbing the attention of horny old fucks), but I think it's some of it---Smacke?'s rants about blondes being blamed for their own victimhood notwithstanding.
There's few things funnier than Sean Hannity denying that he masturbates...
Thanks a lot, ralphus; I'll be weeks getting that little image out of my head...
Smacky forget the sandwiches. I thought you did the cupcakes.
MK your first post was a hoot and spot on.
Pantload...tuggin' away at his joint.
I think smacky's point is that men should stop complaining, "I wish the the media would stop with its obsessive coverage of the very same things I obsess over!"
However, as Kwix says, I don't think it's only male attention that drives the "pretty white girl missing" news coverage. Plenty of women enjoy following the travails and tribulations of hot chicks. Who is the primary audience for soap operas? And an awful lot of "[cute] women in jeopardy" movies are aired by the Lifetime channel.
Stevo,
Some of this PWG phenomenon has to do with the fact that PWG's are a vanilla representation of someone in our life, etc. If the girl is ugly, then we subconsciously would probably disassociate her with the girl we know. But also notice that none of the girls they report on are breathtakingly gorgeous either. They're just...pretty. Vanilla pretty. Just like whatsername who was pregnant and got murdered by her husband. Just like Natalee, just like Smart. Vanilla. Not too beautiful, not too ugly...just generic enough to represent someone we know and love.
This could explain why women also have an affinity for PWG's in danger.
As for Smacky's "point", well, it doesn't have any teeth. I don't obsess over pretty white girls too much, and I don't think that this is what this phenomenon is about. The PWG meme is not about sex, as Smacky infers; it's about striking a chord, hitting close to home.
"And as for the Ramsey kid, it is most likely that an anonymous child predator killed her, but no one wants to admit it because the alternative, that it was a one time act of madness by the parents, is much more palatable to the public."
Dunno, I'd say the opposite is true. I think people would much rather believe some anoymous pedophile than a family member. That's what almost everyone thinks of when someone says 'molester,' not the more likely candidates like mom's new boyfriend or weird cousin Marc.