Andy Martin, Slayer of "Jew Power," Revealer of Muslims, on Fox News

I do not live in, not do I have any desire to visit, "Sean Hannity's America." So I missed his Sunday broadcast, "Obama & Friends: The History of Radicalism," in which it was determined that Barack Obama is a secret radical who once had a Pakistani roommate. The New York Times' Jim Rutenberg notes that the Fox News program features an interview with Andy Martin, the man behind those "Obama is a secret Muslim" emails, who argues that the senator's community organizing days served as "training for the radical overthrow of the government." (As opposed to the moderate overthrow of the government, I suppose.) It was once true that if you desired to plot a radical left-wing coup, you trained in with Wadid Haddad in the PFLP camps of South Yemen, not in the leafy suburbs of Chicago. But I suppose times have changed.  

When Rutenberg questioned Martin, who once ran a political committee with the stated purpose of "exterminat[ing] Jew power in America and…impeach[ing] the judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York City," he furnished this brilliantly boneheaded quote: "That is my opinion - expert opinion - if you will. I don't pretend to be an exclusively fact-based reporter, though I try as hard as I can to get the facts."

So is Hannity's scurrilous little "documentary" the Clinton Chronicles of the 2008 election?

Related: Tim Noah's August 2001 review of Bill Ayer's autobiography, Fugitive Days, a book that he calls both "self-indulgent and morally clueless."  

Comments

[BDB]

So it was OBAMA that killed Vince Foster!

[Dello]

"training for the radical overthrow of the government." (As opposed to the moderate overthrow of the government, I suppose.) "

Moderate overthrow is accomplished by winning elections.

[joe]

Great company, Sean.

This is why comparisons between Fox and "the liberal media" are so off-point.

Whether CNN or some newspaper leans to the center-left or not, you are never going to see it coordinate its message with a political campaign this way. Sean Hannity and his producers happened to decide they were going to put this together the week before McCain announces that he's pivoting to a strategy of launching identical attacks?

Maybe the CNN editors or reporters are more likely to be Democrats, and their worldview is reflected in what, and how, they report.

Fox and its affiliates are the house organ for the Republican Party. That's just not the same thing.

Andy Martin, the man behind those "Obama is a secret Muslim" emails That can't be right. RC Dean and John spent months telling me they were from the Hillary campaign.

[BDB]

The "exterminating Jew Power" thing should help McCain in Florida.

[Pro Libertate]

Isn't Andrew Martin a robot? I'd take him more seriously, if so.

[BDB]

Joe, care to explain MSNBC?

[Naga Sadow]

Pro Liberate,

He is actually a Martian. A knight of the Red Planet, Sir Deimos.

[joe]

BDB,

You mean the network that gives Joe Scarborough five hours a day, five days a week?

They grant their talent a great deal of editorial lattitude on MSNBC, whether its Scarborough on the right, Chris Matthews in the center, or Rachel Maddow on the left.

Except Phil Donoghue, who was fired in 2002 despite having the highest ratings on the network. I think they've learned their lesson since then, and just let the talent do what they're going to do.

[BDB]

Joe Scarborough=Alan Colmes.

Buchanan is a conservative, but he's an anti-war, anti-Bush one.

Chris Matthews was a former Jimmy Carter and Tip O'Neil speechwriter.

Until recently, their election night coverage was anchored by a Daily Kos blogger!

I mean, I don't care if networks are biased. I think they have the total freedom to be biased, just like they used to have out-and-out partisan newspapers in the 1790s. Just be honest about it, and people need to drop this "OUR network is fair, but YOURS is BIASED!" stuff.

[Bingo]

I'm pretty sure that Andy Martin is the most unintentionally hilarious thing to come out of this election.

BARRACK HUSSEIN OSAMA

[Adamness]

Chris Matthews in the center

What exactly is Chris Matthews in the center of?

[Dan Rather]

Exactly. You would never see this so-called liberal mainstream media put out blantantly partisan news reports in the middle of an election

Signed,
Dan Rather

[J sub D]

Isn't Andrew Martin a robot? I'd take him more seriously, if so.

Yep. U.S. Robots, serial # NDR-113.

Good catch PL. I'd missed it until you brought it up. My nerd cred is probably hurt by that.

[kevrob]

Neither Fox News nor MSNBC bother me, much. The Cons have their news (sic) channel, and the statists in the other corner of the map have theirs. Even CNN lets Glenn Beck bloviate on Headline News. The Blues (who , if not Reds, are at least Pinkos) get their licks in, and the Reds (who aren't Reds, forgoshsakes!) have theirs.

It's too bad that neither CNN nor FNC can manage something like objectivity, at least in non-commentary segments. Maybe there isn't a big enough market for that.

Kevin

[Kolohe]

What exactly is Chris Matthews in the center of?

The legend in his own mind.

[joe]

Joe Scarborough=Alan Colmes.

Joe Scarborough is 1) a former U.S. Congressman, 2) the host of the show, 3) has editorial control, and 4) controls 20 hours of programming per week. BTW, that's twice the time controlled by Maddow and Olberman combined.

That's Alan Colmes?

But most importantly, Joe Scarborough is the political opposite of Maddow and Olberman, demonstrating pretty definitively that the political message coming from that network isn't coordinated even with themselves, nevermind some outside party.

An editorial slant is one thing. An entire network functioning as an arm of a campaign or party is another.

And like you say, BDB, I wouldn't mind if they were just honest about it.

[BDB]

Yeah, but one hour of a morning show=five hours of prime time in terms of influence.

[Kolohe]

I agree that fox news doesn't bother me all that much. (Red Eye is the only place where you get libertarians on TV) But Sean Hannity does bother me. It's one thing to do like limbaugh and play around with hyperbole. But I think Hannity literally believes everything that he says.

[SIV]

joe,

I know you are smarter than the lefty lemmings who conflate Fox News reporting with their editorial/entertainment content.
Britt Hume doesn't start drooling and ranting during a straight newscast like Lou Dobbs.

[BDB]

It's really sad that CNN is probably the most "objective" of the cable news networks. Especially since I hate, hate, HATE Wolf Blitzer.

[BDB]

SIV, you really county Lou Dobbs's show as a "straight newscast" still?

[joe]

What exactly is Chris Matthews in the center of?

Mainstream American political opinion.

Exactly. You would never see this so-called liberal mainstream media put out blantantly partisan news reports in the middle of an election

The difference between having an editorial slant and coordinating with a campaign isn't remotely difficult enough to be misunderstood, "Dan." You only draw attention to your inability to formulate a response by changing the subject like that. And if you don't, don't worry, cuz I will.

Even CNN lets Glenn Beck bloviate on Headline News.

CNN give prime time slots to Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck. MSNBC gives twenty hours a week to a GOP Congressman.

Is there a single Fox show that isn't hosted by a conservative? One?

A network that aims for straight, balanced programming is going to have a diverse range of voices, even if the overall product has a net lean in one direction or the other.

You don't end up with Fox's lineup if you are even trying to be fair and balanced, no matter how biased you are.

[BDB]

"Is there a single Fox show that isn't hosted by a conservative? One?"

Greta van Sustren is liberal, I think.

Brit Hume and Chris Wallace are straight news guys.

[Kolohe]

He is actually a Martian. A knight of the Red Planet, Sir Deimos.

Pic from after this past weekend's polling results were released.

[gmatts]

I'm just confused as to why the production value of these Hannity vingettes are so bad. I mean Fox and News Corp. obviously have some dough laying around. So you'd think that they could give these things a better look than what would come out of a high school TV prodcution class from the 1980's.

"I don't pretend to be an exclusively fact-based reporter" - That's why Sean picked you, Andy.

In case I forgot, since this is a Sean Hannity related story - You're all great Americans!

[brotherben]

Brit Hume? holy fuggin jebus

[Kolohe]

It's really sad that CNN is probably the most "objective" of the cable news networks. Especially since I hate, hate, HATE Wolf Blitzer.

You know who's been growing lately in my estimation? Anderson Cooper. Especially since lately he's not afraid to go off the prompter and call something dumb.

[Kolohe]

Brit Hume and Chris Wallace are straight news guys.

There is no doubt, though, that both lean right of center. Esp Hume who also does punditry on Sun mornings.

[BDB]

Anderson Cooper is pretty good. The fact that he goes to places where he could actually get shot at and/or killed willingly is a reason to respect him too.

[joe]

Yeah, but one hour of a morning show=five hours of prime time in terms of influence.

Come on, 5:1? I'm not saying it's 1:1, but 5:1? McCain and Obama both went on Good Morning America and the View. Morning TV can't be that irrelevant.

SIV,

I haven't written anything about Fox newscasts. Lou Dobbs doesn't do straight newscasts any more than Jack Van Impe. They just make their commentary shows particularly current.

Brit Hume's editorial bias during the newscasts is probably pretty comparable to, say, the CBS News.

[joe]

Anderson Cooper is only biased towards Anderson Cooper.

[BDB]

Joe, it's morning cable TV! GMA and The View are network. Big difference there. That's like saying Bill Maher=David Letterman in terms of influence.

"Brit Hume's editorial bias during the newscasts is probably pretty comparable to, say, the CBS News."

I was just about to say that. Ditto Chris Wallace.

[SugarFree]

Y'all leave Brit Hume alone. The fact that a man carved from wood can be allowed on TV at all is a huge step forward for cellulose-Americans.

[gmatts]

"So is Hannity's scurrilous little "documentary" the Clinton Chronicles of the 2008 election?"

Hannity ran "The Clinton Chronicles" as soon as Hillary made official her intention to run for PResident, and he ran the segment pretty much up until the primary was over.
It was usually sandwiched in between his "Beyond Belief" segment in which Sean would look at the existence of Angels and on potato chips that look like Jesus.

[joe]

BDB,

MSNBC is still a cable network at night, too. So? You're comparing morning cable teevee to evening cable teevee.

Chris Wallace seems to have woken up one morning and realized that he wants to be a real journalist, and not just a Sean Hannity. He used to be awful.

[Gimme Back My DOg]

Greta spends very little time discussing politics other than her staunch anti-kidnapping-attractive-white-girls position. But when she does venture into politics, she seems more conservative.

On the other hand, she is not a religious fundy, she is a scientologist.

[BDB]

It goes like this, joe, in terms of influence:

Prime time network> morning network> late-night network> evening cable> morning cable>late-night cable.

BTW, Alan Colmes does host his own show. It's on...wait for it...late night cable.

[gmatts]

"Esp Hume who also does punditry on Sun mornings."

But the best part of Sunday mornings - besides trying to figure out what Shannon Sharpe is saying on ESPN - is watching Hume get frustrated with Juan Williams mindless ramblings on "Fox News Sunday".

[joe]

Shannon Sharpe > Deion Sanders

[Gimme Back My Dog]

joe,

I'm trying to understand the distinction between editorial slant and coordinating with a campaign. Fox came out with a (ridiculously biased) anti-Obama piece, and this is evidence that Fox is coordinating with the McCain campaign? Wouldn't Hannity be able to figure out that four weeks before the election would be a good time for his piece without guidance from the RNC?

[SugarFree]

"Our sources cannot confirm that the disheveled, shackled man seen running from the studios of Fox News is Alan Colmes, as many eye-witnesses report."

[joe]

GBMG,

They didn't come out with a ridiculously slanted piece about Obama being a celebrity - no, they did that a month ago. They didn't come out with a ridiculously slanted piece about him raising taxes or causing the mortgage meltdown - nope, they did that last week.

This week, they run an "Obama is palin' around with terrorists" video.

[joe]

Er, GBMD.

[PM770]

I suppose my memory may be bad, but didn't the Rather "report" come out in the immediate aftermath of the DNC spending a significant amount of time attempting to advance the "Bush was a deserter" narrative?

Also, I think calling FOX/Hannity bringing on the "Obama is a secret muslim" guy co-ordination with the McCain campaign is a bit of a stretch. Is this an all-of-the-sudden shift in FOXs typical "reportage"? I ask because I watch minimal FOX news. Based on some of the things that Weigel has written, it seems like this has been FOXs game all election.

Is McCain now calling Obama a secret muslim? The new McCain strategy seems to be in the "Obama-Ayers connection" vain not hinting that Obama is a sleeper Al-Queda operative.

Again, maybe I've missed the new round of ads. I live in Ohio but I avoid these campaign ads like grim death.

[Warty]

I mean, I don't care if networks are biased. I think they have the total freedom to be biased, just like they used to have out-and-out partisan newspapers in the 1790s. Just be honest about it, and people need to drop this "OUR network is fair, but YOURS is BIASED!" stuff.

This is the correct answer. We need to go back to the days when newspapers were named The Republican and The Democrat, and they meant it.

We also need to go back to the days when Congressmen beat each other half to death on the House floor, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.

[gmatts]

"Shannon Sharpe > Deion Sanders"

Much the same way that getting hit in the balls w/ a wiffleball bat is better than getting hit w/ a metal bat.

I just wish Sharpe wouldn't continue to eat a spoonful of peanut butter just before he talks.

[SIV]

SIV, you really county Lou Dobbs's show as a "straight newscast" still?

Can't say I watch much CNN but I thought the 6-7 eastern time block was supposed to be a straight newscast.Only on the "fair and balanced" network?

[Orange Line Special]

Mr. Moynihan:

Other liberal blogs had this yesterday. Why are you so late to print this? Make sure and check your email more often, and set emails from the Party to the highest priority.

I kid! Michael Moynihan isn't just a tool of the Party who's trying to obscure whatever facts there were in the Hannity report using GuiltByAssociation*. Nor is Michael Moynihan just a tool of the BHO-supporting Kochtopus. Everything's on the up-and-up here at Reason!

* Many people don't understand what that means, make sure you do before replying.

[BDB]

We say "Lou Dobs", and OLS shows up.

Coincidence?

SIV--

If it's the 6-7 hour, and I feel like cable news I watch Fox News. Ditto 7-8.

[MAX HATS]

Anderson Cooper has undue influence on. . .my heart.

[Naga Sadow]

LONEWACKO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*shakes fist in air*

[Naga Sadow]

Quick! Someone post a link to BakedPenguin's comic strip!

[joe]

PM770,

"In the immediate aftermath?" They DNC was pushing that story in 2000.

I thought the 6-7 eastern time block was supposed to be a straight newscast.Only on the "fair and balanced" network? It's supposed to be, but isn't. Seriously, have you ever seen a straight news show lead with a report about a border crossing?

[Stewie]

Also, anybody who uses one of the following words or phrases -- "irregardless," "a whole 'nother," or "all of the sudden," -- will be sent to a work camp.

[BakedPenguin]

Naga - thx - right on it...

Lonewacko meets the presidential candidates.

And if anyone missed the original Adventures of Lonewacko.

[Warty]

Motherfuck yourself, Stewie. That's why I have me my guns. This one's named Candace, this one's named Barbara... *stroke stroke stroke*

[Neu Mejican]

Britt Hume doesn't start drooling and ranting during a straight newscast like Lou Dobbs.

Last time I watched Hume do "straight news" I tuned in in the middle of the story. I thought he was doing an editorial with a very right slant. Turned out he was "just reporting the facts" (I believe that is what he called it).

He may not be Hannity or Beck, but he is more biased than Rather...more in line with, say, a right wing version of Pacifica radio's news coverage.

[TQ]

Dan Rather got fired for telling the truth about Bush's national guard "service" because of a right-wing accusation of forgery that was never actually proven, the facts of which were never disputed. FOX news runs a daily 24 hour propaganda mill entirely for one political party. If you can't see the distinction, you probably think Sean Hannity is an impartial journalist.

[Naga Sadow]

The best part was Lonewacko in his car(Gremlin?) crying out "LoneWacker away". The tin foil hat is awesome, by the way.

[dhex]

It's really sad that CNN is probably the most "objective" of the cable news networks.

i'm partial to bloomberg myself; they were far less hysterical than what i caught of cnn during the runup to the bailout.

fox news may be cheerleaders for idiots, but cnn is masquerading as informative content.

[Mark]

I remember Karl Rove and Doug Schoen making an outright denial that Fox is a Republican media arm, at this year's Media Week Opinion Awards dinner. Great dialogue.

[R C Dean]

What exactly is Chris Matthews in the center of?

Mainstream American political opinion.

Right. Chris "Obama sends a thrill up my leg" is mainstream American political opinion. Sure he is.

Is there a single Fox show that isn't hosted by a conservative? One?

I don't know that their morning show has any particular slant. Like most morning shows, it also doesn't have any particular news.

I really don't pick up much slant from Brit Hume or Chris Wallace. I've heard them both chuckle/scoff at ludicrous talking points from either side of the aisle.

But, really, the slant isn't so much in the people reading the tele-prompters, its in the people deciding what goes up on the teleprompters.

[R C Dean]

Wow. Vintage truthiness from TQ @ 3:23pm. Keep the faith, bro!

Any thoughts on 9/11 you'd like to share?

[joe]

Right. Chris "Obama sends a thrill up my leg" is mainstream American political opinion.

I take it you're not big on polls.

[Neu Mejican]

Right. Chris "Obama sends a thrill up my leg" is mainstream American political opinion. Sure he is.

joe beat me too it.

A bias towards the most popular candidate seems to make you pretty much mainstream by definition.

Objective does not equal mainstream.
Mainstream equals biased in the same way as the majority.

No?

I really don't pick up much slant from Brit Hume or Chris Wallace. I've heard them both chuckle/scoff at ludicrous talking points from either side of the aisle.

I never pick up slant from people who see from my perspective either. My slant is the reference from which bias is defined. So say we all.

FWIW, when I take those political compass polls...I end up dead center on the left-right axis. So, technically, my perspective is objectively the slant from which bias is defined.

I do have a bias anti-authoritarian, however, so on that axis you can't use me as a reference value.

[Neu Mejican]

Hume:
McCain has taken to emphasizing that Obama's close ties to radicals demonstrate his poor judgment.

More objective version: McCain has taken to claiming that Obama's alleged associations with people some would consider radicals demonstrates his poor judgment.

If you think Hume doesn't understand the difference, you don't respect his journalistic skills.

[Neu Mejican]

Hume:
McCain points to Obama's association with 60's radical Bill Ayers. Ayers, a former member of the weather underground who participated in bombings of US facilities including the Pentagon and the Capital has never disavowed his radical past. He even said "he wishes he had done more."

The Ayers' quote: I wish I had done more to stop the war.

Again, Hume knew he was truncating the quote.

[Neu Mejican]

More on Ayers' quote:

http://billayers.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/clarifying-the-facts-a-letter-to-the-new-york-times-9-15-2001/

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/weatherunderground/interview.html

[Mike E.]

Last time I watched Hume do "straight news" I tuned in in the middle of the story. I thought he was doing an editorial with a very right slant. Turned out he was "just reporting the facts" (I believe that is what he called it).

Last time I watched Hume do "straight news", he was working for ABC.

[BDB]

"I don't know that their morning show has any particular slant."

ROFL! It's right wing as hell, RC Dean.

[BDB]

And before you go off on me, I'm the one who is defending Brit Hume and Chris Wallace here and accusing MSNBC of being lefty.

[Happy Jack]

Rachel Maddow on the left.

She must be new and doesn't understand the rules of the game. She let Matt Welch talk for five minutes ... uninterrupted.

[joe]

Last time I watched Hume do "straight news", he was working for ABC.

Oh, snap!

Matt Welch was on Maddow? How did I miss that?

[joe]

us, close tags?

[Mike E.]

"I don't know that their morning show has any particular slant."

ROFL! It's right wing as hell, RC Dean.

Not only that. They make Sean Hannity look like George Will.

Their slogan should be "Fox & Friends. We don't confuse you with the facts."

[Neu Mejican]

Tracked down the Ayers article from which the quote comes...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E1DE1438F932A2575AC0A9679C8B63

The NYTimes article also stops at "do more" it.
It is presented without context.

Darn those right wing NYTimes writers ;^)

[Mike E.]

Matt Welch was on Maddow? How did I miss that?

I don't know how you missed his glasses. They are these huge, 1978 plastic frames. Makes me wonder if he broke his usual pair and these were his backups.

[Neu Mejican]

Coordination with the White House:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25885493/.html

Blockquote
MATTHEWS: Did you see FOX television as a tool when you were in the White House, as a useful avenue for getting your message out?

MCCLELLAN: Well, I make a distinction between the journalists and between the commentators. Certainly, there were commentators and others, pundits, at FOX News that were helpful to the White House.

(CROSSTALK)

MCCLELLAN: Certainly, we got talking points...

(CROSSTALK)

MCCLELLAN: ... those people.

MATTHEWS: Did people say, call Sean, call Bill, call whoever? Did you do that as a regular thing?

(CROSSTALK)

MCCLELLAN: Certainly. Certainly. It wasn't necessarily something I was doing, but it was something that we at the White House, yes, were doing and getting them talking points and making sure they knew where we were coming from.

MATTHEWS: So, you were giving them talking points...

(CROSSTALK)

MCCLELLAN: But I would separate the journalists.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: No, no, this is important.

MCCLELLAN: Yes.

MATTHEWS: You were using these commentators as your spokespeople?

MCCLELLAN: Well, certainly. I mean, certainly. I think that happens to both ways, when people go on other networks, as well, that are-that are favorable towards Democrats and so forth.

MATTHEWS: Well, nobody has ever fed me any crap like that, so I don't know what you're talking about.

(CROSSTALK)

MCCLELLAN: Well, you're an independent-minded guy.

MATTHEWS: I-I-thank you.

But aren't you a little embarrassed by the fact that your White House used a television network which is purportedly fair and balanced as your mouthpiece?

MCCLELLAN: Well, I think everybody in this town uses people that are going to be helpful to their cause to try to shape the narrative to their advantage.

MATTHEWS: But a whole network?

MCCLELLAN: Again, I would separate the journalists, because the journalists that I worked with were people, just like the rest of the White House press corps, who would try to report the news.

MATTHEWS: So, you wouldn't use Brit Hume as somebody to sell stuff for, but you would use the nighttime guys?

MCCLELLAN: Yes, I would separate that out. And, certainly, and they will say that that's because they agree with those views in the White House.

MATTHEWS: Well, they didn't need a script, though, did they?

MCCLELLAN: Well, probably not.

[Sausage Swingin\' Libber]

"Fox News . . . Fair and Balanced toward the ideology that is more equal than all the others"

[chuck goolsbee]

I had a Mexican roommate once, does that mean I support radical hispanic causes?

[THE DEMOCRATS said,in October]

THE DEMOCRATS said,in October 8th, 2008 at 2:29 am We watch FOX so you don't have to.

Obama Spokesman Confronts Hannity On HIS Radical Association
Reported by Ellen - October 8, 2008 - 12 comments

On the post-debate Hannity & Colmes program last night (10/7/08), Barack Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs pushed back on Sean Hannity's fixation with William Ayers and nabbed Hannity for using a major anti-Semite as a source for smearing Obama at the same time. With video.

Hannity started the segment with Gibbs by complaining that the debate was a "rehash" of topics already discussed. Hannity was obviously disappointed that William Ayers had not come up. So Hannity figured he'd do it with Obama's spokesman.

"Let me ask you a question," Hannity said to Gibbs. "How can you fight terrorism when you give speeches with, you sit on a board with (Hannity began counting on those fingers), Axelrod says you're friendly with, and you never speak out against, William Ayers?"

Gibbs answered, "So you think he's guilty by association?" Gibbs went on to point out that Obama has said that Ayers' radical acts were deplorable but that the board they sat on together was funded by the Annenberg Foundation, named after a conservative Republican and friend of Ronald Reagan.

Then Gibbs said "Let me ask you one question? Are you anti-Semitic?"

"Not at all," Hannity said.

Gibbs continued, "OK, on your show on Sunday, the show that's named after you, the centerpiece of that show was a guy named Andy Martin." Gibbs was referring to Sunday's (10/5/08) Hannity's America program in which, as Media Matters has reported,

Hannity hosted Andy Martin - identified by Hannity as an "Internet journalist" - to make "the explosive claim that [Sen. Barack] Obama's role as a community organizer was a political staging ground perpetuated by the unrepentant terrorist William Ayers." At no point during the segment did Hannity note Martin's history of smears against Obama or Martin's history of anti-Semitic and racially charged comments.

Hannity immediately became defensive, accused Gibbs of "reading your talking points" (as if Hannity doesn't!) and then interrupted to say that he interviews "people of all points of view, whether we agree or disagree."

Gibbs went on to quote some of Martin's anti-Semitic statements and asked why one should not think that Hannity is an anti-Semite.

Agitated, Hannity said, "I'm a journalist that interviews people all the time." Not according to FOX News he isn't.

Gibbs' point was that it was as ridiculous to accuse Obama of supporting Ayers because they worked together on a board as it would be to accuse Hannity of being an anti-Semite just because he interviewed Martin. But it would have been sweet if Gibbs had gone all the way and pointed out that Hannity had not just interviewed Martin but presented him as a credible guest, one who offered Hannity's own viewpoint. Martin's treatment was quite a contrast to the way Hannity treats people he disagrees with, such as economist Robert Kuttner or even Gibbs, himself. Unfortunately, Alan Colmes missed Gibbs' point and leapt to Hannity's defense by defending him against an imaginary charge of anti-Semitism.

Interestingly, an increasingly agitated Hannity tried to change the subject to attacking Barack Obama over Louis Farrakhan, Hannity's black uber-boogeyman. "Did Barack Obama ever sit and meet with Louis Farrakhan?" Hannity asked. It was a question out of left field.

Gibbs said he had no idea.

But you have to wonder why Hannity would ask such a question. To my mind, it was because, having failed to make the "radical terrorist" connection, Hannity wanted to accuse Obama of being a black militant/racist.

Though I have repeatedly written about Hannity's bigotry, I don't have any grounds to think that he is an actual anti-Semite. But he certainly has a record of friendliness toward anti-Semites.

Hannity was so rattled that he returned to the subject at the end of the show, long after Gibbs had gone, and insisted he has stood up to anti-Semitism and racism. Unfortunately, my recorder did not record that bit.

But I invite Hannity to provide one instance where he has stood up to anti-black racism. On the other hand, I can provide dozens of instances where he has promoted it.
Robert Gibbs takes on Sean Hannity said,in October 8th, 2008 at 2:49 am Robert Gibbs takes on Sean Hannity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgn6rjGbp0c
Robert Gibbs takes on Sean Hannity said,in October 8th, 2008 at 2:58 am Anthony Robert Martin-Trigona, usually known as Andy Martin (born 1945 in Middletown, Connecticut) is an American journalist, perennial candidate and self-proclaimed consumer advocate. He has filed numerous legal actions which have led several federal and state courts in the United States to label him a vexatious litigant. The Nation[1] and The Washington Post[2] have identified him as the primary source of rumors that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is a closet Muslim.

Contents [hide]
1 Life and career
1.1 Vexatious litigant
2 Role in rumors about Obama
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Life and career
Martin was born in 1945 in Middletown, Connecticut.[3] He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1966, earning a law degree from that institution in 1969.

However, in 1973 the Illinois Supreme Court refused to grant him a license to practice law in the state. It cited several instances of troubling conduct on Martin's part, including an attempt to have a parking violation thrown out because it had been "entered by an insane judge" and his description of an attorney as "shaking and tottering and drooling like an idiot."[4]

Martin then turned his attention to consumer advocacy. Styling himself "the people's attorney general," he takes credit for being the first to file suit under the civil component of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), as well as the first to file antitrust actions against the Big Three television networks for anticompetitive practices in network affiliation agreements.[5] He also claims to have launched Operation Greylord, an investigation which revealed serious corruption in Chicago's criminal-justice system.

Martin grew up as a Democrat, and served as an intern to Senator Paul Douglas in the summer of 1966. In 1977, he ran in a special election for mayor of Chicago, losing to acting mayor Michael Bilandic.

Over the years, he has run for various offices in Connecticut, Florida and Illinois as a Democrat, a Republican and an independent. Among them:

U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1978 (Democratic primary)
U.S. Senator from Illinois, 1980 (Democratic primary)
U.S. House from Connecticut, 1986 (Republican primary)
President of the United States, 1988 (Democratic primary)
Governor of Florida, 1990 (Republican primary)
U.S. House from Florida, 1992 (Republican primary)
Florida State Senate, 1996 (unsuccessful Republican nominee)
U.S. Senator from Florida, 1998 (Republican primary)
President of the United States, 2000] (Republican primary)
U.S. Senator from Florida, 2000 (unsuccessful independent candidate)
U.S. Senator from Florida, 2004 (Republican primary)
Governor of Illinois, 2006 (Republican primary)
U.S. Senator from Illinois, 2008 (Republican primary)
His 1996 run for the Florida State Senate came unraveled when it was revealed that he'd named his campaign committee for his 1986 congressional run "The Anthony R. Martin-Trigona Congressional Campaign to Exterminate Jew Power in America." The revelation led the state Republican Party to renounce him. Just before the election, he assaulted two cameramen from WPTV, the NBC affiliate in West Palm Beach. He was convicted of criminal mischief and sentenced to a year in jail. He was freed pending appeal, but made personal attacks on the judge while on the way out of the courtroom. The judge held Martin in criminal contempt of court and sentenced him to seven months in jail. However, he was mistakenly let out of jail after only a month. Martin never returned, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. If he is ever arrested, he will have to serve 16 months in jail.[3] The warrant was still outstanding at least as of the time of Martin's 2008 Senate run, but he said the issue is being "resolved."[6]

During his 2000 run for president, he accused George W. Bush of using cocaine. In 2003, several months before Saddam Hussein was captured, he claimed to have found the former Iraqi dictator's hideout.[3]

[edit] Vexatious litigant
Martin has been labeled a vexatious litigant by numerous federal and state courts. As early as 1982, Edward Weinfeld, a federal judge for the Southern District of New York, observed that he had a tendency to file "a substantial number of lawsuits of a vexatious, frivolous and scandalous nature."[4]

In 1983, Jose Cabranes, a federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, issued a sweeping injunction barring Martin or anyone acting "at his behest, at his direction or instigation, or in concert with him" from filing any new action or proceeding in any federal or state court without first seeking permission from the court in which he wished to file that action or proceeding.[7] In his ruling, Cabranes noted that Martin had a tendency to file legal actions with "persistence, viciousness, and general disregard for decency and logic." According to Cabranes, Martin's practice was to file "an incessant stream of frivolous or meritless motions, demands, letters to the court and other documents," as well as "vexatious lawsuits" against anyone who dared cross him. Many of these filings were anti-Semitic in nature. On appeal by Martin, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals limited the scope of the injunction to federal courts, but stated that the federal courts were constitutionally obligated to protect themselves and the administration of justice from vexatious litigants.[8]

Since then, Martin has continued his pattern of filing legal action almost unabated. It is estimated that he has filed thousands of proceedings over the years. For example, in 1993 the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals determined that his mother was acting in concert with him by filing a federal civil rights action against several Florida state officials. The court noted similar wording in the suit filed by Martin's mother and a petition filed by Martin itself. In throwing out the suit, the 11th Circuit called Martin "a notoriously vexatious and vindictive litigator who has long abused the American legal system."[7] Most recently, a libel and invasion of privacy suit against Media Matters and its founder, David Brock, was dismissed with prejudice because Martin had violated the terms of the injunction.[9]

Martin has also been sanctioned at the state level as well. For example, he is banned from seeking indigent status in Florida courts due to his history of filing abusive petitions.[10]

[edit] Role in rumors about Obama
According to a report by journalist Chris Hayes for The Nation, Martin issued a press release shortly after Obama's keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention that he had evidence Obama "lied to the American people" and "misrepresent[ed] his own heritage." Martin claimed that Obama was really a Muslim, and was possibly hiding this fact "to endanger Israel."[1]

Within a few days, the conservative site Free Republic picked up Martin's press release, triggering a long discussion. However, according to Hayes, the issue went dormant after Obama's election to the Senate, only to pick up again in 2006 as rumors spread that Obama was considering a presidential run.[1] In October, a conservative blog, Infidel Bloggers Alliance, reposted Martin's press release in response to a question about Obama's heritage.[11] Then, on December 26, conservative activist Ted Sampley, co-founder of Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry, posted a column suggesting Obama was a secret Muslim, heavily quoting Martin's original press release.[12] According to Hayes, the first of many emails suggesting Obama was a Muslim was forwarded to Snopes within hours of Sampley's story. Hayes believes that the email was likely a slightly altered version of the Sampley article, which was in turn heavily based on Martin's 2004 press release. Martin told Hayes that he got numerous calls once the emails began circulating. When the callers asked him if he wrote the release, Martin replied, "They are all my children."[1]

According to the June 28, 2008 edition of The Washington Post, political theorist Danielle Allen traced the origin of the rumors about Obama's background back to Martin's 2004 press release. In contrast to his attitude during his interview with The Nation, Martin told the Post that he wasn't "trying to smear anybody," but that it was "just an underreported story."[2]

[JohnG]

The last time REASON mentioned Martin-Trigona in an article, he or someone purporting to be him showed up in the comments section threatening to sue for calling him an anti-Semite.

How's that going?