Sean Hannity, conservative commentator and one of the big-name darlings of Fox News, has recently come under fire on the internet for comments that he made during his evening show on Fox. Hannity is known for being controversial, but his newest comments appear to have riled up an entire new faction of the internet.
Posting the Commentary to Twitter
During his monologue on his evening show for Fox, Hannity drew unflattering comparisons between Joe Biden, and Donald Trump. Specifically, he looked at the “commonalities” between their presidencies, and concluded that Trump was “objectively” better.
Hannity posted the comments on Twitter, stating that the report he released was “embarrassing for Biden.” He then went on to draw some comparisons that, while not necessarily untrue, are disingenuous in their intent.
Comparing the Two
Hannity said, “Under President Trump, we had peace. Under Biden, we have war. Under Trump, we had almost no inflation and record-low interest rates. Under Biden, Americans are getting squeezed every single day. 60% of Americans now live paycheck to paycheck.”
On the face of it, these statements are true. Biden is managing the conflict in the Middle East as president, given the participation of Israel in the Hamas War. Inflation was at record lows under Trump – though it spiked during COVID – and said high inflation is making it difficult for Americans to afford everyday basics such as groceries and gas.
Continuing to Hyperbolize
Hannity’s comments ignore the fact that many of the factors that he refers to are out of Biden’s control, though. The conflict in the Middle East is far outside the influence of the American president, and both inflation and the rising costs of groceries are largely out of the president’s control as well.
Hannity didn’t stop there with the disingenuous comments, though. He then went on to claim that American borders were more secure under Trump, that housing is unaffordable because of Biden, and that both crime rates and homelessness are on the rise as a direct result of Biden administration policy.
Winding Down
The point of the monologue came near the end, though, when Hannity – falsely – claimed that Democrats were practicing “legal ballot harvesting” and that if conservatives knew what were good for them, they would get out the vote. Vote early, vote by mail, and get over their reluctance to engage in their civic duty in these ways.
Hannity claimed that the vote was more important than ever in the modern day, due to the fact that pro-life protestors and concerned citizens are being targeted by the DOJ for “not staying on message.” There is no evidence to support this particular claim, but then again, there isn’t much evidence to support many of Hannity’s claims.
The Internet Responds
The internet exploded after Hannity’s monologue was posted, with conservatives praising him for his ability to “speak the truth.” Many pointed out the verifiable facts that Hannity stated, including high inflation and the war in the Middle East.
But more people were infuriated by what Hannity said. His comments come in the wake of multiple defamation lawsuits that Fox News has been embroiled in since Donald Trump left office. While Hannity’s comments are nowhere near as inflammatory as the pushing of the Big Lie, they still riled up quite a few people in the middle and liberal sides of the aisle.
Reactions from the Peanut Gallery
Comments on the X, formerly known as Twitter, post were scathing. Many people pointed out the hypocrisy of Hannity blatantly lying for ratings, particularly after he was subpoenaed and had to testify under oath in one of the Fox News defamation lawsuits.
Another user commented, by stating that the number one worst thing in the country is Hannity’s show. Another agreed that everything is worse under Biden, with their first thought regarding that statement being Hannity himself, and his show.
Hannity Relies on Controversy
It’s a well known fact that Hannity’s primetime show isn’t fact, it’s opinion. It’s entertainment. It’s not part of the Fox News journalism arm, though unfortunately, there are many who don’t seem to realize that. Hannity’s show is one of the most popular talk shows on network television by viewership, which ebbs and flows with the controversy that he discusses.
Like the now-defunct Tucker Carlson show, Hannity relies on riling up his audience with conservative rhetoric, with no obligation to tell the truth. The latest monologue he released only makes that more clear, and it appears that more people are coming to the same conclusion.
Hannity Silent on the Issue
Hannity didn’t respond to the uproar on the internet regarding his monologue, but that’s par for the course. Hannity, at the end of the day, is an asset of Fox News, whose intent is to help bring success to his employer and bring in funds for the parent company.
Stoking controversy and riling up the conservative base ahead of the 2024 election is one way that Hannity is fulfilling his contractual obligations. If Hannity and other conservative talk show hosts can stoke turnout ahead of what is appearing to be a very contentious and important election season, the parent company and the GOP will both be happy.
A Pathway for the DNC
This is far from the first time that Hannity has spouted half-truths on his show, and it won’t be the last. While many people seem to recognize that Hannity is largely telling falsehoods in his monologue, there are those who believe the statements that he claimed wholeheartedly.
This gives Democrats and moderates something to fight against ahead of the 2024 election, and allows the DNC range in their campaign targeting. If someone can listen to Hannity’s monologue and think that he speaks nothing but the truth, then the DNC has a lot of work to do.
