Listen to the Rocky v. Hannity Debate
None by KCPW
The topic of the debate Friday night between Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and talk show host Sean Hannity was:"Is the policy of the U.S. in Iraq producing successful results, or is it failing? And, is President George W. Bush discharging the duties of his office in a capable fashion, or should he be impeached?"
Anderson and Hannity each gave 30-minute speeches. KUED host Ken Verdoia moderated the debate:
Listen to Anderson's speech:
Listen to Hannity's speech:
Listen to the lively debate, which followed the speeches:
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1. Deborah Plummer said:
How come Hannity couldn't answer questions nor ask questions correctly? How come he had to manipulate the discussions with personal attacks? Did Anderson do that? How many military personnel did Hannity have to ask before he got the answer he wanted? Hannity scares me. Excellent debate for exposing hypocricy (splg). Thank you for making this available on-line.
3. jim said:
damn are americans that stupid listen to the amount of people clapping for hannity damn you have some stupid people in america...
4. Ben Lai said:
Hannity is simple hopeless. He did not/could not answer questions, because he had no reasoning with cold hard facts. Every so called response resorted to personal attacks and smears. I don't think I have seen anyone as unprofessional and despicable as Hannity. Even 5th graders debate better than he does. Isn't that so utterly shocking that the conservatives has this silly mouthpiece spitting hatred everyday to hurt its party. Shame on Hannity, you have LOST in this debate. Rocky rules.
5. Chris said:
Poor Hannity with his blind arrogance, and all those people cheering him on completely cut off from the rest of the World. Hannity's crowd booed when Rocky says the troops need to come home is a perfect example of the ignorance of the Right.
6. Tony Ravella said:
I agree with Deborah regarding the personal attacks. Hannity handled this debate as if it were a 'Hannity & Colmes' show. Hannity consistently leads off or ends with "the brave men and women in Iraq" (here and on his show) ... no one denies this, it is his way to sway audiences into thinking he is the ultimate patriot. Hannity also continued to lie about the democrats not wanting to give the troops the equipment, armor and money they need. Simply not true. I will be writing a post on this (with link to KCPW). The Blue State (thebluestate.com) will also be live blogging the Gonzales hearing tomorrow morning 9:30 EST, stop by and join us. Tony
7. Tony Ravella said:
I was so hung up on Hannity I didn't mention Rocky. He stayed away from any "bashing" of his opponent, and had his P's & Q's in order in my opinion.
8. clizzo said:
when anderson called for impeachment, did you hear more "boos" or applause?
9. Arsehole Hannity said:
Hannity is so stupid he wouldn't even find his arse with his nose!! Which arseworld do hannity and his simpleton sheepy cheerleader inhabit? HOW STUPID STUPID STUPID MORE CAN AN IDIOT MAKE AN ARSEDICK OF HIMSELF.....Hannity is pathetically stupid......!!!
10. Dday said:
Hannity, Hannity, Hannity! This guy just can't help wrapping himslef in play-brave-soldier clothes, can he? Here's someone who's never put his life in harm's way in defense of the country - never been in combat, never been a soldier, never experienced war - except when his mouth is running faster than his college drop-out brain. Yet, the chickenhawk Hannity never misses an opportunity to use the troops for his hypocritical talking points and self-promotion. If Hannity is so gung-ho about war and the troops, why the heck didn't he volunteer after 9/11? If Hannity wants to fight and defeat the terrorists so bad, why isn't in uniform, with weapons, fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq? You see, cowards like Hannity love to call other people's children "brave men and women in uniform, dying for America; but the same Hannity will never be brave to put on the uniform, fight and die for his "just and noble cause"! What a lying, cowardly hypocrite...using the lives of others to promote the repbulican party and dumbya. To think that you have a crowd cheering his every imbecile, inteilligent-deficient comments makes me weep for America! An America where an empty head, loud-mouth college drop-out pretends to be an inttellectual, with all the answers!!!! Baaaaaaaaaaahhhhh
11. Althelia said:
I wish Rocky Anderson were my mayor. What a patriot! America is behind you Rocky!
12. John said:
This Rocky Anderson is such a blowhard. Why couldn't he just ask the questions? With that said, he still isn't as much as a propagandist as Hannity. Hannity lives to spread lies and half-truths about liberals and Democrats.
13. rv said:
I lost count of how many of Hannity's answers/questions were simply insults or personal attacks on Anderson. Hannity never responded to a question. Other than that - standard Hannity - complete loss of credibility on the part of Anderson to even bother going on with the debate after seeing Hannity wasn't going to debate.
14. Dustin Dastrup said:
It is a sad day when politicians like Rocky Anderson not only step out of their position, but are attacked in such a childish way when trying to help the rest of the world! As a resident of Salt Lake, a member of the GLBT community, and a democrat, I am happy to be able to say that I lived under the leadership of a truly great man.
It has been enlivening living here in the city that most consider to be so drastically behind the times, with Mr. Anderson bridging gaps and renewing practicality, reason to government. Reshaping our local culture, while setting the stage for a bright future.
That said, the fact that Rocky speaks the truth is simply why he is so easily attacked by republicans, their pundits. Hannity is simply another brat born to wealth and privelege, and stuffed full of false rhetoric. I cannot believe that in America today, someone who would debate like that would be taken in the slightest bit seriously.
This is a dark time in America, in my opinion the darkest ever. We have sunken to the lowest low, believing hyperbole and subscribing to grand lies, false statements. We tie those who claim to be religious to undeniable truth. We believe what is blatantly false, discrediting history to justify an insane prescription for what America needs for the future.
I'll always be proud to be an American, our rich history of accomplishment and worldliness is unparalleled, however, until (if ever) our great nation is restored to what made us great, my heart will continue to sink every time I see the flag. It will be pretty hard to hold my hand to a heart that is difficult to find, while making my pledge of allegiance.
15. Richard Perle said:
Hannity is pretty much a joke. He, along with most of Fox News, gives his opinion based on made-up facts and information. He should've answered the questions instead of spewing disinformation... but why stop now? He's made such a career out of it.
16. Bob Feldman said:
Thank you Julie Rose!
17. Jeff W said:
Nobody has really commented on the fact of what the debate was about. I don't care who you like or dislike of the two, none of the arguements made as to how leaving Iraq would be beneficial went further than we don't want people to be killed. That's a no brainer; this war began because noone liked being killed, especially by planes that fly into buildings. All that's led up to this point is irreversable; what is in the world's best interest now? If Bush were to be impeached today, nothing would get better. You'd have a moment of relief when you've appeased the Middle East and they're applauding, but it wouldn't be long before Al Queda came right back feeling stronger than ever. Think about this stuff before you spit off all this crap. Terrorists don't hate America because of the Bush Administration; they hate it because of everything we stand for, and they want us dead. It's sad really; Liberalism has become trendy, and politicians are profiting from it.
2. jason Franklin said:
Not a good day for conservative apologists.