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Hey Fox News: Sean Hannity Been Waterboarded Yet?
Hannity was prodded by actor Charles Grodin into agreeing to subject himself to waterboarding to benefit a charity for the families of U.S. soldiers.
Has anybody heard anymore about this OFFER from Sean to be waterboarded? It would seem awfully CHICKEN of him to offer to go through with it then to back out wouldn't it?
Best be recorded for ALL to see too.
Has anybody heard anymore about this OFFER from Sean to be waterboarded? It would seem awfully CHICKEN of him to offer to go through with it then to back out wouldn't it?
Best be recorded for ALL to see too.
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http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/ickyma/2009/04/waterboard-hannity-for-charity.php?ref=reccafe
April 27, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think Hannity should do this, no matter what he promised. And he shouldn't be taunted into it, even though he himself is an old-fashioned bully who frequently descends to similar taunting of others. Waterboarding is not something to be fucked around with and turned into some big joke or media stunt.
And it would be criminally perverse to waterboarding it as a way to raise cash for some cause. What next, stoning and crucifixion to benefit Jerry's Kids? No matter how much one detests Hannity, donating money on the condition that he is waterboarded would be sick. Not to mention the fact that Hannity could then point to that donated money as evidence that Hannity-hating "liberals" are sadistic hypocrites.
I know this is just a joke, but trivializing waterboarding plays into the wingnut agenda.
April 27, 2009 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah... you're right about that. I suppose my bloodlust is showing...
I guess it's just the optimist in me that hopes Hannity would come out of the experience a "changed man"!!! He'd lead the charge AGAINST TORTURE!!! He'd champion Investigations and Prosecutions!!! He'd become a tireless warrior , fighting for justice!!!!
....
I certainly see your point and fear Hannity might spin this into "Bolivian"...
April 27, 2009 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just reread your post, and realized that it was Hannity who brought up the charity angle--not Grodin. If he had volunteered with no strings attached, as an experiment in pure research, I would have been much more impressed. As it stands, my original opinion of him remains unchanged: horse's ass.
April 27, 2009 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Christopher Hitchens gave it a go (video here). He came out of it and wrote a piece titled: Believe me, It’s torture.
I know Sean is not as intellectually honest as Hitchens (or intellectual at all for that matter) and would probably lie about it or use a staged taping to showcase how easy it is. I too would hope for the 'changed man', but that type of conversion usually requires some basic root integrity that I frankly don't think Hannity has.
Still, I too have some bloodlust that has developed over the last eight years and part of me would love to see him suffer (Special to Thera- I'm working on it).
April 27, 2009 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
the 'changed man'
For that, it is necessary to introduce an ergot derivative into the experimental space, approximately 45-60 minutes prior to applying the water.
April 27, 2009 6:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dr. Hofmann, I presume?
April 27, 2009 8:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dr. Hofmann, I presume
The sainted Dr. H, to whom I owe my very right to use up oxygen and continue as a platform for the production, transport, and delivery of DNA.
April 29, 2009 2:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I have a thought about a way around that. Waterboarding is done to try to get the person being interrogated to say what the interrogators believe he is holding back, yes? So set it up to waterboard Hannity until he admits that waterboarding is torture. And if it's the case that a person being subjected to that procedure will eventually say anything to make it stop, then Hannity will eventually say that. And when he does, and the procedure is stopped, he either has to admit that he spoke the truth, that waterboarding is indeed a form of torture; or that he only said that to make it stop, in which case he proves that you can't be sure of getting good information from it.
April 27, 2009 6:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
No... You should waterboard until he admits to something ludicrous... Such as, "I want single payer health care."
April 27, 2009 11:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think waterboarding Hannity under any circumstances trivializes this debate. It also reduces those who want to waterboard Hannity to the level of Hannity and his supporters. I reuse to go there and wish olbermann would rescind his money offer to Hannity because it reduces Olbermann to Hannity's level. I want my country back and I am ashamed to share it with people like Hannity.
April 27, 2009 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, I disagree. It's people like Hannity who try to pass off methods of torture as nothing more serious than a fraternity prank (not that those don't sometimes turn deadly) who ar trivializing things. Olberman is just trying to get Hannity to put his ass on the line: if he doesn't think it's any big deal, then why should he object to being subjected to it?
At least make him admit that waterboarding is a form of torture. If he then wants to say that torture should not be off the table and go against principles that were established in the American Revolution by George Washington himself, then let's see him denounce George Washington as a pansy who was too soft to get tough with the enemy.
April 27, 2009 6:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hannity thinks waterboarding is no big deal. That is what he said. He does not think it is torture. He also is the person who initially suggested that he would do it for charity. That's when Olbermann said he would donate a thousand dollars for every second Hannity could tolerate it, and Olbermann would double it when Hannity admitted that waterboarding is torture. I think, some very savy smart person should start a website where we could all pledge money like they do for cancer. And then keep on Hannity until he actually puts his 'mouth where our money is'... I would donate 10 dollars a second and double it like Keith. I think alot of good could come of this because a monumentally stupid and ignorant right-winger would be allowed to see the error of his ways and, at the same time, raise alot of money for a very good cause. This is what you could call a 'win-win' situation.
April 27, 2009 10:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with SLB -- Hannity started this by acting like it's just 'uncomfortable' for a person to undergo something like this. I also like your idea of forcing him to admit it's torture...LOL
I'd like Marines, Seabees and any other military member to come out and tell what it was they were forced to go through and for how long.
I keep hearing that we force them to undergo the same tactics, well, what do THEY think? Was it the same thing? For as long?
I'm a ex-marine, what I went through was being forced to stay in the water floating (standing up) for longer than I cared to, until I was choking and couldn't catch my breath. The staff sergeant pushed me back down in the water by stepping on my head when I tried to reach the side of the pool. It wasn't a 'fun' maneuver but I also knew they would eventually have to let me up for proper air. At the time we were told it was for naval training in case you're on a ship that sinks, for long time survival in the water -- not for the possibility of torture.
I admit that I've heard stories where a Marine has died because of abusive 'floating'.
It is torture if you think you are dying and can't breath. Try it, you WON'T like it.
April 27, 2009 8:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey! Join us in putting heat on Hannity!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=104737816232
April 27, 2009 8:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps former Chuck Hagel would be the person to LEAD this charge to go after the guilty?
April 27, 2009 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's all for naught.
If he were to go thru with it, he'd wet his pants and cry, but would still be declaring that it isn't torture, it's an enhanced interrogation.
But, perhaps the 'interrogation' question might be to ask him why we executed Japanese interrogators that used this enhanced technique. Might take a while to get the truth, or shall we say what the interrogators want to hear.
April 28, 2009 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
From what Keith Olbermann said last night, Hannity has backed out. I did not recorgnize Grodin! Man, he has aged badly! Is/has he been ill?
April 28, 2009 1:42 PM | Reply | Permalink