The blood lust returns
by digby
I’m sure most of you don’t watch Fox News. I try not to watch too much of it because it’s bad for my blood pressure. But I’ve been paying closer attention the last few days just to see how they’re dealing with all this.
Here is a pretty good example of the commentary there over the past four days. I just thought you should know:
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Emotions are running very high in the wake of last week’s deadly Boston marathon bombing. And over the weekend, New York State Senator Greg Ball found himself in a little bit of hot water for suggesting that the authorities should torture the suspect that was taken into custody.
He posted a tweet, which read in quote, “So, (expletive) #2 is in custody. Who wouldn’t use torture on this punk to save more lives?”
Joining me now, the lawmaker from the Empire State who posted that, New York State Senator Greg Ball. How are you? Welcome back.
STATE REP. GREG BALL, R-N.Y.: I’m really well. Blessed.
HANNITY: I don’t believe enhanced interrogation is torture. I don’t. We only water boarded three people — most people don’t know that — and it was done under very strict guidelines, very limited amounts of times, medical supervision was there. Everyone forgets that part of it and they say we tortured, tortured. But Obama advanced that narrative. But enhanced interrogation, sleep deprivation, loud music —
BALL: Which by the way many of our own troops and intelligence officials go through.HANNITY: That’s right, they train. Ollie North was waterboarded as part of his training.
You are saying more enhanced interrogation?BALL: This is what I said. Even Alan Dershowitz — what a great name — but he even agrees to the ticking bomb theory, that if you can save innocent American lives in those instances that those enhance tactics are indeed — would be called for and could be used.
This is — a lot of politicians are full of crap. They refuse to say what they really believe because, “Oh my God, if I say what I really believe I may not get re-elected again.” Maybe this isn’t a good part of my re-election strategy, but it’s from my heart in saying if we can save an innocent American life —
HANNITY: Get the answers! What does he know? We need to know what he knows.
BALL: Right.
HANNITY: I’m angry about this Mirandizing that went on here. Let me give you an example. I was watching last week and there was a period of time when everyone in Watertown was told, go in your house and close your doors.
Now I lived in Rhode Island for five years of my life, and every time I go into Massachusetts, mandatory one year jail sentence if you have a gun. Most people in Watertown, I would tell you, because gun laws are so strict, they don’t have guns.
So they are told to go into their homes, there’s a terrorist with bombs and guns walking around your neighborhood, I’m thinking you are a sitting duck.
BALL: Sean, it’s really scary if you look what is happening in politics today. I think people from various sides of the spectrum of looking at it. We’re in these 30-second responses. If you look at the legislation that’s passed, look at Cuomo’s gun —
HANNITY: If I was locked in my house, I have seven bullets in my gun.
BALL: Look at Cuomo’s gun legislation that he just rammed down our throats. We have retired law enforcement who are now criminals. We have active on duty military who are criminals. The New York Stock Exchange and other critical infrastructure in New York City, those private security guards have been turned into criminals.
HANNITY: Listen to Dianne Feinstein on this issue. What are the poor people supposed to do? There’s a terrorist on your backyard, in your neighborhood, on the loose, we don’t know where he is, just lock your door and by the way don’t come out of your house. And if you don’t have a gun, how do you defend yourself if he walks into your house?
Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, “FOX NEWS SUNDAY”)CHRIS WALLACE, HOST: Would people like to have had guns?
SEN. DIANE FEINSTEIN, D-CALIF.: Some may have, yes. But if where you are going is do they need an assault weapon, I don’t think so. As the vice president said —
WALLACE: Shouldn’t they have the right to decide whatever weapon they feel they need to protect themselves?
FEINSTEIN: How about a machine gun then? We did away with machine guns because of how they are used. I think we should do away with assault weapons because of how they are used.
WALLACE: Semiautomatics, that’s the most popular rifle in America.
FEINSTEIN: You can use a 12-gauge shotgun and have a good defensive effect and there’s the element of surprise. Now you’ve got police all over the place in Watertown. So I don’t really think that this is applicable. I think there are people that want to make this argument.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: She is clueless! The vice president is clueless!
BALL: For a U.S. senator to compare the effectiveness of a modern sporting rifle to a 12-gauge shotgun shows she’s a complete idiot on this issue. She doesn’t know the front end of a white tailed deal from the back end of a thoroughbred horse. And she’s the one introducing legislation effecting legal, law-abiding sportsmen!
HANNITY: She ought to take a look on YouTube of some people shooting shot guns, and right back and boom! An AR-15, you don’t have that kick.
BALL: I wouldn’t want to have terrorists knocking on my door and to protect that with only a 12-gauge shotgun.
HANNITY: I have to get out of New York, only seven bullets in my gun. This state is taking people’s rights away left and right.
I want these guys. I want them found as you do. I think this was a big mistake we made tonight.
BALL: Sean, it’s scary where this country is going. I hope good Americans use this as a wake-up call and realize if this is the new norm we better wake up.
HANNITY: Senator, thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.
You can watch the video at the link.
This isn’t an unusual dialog in Fox bizarroworld this week. It’s typical.
And they are very excited.
.