April 27, 2011
Obama Birth Certificate Critics Called Racist | Hannity
Special Guests | Michelle Malkin, author, "Culture of Corruption"




This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," April 26, 2011. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: It is ironic that the so-called most transparent administration in history took three years to dispel rumors about the president's birthplace.
Now "The Anointed One" must have been busy playing golf, appearing on "Oprah," attending New York City fundraisers which he spend the rest of his day doing today.
Now meanwhile, the women of "The View" didn't see this is an issue of transparency but rather a case of his critics being racist.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE VIEW" ON APRIL 28)

JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST: It's very racist, because in other words, you say he couldn't get into Harvard on his own, he didn't write his book. He can't fathom that a black man could be that smart. That's what's behind this.


WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST: It is very difficult on a daily basis to see this stuff and not just say, you know, this is what it is. But I have been raised to think OK, well, maybe that's not what they mean. Maybe let me figure it out.


But I have to say -- well, I do think again, but, you know, being black, when you say, you know this is racist, 9,000 people say, oh no, you are just playing the race card. Well, you know what? I'm playing the damn card now.


(END VIDEO CLIP)


HANNITY: All right. Joining me with reaction, the author of the New York Times number one best seller "Culture of Corruption," Michelle Malkin is with us. Michelle, welcome back.


MICHELLE MALKIN, AUTHOR, "CULTURE OF CORRUPTION": Thanks for having me back, Sean.


HANNITY: I even watched part of this exchange, and people are suggesting -- I played basketball as a kid, I played a ton of hoops, a lot -- that, oh, he's out playing basketball. Somehow that's a suggestion. The president literally today went to fundraisers, taped "Oprah." You know, he said, you know, no time for this silliness, he has a lot of important things to do. I don't think taping "Oprah" and playing golf and his other extracurricular activities is more important than say, fixing the economy. But what is your reaction?


MALKIN: Yes. I think we have the same reaction. I don't know about you, but it was hard not to choke on my coffee this morning as I was watching this press conference and watching this man who has been the epitome of unseriousness, wagging his finger, Mr. Waggy McFinger Wagger (ph) at the media and everyone else in public life in the public square for being distracted. I mean, the fact is, that so much of this controversy and this issue has been a useful tool for the left wingers in the media who have tried to demonize every last conservative activist and conservative politician, conservative in public life, trying to marginalize them as the most extreme kind of conspiracist. Then, it is also helped the media boost the candidacy of somebody who I do not consider a bona fide conservative, somebody who is sucking oxygen out of serious debates, bona fide limited government issues, and that of course is Donald Trump.


And look, I over the last two-and-a-half years, Sean, I've gotten a lot of heat from the so-called birther faction. And just to correct Juan Williams, it is not just so-called Republicans who have pushed some of this movement. In fact, most mainstream Republicans in office have not pushed this thing. It is a lot of independents, it's a lot of people who have engaged in the same kind of fraud that they are now accusing President Obama of.


And I've been very cautious and I've been very clear in my warning that you got to pick and choose your battles. And I said two years ago that I believed Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. I believed that this long form birth certificate is bona fide. A lot of the questions that are being raised now about Photoshop and Illustrator and blah, blah, blah. I think are very far-fetched.


And in the meantime, grassroots conservatives who have been in the fight for a long time, long before Johnny-come-latelys and Tea Party opportunists like Donald Trump came along, l have a lot of work to do, we've had a lot of work to do to undo the damage that this man has done in office. And that's why I've chose to invest my time and energy.


HANNITY: The only thing -- this wasn't my issue either. But as time went on and Donald Trump brought up the issue, it just seemed to me just release it and it is over. It is now released. And unless anyone comes up with this big smoking gun, it is not an issue. We've got to focus on serious issues that country is in a serious time.
I'm very concerned though. I was a little surprised and a little disappointed with Whoopi Goldberg yesterday -- who I know, I interview and get along with great -- about her comments today.


MALKIN: Yes.


HANNITY: Similarly, NBC hosts have been making similar comments. By the way, the biggest birther of all was Chris Matthews, demanding a long-form certificate, release it. Tavis Smiley said that Trump and the Tea Party are going to make this presidential race the ugliest most racist in history. All of these charges about racism now, if you bring up issues involving Barack Obama. That to me, I don't know if that is a sign of desperation. But it is certainly not good for the country.


MALKIN: Well, the race card hasn't been the last refuge of liberal scoundrels. It is always the first refuge of liberal scoundrels so this is nothing new. Every time a conservative coughs, sneezes or breathes, it is racist.


The Tea Party Movement, the bona fide Tea Party Movement over the last 2-1/2 years has had to deal with these charges. Every Republican in the public square has had to. Of course, speaking as a minority conservative, myself, even brown skinned, black skin, yellow skin, if you are a conservative it doesn't inoculate you from these charges. It is just something we have to deal with and face forthrightly.


I think you make a completely legitimate point about holding Barack Obama to his own boastful promises about transparency. There's so much on the table that he needs to be pinned to the wall to.


I don't care so much about his college transcripts, as I do about the stonewalling from his Justice Department, from his Interior Department, his Health Department, every single crack, -- nook and cranny, in this administration needs to be pinned to the wall.


HANNITY: I would argue, it doesn't matter if he is a straight A student. He's not governing the country where literally he's leading us into a significant decline. As America goes, I argue so does the world.


His policies are failing. So it doesn't matter what his grades were at this point. Michelle Malkin, great insight. Thanks for being with us.


MALKIN: You bet.


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