Hannity's Histrionics

For a person who doesn't have much faith in the intellect of pundits, I wonder why I watch them so often.  I wonder even more why the cable outlets and networks that employ them don't take more care in who they hire.

Many of them get on crusades that bear no resemblance to reality.  Sean Hannity is one of the most prominent. The night before last  he was on his Bowe Bergdahl kick demanding to know why he was returned to active duty and incensed that none of Bergdahl's platoon members had yet been interviewed regarding his walking away from his post.

Do you suppose it's because the general in charge of the investigation hasn't gotten to that point? He ranted to the mother of a soldier who died while searching for Bergdahl wondering if she was incensed as he.

Both the platoon member he interviewed and the mother of the dead soldier hedged their answers.  Sometimes I wonder how they allow themselves to be sucked into interviews with those like Hannity.

According to retired general Robert Scales everything that has been done with Bergdahl has been according to the book.  The investigation is a totally different activity.

So why shouldn't Bergdahl be returned to duty?  He is still an active member of the military and as of now no charges have been filed.

Yes, there have been many accusations, differing opinions on what charges might be as well as appropriate punishment.  As far as I know even soldiers are considered innocent until proven guilty.

Alarmists like Hannity would do well to keep their mouths shut until the facts are known.  Speculation is a disservice to everyone, especially those who listen to such and take it as gospel. Trying to influence opinion out of ignorance is worse.

FOX moved his time slot once.  They might consider doing it again.  Like maybe off the air!

Hannity's Histrionics

Why is it so many talking heads have guests that are far superior to them in intellect?  You can always tell when they have one on. The conversation rapidly deteriorates into either a monologue by the host disallowing the guest to get a word in edgewise.  The shouting matches where noting of value is said by either party usually has as a guest someone of the same mentality but a different viewpoint.

What really irks me is when a host tries to put words in the guests mouth to make it appear he or she is in agreement. FOX's Hannity is one of the most egregious. I don't watch him often because of his intellectual shortcomings but last night  for some reason I did.  It just reconfirmed I am correct.

Of course the subject was Bowe Bergdahl.  I don't know what the end story will be of this misadventure but he may well wish he was back in Afghanistan.  There are so many stories swirling around I don't think anyone is yet able to sort out which are true and which are not.  Hannity, however,  has tried him,  found him guilty of everything from deserting to collaborating with the enemy, and is ready to hang him.

James Rosen has been doing some excellent reporting, as he does, on what isn't known and the implications of just that.  When one is in captivity, being held by those you were sent to fight, could you become disillusioned with them just as you had your own country and the reasons you were sent to fight?  I would guess so.

Would you do everything in your power to stay alive, even claiming to join forces with them?  I would suggest you might.  The psychological nuances of a person in such circumstances are vast and at this point we haven't enough information to make a judgement. Hannity tried mightily to reshape Rosen's report and failed miserably.  Yet he continued the same mantra over and over ad nauseam.

Perhaps Bergdahl did walk away from his post leaving behind his weapon, body armor and a damning letter. What happened next?  That's where we are at a standstill. We don't know.  The only one who does, for sure, is Bergdahl and those he was with.  They won't tell us anything.  We don't know how truthful Bergdahl will be in his debriefing but I trust we have skilled people handling it and will be able to sort the wheat from the chaff.

I won't even get into the behavior of his father other than to say I have no idea what ends I might go to if he were my son.

Could Bergdahl have been compromised?  Could he be a one man cell?  Possibly.  But for Sean Hannity to make that judgement and try to convince all those to whom he speaks that his words, and his alone, are the truth and should be considered such is disgusting and unworthy of any on air broadcast, even FOX.

He may be a talking head but it's a damn empty one.