Sean Hannity responded to CBS News veteran journalist Ted Koppel who called the "Hannity" host "bad for America" in a Sunday news piece.
Asked by Koppel about the media's role in political divisions, Hannity said the American people are smart enough to distinguish between hard news and opinion programs.
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Koppel nodded, and Hannity asked whether he thought he was "bad for America," and Koppel said yes, adding that opinion shows attract people based on ideology over fact.
Funny behind the scenes After I answered the first question, Ted said "none of that will air". So I kept saying "Ted u need to keep this in" https://t.co/137pQ8GfLC
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) March 26, 2017
Hannity said Koppel's package was an example of "edited fake news" in that Koppel used 70 seconds-worth of a 45-minute discussion with him.
Hannity added that Koppel's story was not about getting his personal opinion, but to use the conservative host as a prop for a pre-written narrative.
He called Koppel "hypocritical" for believing he is a hard-news journalist and not an "advocacy journalist" like himself.
If you pay attention Ted was saying ALL opinion shows are bad for America. But he was saying this while giving us HIS OPINION #hypocrisy https://t.co/53Yn4bxbSw
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) March 26, 2017
He addressed Koppel again, asking whether he spoke up about obvious examples of bias, like when his former colleague Dan Rather was forced to resign for fabricating documents for a hit piece on President Bush.
Hannity also asked where Koppel's coverage was when President Obama accused Pennsylvanians and Midwesterners of "clinging to their guns and religion," or when Hillary Clinton referred to Trump supporters as "deplorables."
I should thank @CBSNews for providing me the opportunity to unmask "The Anatomy of Edited Fake News!" Stay tuned...Hope David and Ben watch.
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) March 26, 2017
Hannity asked whether Koppel felt pressure to avoid criticizing Obama because his ultimate boss, CBS News President David Rhodes, is the brother of top Obama adviser Ben Rhodes.
"I don't pretend that I'm fair, balanced and objective. You do," Hannity said. "You exposed yourself as agenda-driven [and] hypocritical." He reiterated his ten-year-old contention that "journalism is dead" and issued one last request to Koppel.
"If you... have the courage, release the entire unedited footage--let America decide."
Watch Michelle Malkin respond to Ted Koppel HERE.
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