This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," July 30, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Over
the weekend, Mitt Romney was in Israel as part of his foreign policy tour.
There he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Now, the GOP
candidate's trip highlights the alarming fact that after nearly four years in
office, President Obama has yet to visit our closest ally in the Middle East in
what is now a very troubling time.
Now, Obama's refusal to visit
Israel seems to have escaped former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who
recently claimed that Jewish Republicans supporters are being quote,
"exploited by the GOP." Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF., FORMER SPEAKER OF
THE HOUSE: This president has been a staunch supporter of Israel. Many of the
things that he has done in terms of Israel's qualitative edge, in terms of how
we have supported Israel in that regard for them to defend themselves, A. B,
issues that relate to Iran, no president has done more.
Many
of the Republicans are using Israel as an excuse. What they really want are tax
cuts for the wealthy. So, Israel, that can be one reason --
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: That's why
some of the Republican Jewish supporters are really --
PELOSI: Well, that's how they
are being exploited.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Right.
PELOSI: And they are smart
people. They follow these issues.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Right.
PELOSI: But they have to know
the facts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
And joining me to discuss
Israel's role in the 2012 election, from the Young America's Foundation Kate
Obenshain and Fox News contributor Kirsten Powers.
Look, Kirsten, this is really
not even in dispute. We've never had a worst relationship with Israel, he snubs
the prime minister at the White House, does something we told Israel we would
never do, call on them to return the '67 borders. There's been a series of
events.
And right now we are giving
$1.5 billion to the Muslim Brotherhood and inviting Muslim Brotherhood, a known
terrorist organization, to the White House. It's never been worse than it is
right now. So, Nancy Pelosi, to make this claim, is just idiocy.
KIRSTEN POWERS, FOX NEWS
POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, you know, who Barack did an interview, it was
yesterday or today, saying that actually, they've never had a better
relationship in terms of defense issues which is his area of expertise. So, I'm
not sure that I have to agree with that. I think there's been disagreements
with Israel, particularly over --
HANNITY: He left the prime minister
waiting inside the White House and he snubbed him. And we are giving $1.5
billion tax dollars to the Muslim Brotherhood.
POWERS: OK. We are giving money
actually to Egypt, which we've always done.
HANNITY: The Muslim
Brotherhood.
POWERS: You know, and so, yes,
and now the Muslim Brotherhood is in control of Egypt.
HANNITY: A terrorist group.
POWERS: But we have always
given money to them. So, let's not pretend like Barack Obama just created with
this idea of giving money to Egypt.
HANNITY: When did we give money
to the Muslim Brotherhood before?
POWERS: Because, well, the
Muslim Brotherhood wasn't in control of the country before but we have always
given money to Egypt because we have a very vested interest in that country.
HANNITY: But now, the Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist organization is in charge.
POWERS: This is dishonest,
Sean. Come on. I mean, you cannot suggest that somehow Barack Obama got up and
said, hmm, let's see what can I do today, I'm going to fund the Muslim
Brotherhood. We give aid to Egypt. That's a fair discussion if you want to talk
whether we should stop giving aid to Egypt.
HANNITY: All right. Wait a
minute. But let me just stop and you go to Kate. The first thing that the
Muslim Brotherhood did Kate when they got power in Parliament was to declare
Israel their number one enemy.
KATE
OBENSHAIN, YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION: Right.
HANNITY: During the uprising,
the Arab uprising, the Arab spring, the brotherhood was saying prepare for war
with Israel and then they cut off energy supplies to Israel and they are our
closest ally.
OBENSHAIN: And we ignore that.
This president has ignored the threats that the Muslim Brotherhood makes just
like he has ignored Palestine working with Hamas, and Hamas is a terrorist
organization, hates the United States. This president is not being aggressive
in making sure that Iran does not acquire nuclear capabilities, which they have
been very clear about, that they plan on using against the United States.
If anything, this president has
weakened the penalties against Iran for the way that it's been acting. And when
Maha Abbas planned this big celebration in Palestine to celebrate the murder of
37 Israelis, the administration turns a blind eye. And yet, Sean, they
constantly belittle and lecture Israel, saying that Israel is not doing
anything to forward the peace process.
Israel has bent over backwards
trying to move forward. But Palestine won't even sit down with them. And then
Barack Obama goes around the world and bows to the Saudi King, not a little
bow, but a big one. I mean, constantly sides with Turkey when the terrorists
attack Israel. I mean --
POWERS: I'm sorry. As opposed
to the Bush family, who actually had the Saudis into their home. You know, I
mean, come on, how about, you know, I mean this is so unbelievable that the
distortion of all of this --
OBENSHAIN: Did he bow before
him on a tour around the world?
(TALKING OVER EACH OTHER)
POWERS: -- to have them into their home to entertain them.
HANNITY: All right. Hang on.
Let me focus the conversation. Because Mitt Romney's speech I thought was probably
one of his best. And he talked about a moral imperative that the United States
has and a solemn obligation that the United States has, and that is to stand by
Israel and support them as it relates to Iran, privately.
POWERS: Yes, of course. And nobody
disagrees with that.
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