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Published January 13, 2015
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity & Colmes," May 29, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: And welcome to "Hannity & Colmes." We have a lot to cover tonight.
Scott McClellan is finally talking in person about his controversial new book. We're going to show you the tape. Dick Morris is here tonight for analysis, also Ann Coulter.
But we start with another new controversial video coming from — you guessed it — Trinity United Church. Now the video was posted on YouTube last Sunday. And it shows Father Michael Pfleger from Chicago giving a guest sermon at the church.
The rest — well, you just have to see for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FATHER MICHAEL PFLEGER, TRINITY UNITED CHUCH: When Hillary was crying, and people said that was put on, I really don't believe it was put on. I really believe that she just always thought this is mine.
(APPLAUSE)
PFLEGER: I'm Bill's wife, I'm white, and this is mine. I just got to get up and step into the plate. And then out of nowhere came, hey, I'm Barack Obama. And she said oh, damn, where did you come from?
(APPLAUSE)
PFLEGER: I'm white. I'm entitled. There's a black man stealing my show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Now late this afternoon Senator Obama issued a statement in response to the video saying, quote, "As I have traveled this country, I've been impressed, not by what divides us, by all that unites us. That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country that I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause."
Father Pfleger also issues a statement saying, quote, "I regret the words I chose on Sunday. These words are inconsistent with Senator Obama's life and message, and I'm deeply sorry if they offended Senator Clinton or anyone else who saw them."
Joining us now the Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson from the group Bond the Brotherhood Organization for New Destiny and FOX News contributor Bob Beckel, both frequent guests in the show.
Guys, welcome. You know there's more...
REV. JESSE LEE PETERSON, BONDINFO.ORG: Thank you, Sean.
HANNITY: There's more to this Bob Beckel — and I will start with you — and that is that when he finally distanced himself from Reverend Wright, when he said he'd never do because I could no longer disown Reverend Wright than I can the black community, but when he finally did it, he talked about his wonderful new pastor Otis Moss, who, by the way has attacked me from the pulpit. And Otis Moss introduced this Catholic priest, Father Pfleger, and then praised him after he basically accused Hillary Clinton of being a white supremacist.
Does that question — and he says I'm proud to still be associated with Trinity. Is it time for Barack Obama to leave Trinity United Church and stop the excuse making?
BOB BECKEL, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: First of all, Sean, you're attacked from many pulpits every Sunday. So don't (INAUDIBLE) with Trinity just yet.
HANNITY: All right. Fair enough. Fair enough.
BECKEL: And the — and, look, there must be something in the air at Trinity Church for sure. But — because it makes pastors say things they probably wish they wouldn't. This guy apologized for it. I don't think — Barack Obama did not say after he said this that he was a spiritual guide of his. This guy is a white guy that got carried away with himself. He apologized. And in the scheme of things it means nothing in presidential politics.
HANNITY: But I want to focus on Otis Moss who's the pastor — the new pastor. He called a wonderful new pastor.
BECKEL: Right.
HANNITY: He introduced Father Pfleger. He praised him after he said these words in his church, praised him for saying that. And I'm saying, you know, after the San Francisco comments, after Reverend Wright, after Michelle Obama's comments, I don't believe him anymore, Bob.
I don't — and you know what? Neither do the Democrats in West Virginia or Kentucky, the majority in both states, exit polls say they find Barack — dishonest and not trust worthy.
BECKEL: Look, if you get — if you get saturated with this — with Reverend Wright and with all this other stuff, you keep drawing it over and over and over again, of course...
HANNITY: Oh it's our fault.
BECKEL: .. it's going to raise scratches to peoples' heads.
HANNITY: Oh it's Hannity's fault.
BECKEL: Wait a second. I'm just saying that if you're — you're not going to hang Barack Obama up and beat him as a result of these things.
HANNITY: Yes. All right.
BECKEL: People just don't care that much about it.
HANNITY: Then Jesse.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Then Jesse, we can just look at his own words that, you know, these bitter Americans clinging to their guns and religion with antipathy towards others or Michelle Obama's comments, how do you interpret these? You're a reverend. I'm on the board of Bond. How do you interpret these statements, Reverend Peterson?
PETERSON: That this is another example of racism being taught from the pulpit. It is not uncommon that in many of the black churches you hear racist comments coming from the black preachers. It's unfortunate but they are catering to the racist attitude of black Americans toward white Americans. And when this guy apologized, when Michael Pfleger apologized, he is not sincere in that apology...
ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: How do you know?
PETERSON: ...because he knew what he was saying before he said it.
COLMES: You know, it's interesting, Jesse.
PETERSON: He already had the — he already had seen what.
HANNITY: Hey, Jess...
PETERSON: ...what happened as a result of Jeremiah Wright.
COLMES: Hey, Jesse Lee, it's Alan Colmes. You are very quick to accept.
BECKEL: Jesse — hey, Jesse, can I ask you a question? Jesse, can I ask you a question?
COLMES: Go ahead, Bob.
PETERSON: Yes.
BECKEL: When Jerry Falwell said that God was the one who brought segregation to this country, did you ever say anything about Reverend Falwell?
PETERSON: Well, I don't remember him making that comment but that is not the same.
BECKEL: Did you or not — this is the second question, did you.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Bobby, allow him to talk.
PETERSON: Bob, hold on, Bob. That's not the same as preaching racism from the pulpit because if you are called by God you are loved and not of color.
COLMES: Hey, Jesse Lee, let me get a question here.
(CROSSTALK)
COLMES: Hold on, guys. Jesse Lee, let me get a question in here. You are very quick to forgive Duane Dog Chapman who made vicious racist comments. You quickly forgave him.
PETERSON: Yes.
COLMES: Why won't you forgive Pfleger when he says he's sorry?
PETERSON: Because he doesn't mean it. Pfleger is...
COLMES: How do you know Dog Chapman meant what he said?
PETERSON: Well, later.
COLMES: You forgive those you agree with initially or overall but not those on the other side of the political plate.
PETERSON: Let me rethought, I know Duane Dog Chapman and what happened, happened in the privacy of his own home. But Michael Pfleger teaches racism by teaching so-called black theology. He is close friends with Louis Farrakhan and Jeremiah Wright. But the most...
COLMES: So guilt by association?
PETERSON: Alan, the most important thing is that Barack Obama sat under these guy — these people for the last 20 years.
COLMES: He didn't sit under Pfleger. We already had the argument about Wright.
PETERSON: When he called.
COLMES: It hasn't hurt Obama.
PETERSON: In an interview, he called Michael Pfleger a great spiritual leader. So he must agree with that. So either he has poor judgment.
COLMES: So John McCain called Rod Parsley a spiritual leader. You have a problem with that?
PETERSON: Alan, either he has poor judgment or he agrees with these folks. And we need to know that...
COLMES: You know.
PETERSON: ...before he becomes the next president of the United States.
BECKEL: Hey, Alan, can I ask you.
(CROSSTALK)
BECKEL: Alan? Jesse, let me ask you this. Every kid that goes through Trinity Church, every one of them.
PETERSON: Yes.
BECKEL: Because of what Reverend Wright and the rest say, does that mean every one of those children are not qualified to be president of the United States?
PETERSON: What it means is that they are being influenced by a racist.
BECKEL: No, are they are or they're not qualified?
PETERSON: Well, let me tell you. I'm answering it.
HANNITY: When they are adults they decide.
PETERSON: What it means is that they are being influenced by a racist black preacher. And we don't need that type of a person...
COLMES: You know.
PETERSON: ...running the greatest country in the world...
(CROSSTALK)
COLMES: Hold on, guys. Jesse Lee, why don't you go...
(CROSSTALK)
BECKEL: ...can be president of the United States.
COLLINS: Why don't you, Jesse Lee, go after...
PETERSON: I'm sorry?
COLMES: ...John McCain who he's got Hagee who he — whose support he seeks. And Hagee says, Hitler sent by God to hunt the Jews. Jews are not spiritually alive. You got Rod Parsley he calls a great spiritual leader and Parsley denounces Islam, denounces gays.
And I don't hear a peep out of the conservatives on those particular people who say outrageous things.
PETERSON: But Alan, I know Hagee. He is — Alan, I know Hagee, he is not a racist. And the principles that he teaches...
BECKEL: He's a fruit cake.
PETERSON: ...out of principles and values that Christians believe in. And there are.
COLMES: And Hitler was sent by God to get the Jews?
PETERSON: There is a difference — Alan, there is a difference in teaching black folks to hate white folks rather than teaching love as hate.
COLMES: That's love? Hitler was sent by God to get the Jews? That's love?
BECKEL: Jesse, that.
PETERSON: Well, that's a belief. That's a view of the Christian religion.
(CROSSTALK)
COLMES: All right. Thank you.
(CROSSTALK)
BECKEL: We are both Christians that's about love. Hitler coming to get the Jews?
PETERSON: No.
BECKEL: Are you kidding? The guy is a fruit cake.
COLMES: All right, guys.
(CROSSTALK)
PETERSON: Do we want a racist black man in the White House?
COLMES: We got to run.
PETERSON: Because that's what we need to be concerned about.
BECKEL: He's not a racist black man. And that's an obscene statement of yours, Jesse.
(CROSSTALK)
COLMES: Guys, we got to run. We thank you both very much. We understand this kind of a topic gets heated.
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