This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," April 10, 2015. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: So Hillary Clinton is expected to announce this weekend that she's running for president yet again, and with her looming announcement comes the inevitable conversation about how Democrats will respond to her candidacy.
Now, we already know how many ranking members of the African-American community feel about President Obama's failed presidency. So will they back Hillary Clinton?
Here now for analysis, the author of the brand-new book, "My Journey With Maya," is Tavis Smiley.
All right, Tavis, there's no love lost between the Clintons and the Obamas. Everybody knows this. You, Cornel West, you have been a strong critic of this president. Off the top of your head, are you a supporter of Hillary?
TAVIS SMILEY, "MY JOURNEY WITH MAYA" AUTHOR: It's not about whether I'm a supporter of Hillary. The question is whether or not --
HANNITY: I like my question. What's wrong with my question? Are you a supporter?
(CROSSTALK)
SMILEY: There's nothing wrong with it. I'm a media personality who tries to ask the tough questions. It's not about who I'm endorsing.
HANNITY: Well, I'm asking -- I mean, do you have any issues with Hillary?
SMILEY: Well, I'm answering your question. I don't endorse candidates. Here's my issue is. My issue is, I think it's a mistake -- I respect her and I love her, but I think it's a mistake for her, for the party and for the country for her to be coronated as the Democratic nominee.
Because I've said this before. I don't like auctions, I like elections. It's not about the highest bidder who can raise the most money. And I like elections not coronations. I think it's a mistake --
HANNITY: I'm with you.
SMILEY: -- for her because if she is not tested in the primary, I don't think she runs as well in the general, number one. But on top of that, she's going to catch enough heat from the media as it is, but if there's nobody else to focus on in the primary but you, the heat and the scrutiny's going to be that much more difficult.
HANNITY: All right --
SMILEY: I don't see how this is good for her.
HANNITY: Let's go back -- and you've been a pretty fierce critic of Obama at times. Let's go back, though, to the campaign between Obama and Hillary and Bill Clinton saying that they planned and played the race card on him. I want your reaction to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, JUNE 21, 2008)
BILL CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that they played the race card on me. And we now know from memos from the campaign and everything that they planned to do it all along.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HANNITY: Now, he made that charge a number of times. What do you think happens when Hillary tries to distance herself from the Obamas -- they're going to get mad.
SMILEY: I think it's old news, number one, what the president said -- former president. Number two, I think that it's going to be -- there's not going to be much light between African-Americans and Secretary Clinton. If she runs, and obviously she will, she's going to get the overwhelming support, I suspect, of the African-American community.
And the reason why is not because she's right on everything. It's not because she's progressive enough for some of us. It's because y'all ain't got nobody better.
HANNITY: I disagree. And that's going to be a subject for another night. All right --
SMILEY: Rand Paul's the only guy who would even talk about black issues.
HANNITY: I think -- I think --
SMILEY: And you guys are trying to shut him down.
HANNITY: I think every Republican ought --
SMILEY: They're trying to Swift Boat -- trying to Swift Boat Rand already --
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: -- what Rand is doing and go to historically black colleges and reach out to communities that have not historically voted for the Republicans. I think he's smart, and I think Republicans should do that. So I'm with you.
All right, Tavis, good to see you.
SMILEY: All right.
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