Dr. Laura Discusses Her New Book

This is a partial transcript from "Hannity & Colmes," January 6, 2006 that has been edited for clarity.

HANNITY: As we continue on "Hannity & Colmes," I'm Sean Hannity.

Earlier Alan and I spoke with Dr. Laura Schlessinger about a brand new book, just out today, miners story for a second. And this is a heart wrenching and heartbreaking story, obviously. And it's not just losing a parent. It's also thinking — or losing a child. You think they're — first you think they're gone. Then you think they're alive. Then you find out that they're gone. Is anybody ever equipped to cope with something like that?

SCHLESSINGER: Not in the immediate. But, you know, most people are going to collapse, be hysterical, be angry, go through emotions that look completely irrational, and I call that normal.

Most of these people, after some period of time, will be resilient enough to incorporate it in and move on. You see, all these families have a story about the love the family had. The person is physically lost but the history isn't. And that's what ultimately is going to be special about these families; they all have stories to tell.

Your dad risked his life to provide energy for the country and to take care of his family. He is our hero. That's a good story to tell.

COLMES: Yes.

SCHLESSINGER: As opposed to he just went off.

COLMES: Imagine the person that has to walk into that room, in that church and then tell these families, "You know, what we told you three hours ago..."

SCHLESSINGER: Isn't true.

COLMES: "... isn't true."

SCHLESSINGER: The insanity of the moment, I can't even imagine the pain. That is — to go up that high and slam down that hard is horrible. But you know, most people keep their hopes up anyway, because we all hope for the best, of course.

COLMES: Are people basically optimistic? Are people basically half full or half empty, on the glass?

SCHLESSINGER: I think it depends on the person.

HANNITY: Conservatives are half full.

SCHLESSINGER: I tend a little to the half empty.

COLMES: They're half full because the liberals pour into the glass.

HANNITY: Because you want to still from those guys.

COLMES: The liberal handout that we pour into the glass.

SCHLESSINGER: You grow up in a critical household you tend to be on the half empty. Because you know, if it's not totally full it might as well be.

COLMES: Two children, same household, getting back to your book. Same parents, same experiences. One becomes a liberal, one becomes a conservative. Why?

SCHLESSINGER: Because people are born with different dispositions. How many kids do you have?

COLMES: None.

SCHLESSINGER: How many kids do you have?

HANNITY: Two.

SCHLESSINGER: Do you notice, right out of the hopper, their personalities are different.

COLMES: I'd say they'd better be liberal.

HANNITY: But they're both conservative.

COLMES: You don't know yet.

HANNITY: Seven and 4. I know.

SCHLESSINGER: When they start rebelling.

HANNITY: Four years old, there aren't any liberals in the whole family, Doctor.

COLMES: Go ahead. You know how good it would be for him to have a son with a ponytail and an earring?

HANNITY: You wished that the day he was born.

COLMES: But is it nature or nurture that creates these mindsets?

SCHLESSINGER: It is an interweaving.

HANNITY: This is a great book. Because I know so many people that are struggling in their adulthood because of childhood experiences. I'm glad you wrote it.

SCHLESSINGER: I don't think there's a person who can't benefit from the book.

HANNITY: I have.

SCHLESSINGER: Because we each have something...

HANNITY: Everybody does.

SCHLESSINGER: ... that we have a habit pattern about because of our childhood that isn't the best thing in our marriages or our work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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