This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," April 26, 2011. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: An infamous figure from the Obama administration's early days is rearing his ugly head once again. Van Jones, "The Anointed One's" former green jobs "czar," has taken up a new cause as a board member of the Pachamama Alliance, a group that according to its Web site is, quote, "committed to the universal adoption and implementation of legal systems that recognize, respect and enforce rights of nature."
That's right. Van Jones is on a mission to secure human rights for Mother Nature and make sure the law protects nature the same way it protects you and me. But he may be taking up this cause at a bad time. A new Gallup poll shows that just 42 percent of people around the world believe that global warming is a serious or somewhat serious threat, putting those believers in the distinct minority. So, I'm guessing Americans are not going to be eager to extend the Bill of Rights to Mother Nature.
And joining me now with reaction to all of this, the author of "Power Grab, How Obama's Green Policies Will Steal Your Freedom and Bankrupt America," Chris Horner; and Betsy Rosenberg, host of the "Green Front" on the Progressive Radio Network.
Thanks for being with us.
Now, I understand, Betsy, you have -- I don't know what -- Chris, you look like you have a blue light on there.
Betsy, we'll start with you. You're a friend of Van Jones, an avowed communist, 9/11 truther -- you are friends with him?
BETSY ROSENBERG, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Oh, my goodness. I've interviewed him on my program several times. He's written a great book.
HANNITY: And you have respect for him.
ROSENBERG: Absolutely.
HANNITY: You have great respect for him.
ROSENBERG: I do.
HANNITY: OK. So, you have a great respect for a 9/11 truther and an avowed communist? Are you a communist?
ROSENBERG: He was not part of that petition. That's been proven. And thanks to Glenn Beck, he's not in the White House, which is where he should be. We need a green jobs "czar."
HANNITY: OK. But 9/11 truther, you have no problem with?
ROSENBERG: That was disproven. Check your facts.
HANNITY: It's not disproven because we have the tape of it.
ROSENBERG: He did not sign that petition. He did not sign that petition.
HANNITY: All right. An avowed communist, you don't have a problem with that either?
ROSENBERG: That's your term. I would never call him that. And no one else I know in respect would ever call him that.
HANNITY: Those are his terms. Now let's go to this idea. Mother Nature --
(CROSSTALK)
ROSENBERG: He's a bold leader. It's all about creating green jobs.
HANNITY: Mother Nature should have rights. Explain why you think Mother Nature should have rights?
ROSENBERG: I think that we are part of Mother Nature. If you don't think so, try going one day without your environment -- meaning clean air, clean water, clean food.
HANNITY: You're right. I want to poison the air, water and kill people.
ROSENBERG: To separate ourselves from our environment is foolish. Don't be fossil foolish. We need to accept reality watch is happening, tonight this very evening, there are severe weather conditions in Arkansas and Alabama -- 5,600 severe weather events in April alone in this country have been recorded, right?
HANNITY: Global warming, right?
ROSENBERG: Mother Nature is screaming at us to pay attention to climate change. Why are you denying it?
HANNITY: All right. Chris with the blue face -- I've never seen. I don't know what's going on.
CHRIS HORNER, "POWER GRAB" AUTHOR: I just got of out of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. I think that's great.
ROSENBERG: Space aliens.
HORNER: I'm going to sue Mother Nature for the severe weather tonight since we can put her on par with people.
Look, this earther movement has always been the craziest of the many crazy acts that constitute the Democrat base. They try to keep the antic, talk about every now and then, isn't she dear? But don't let the people get too close a look or heaven forbid, engage in conversation because they'll find out what they are all about.
And this is what they're all about. They want road kill to form -- I suppose -- get certified as a class to sue automakers worldwide. But, you know, this weekend, just playing golf and working in the yard, I got sunburn, poison ivy and mosquito bites. So, I'm going to cleanup, which is exactly what they are calling for, nature and humans on a par with the legal system.
HANNITY: Yes.
HORNER: I have to say -- the more these earther movement talks, the more the American public can now move on from just screaming about the children and their greatest threat after greatest threat facing mankind and talk about the agenda and the people. And who are these people?
HANNITY: Betsy, do you think --
ROSENBERG: Do you know how many children died in these record storms over the weekend while you were getting suntanned --
(CROSSTALK)
HORNER: Are you changing the subject? You would, because it's very embarrassing. I'd change the subject, too. It's embarrassing.
HANNITY: Betsy, do you think that animals should have the right and attorneys, the right to an attorney?
ROSENBERG: I believe that everyone who lives on this planet should have the right to a clean environment. And let's look at future generations, our children and grandchildren --
HANNITY: I didn't ask you -- I understand that. I asked you a specific, do you think animals, like Cass Sunstein, animals should have the right to an attorney?
ROSENBERG: I'm not going to answer that. I am going to point to the fact --
HANNITY: Why not? Can I ask why you won't?
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Do you think trees should have the right to an attorney?
ROSENBERG: Texas was on fire this weekend and Governor Rick Perry does not believe in climate change --
HANNITY: You don't want to answer my question.
(CROSSTALK)
ROSENBERG: -- on Earth Day asked President Obama for emergency funding. He doesn't believe in climate change, and yet, half of his state was on fire after record drought. Are you not paying attention?
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: I got it. If it's cold it's global warming, if it's warm it's global warming, if it snows it's global warming. I'm asking a question, should trees have the right to attorneys?
ROSENBERG: You are mocking something that is very serious. I don't know why you are.
HANNITY: I'm asking you a serious question, answer it. Should trees have a right to an attorney?
ROSENBERG: Should trees have rights? I think Mother Nature deserves protection and I think if we were taking better care we wouldn't need laws --
HANNITY: Like an attorney? If we drill in ANWR, should ANWR the land be allowed to have an attorney to sue?
ROSENBERG: We may need to take drastic measures. Drastic circumstances call for drastic measures if that's what it takes -
(CROSSTALK)
HORNER: But not crazy measures. Look, do you have any idea how this would work out if you allow not just the cheetah to sue us, but the cheetah to sue the gazelle it's chasing or vice versa?
You're talking about assigning human legal rights to animals. Do you know who the first and only targets of this would be? The wealthy countries, those countries who are the countries adding layer upon layer of environmental law because they are wealthy, which is viewed as something as development that reduces infant mortality, drudgery and disease --
ROSENBERG: There is no wealth without planetary health, and planetary health is connected to personal health.
HORNER: -- and you're trying to redistribute it and you will guarantee below poverty and do you know it's poor countries that trash the joint not rich countries? Why are you promoting theories like this other than to let us all know who you really are.
ROSENBERG: There's a column called "Confessions of a Climate Change Convert," a conservative, one of your fellow conservatives -
HANNITY: Who? Who?
ROSENBERG: Who read a book called "Disconnect." His name is D.R. Tucker.
HANNITY: Who? Never heard of him.
ROSENBERG: It's in Frum Forum. F-r-u-m.
HANNITY: Frum's liberal, Frum's not conservative!
ROSENBERG: He decided to read the IPCC report from 2007. He's a convert, check it out. Use your intelligence guys. Don't be deny-osaurs. Don't be fossil fools.
(CROSSTALK)
HORNER: Should the dinosaurs have retroactive rights --
HANNITY: Conservatives want healthy water. Clean air, but we do not believe animals and trees should have lawyers.
ROSENBERG: Conservatives want to conserve. They should. There are no animals on a dead planet and there are no humans on a dead planet.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: When the cheetah sues the gazelle as Chris said, that's going to be a very interesting lawsuit.
HORNER: Talking points fail in trial. I guess we should move forward.
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