This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," August 10, 2010. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
SEAN HANNITY, HOST: We are continuing to follow the developments surround the Ground Zero mosque. Tonight there is word from the State Department that the Obama administration has selected Feisal Abdul Rauf -- that's the man behind proposed mosque -- to represent the U.S. in the Muslim world.
So we will send the man who once called the U.S. an accessory to 9/11, around the world to help people overseas understand America? Well, that makes perfect sense, right?
But audio obtained by the National Review indicates that it's Mr. Rauf who needs help and understanding in America. In our first clip he's asked whether or not terrorist acts on the West are the result of things that the West has done? And here is his response.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP FROM 2008 "MALAYSIA MATTERS" PODCAST)
FEISAL ABDUL RAUF, IMAM: Predominantly, because the West is the global super power. You see in any relationship even between genders -- between man and women, for example -- it's the most powerful party in the relationship which sets the tone of the relationship.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HANNITY: All right. So in this man's mind the west is setting the tone of the relationship. And as a result is to blame for being attacked by terrorists.
Now later, he discusses what motivates a person to carry out a terror attack. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
RAUF: As a general rule, when people feel they've been humiliated, when people feel they've been frustrated, when people feel they've been ignored, when people feel that justice is not meted, then they reach a point where they feel the need to conflagrate.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HANNITY: Once again, our fault.
Now meanwhile, New York Governor David Paterson is indicating that he would offer the state's help to moved the proposed site of the mosque away from Ground Zero. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. DAVID PATERSON, D-N.Y.: If the sponsors were looking for property anywhere at a distance that would be such that it would accommodate a better feeling among the people who are frustrated, I would look into trying to provide them with the state property they would need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: And here with reaction are former prosecutor, author of the New York Times best seller "The Grand Jihad: How Islam and the Left Sabotage America," Andrew McCarthy; and the director of the documentary "Holy Wars," which is playing at the IFC Center right here in New York until August the 12th. Stephen Marshall is with us.
All right. I -- it's almost hard to fathom somebody who will not condemn Hamas as a terror group, wants America Sharia compliant, says we're an accessory to 9/11, Usama bin Laden, made in the United States of America. Our State Department is sending this guy to represent our country, and we're paying for it.
ANDREW MCCARTHY, AUTHOR, "THE GRAND JIHAD": Sean, they've been doing this for years. The really infuriating thing is when I prosecuted terrorist in the 1990s, there were patriotic Muslims who stepped up to the plate and helped us. Otherwise, we couldn't have convicted those people.
But the face that we put out to the world is never those Muslims. It's always the apologists for terrorists and the "blame America" crowd. And they never tell you that there have been 16,000 terrorist attacks since 9/11. Most of it is Muslim on Muslim violence.
HANNITY: Look, I have been very critical of the Obama administration. I think he's failing with the economy. His national security policies are a disaster. If this is not one of the worst decisions the administration has made, I can't think of one.
STEPHEN MARSHALL, FILMMAKER: But Sean -- I can only speak from personal experience. I've spent four years in Indonesia, Pakistan. The goal of the jihadists abroad is two things: it's marginalize moderate Muslims here and radicalize them. If we take these mosques away, Ground Zero, Milwaukee, Denver, we're going to take a listen to Muslims and create more radical people.
HANNITY: So you're basically saying appeasement. You're saying appeasement. You're saying --
MARSHALL: I'm not saying appeasement -- I'm saying the people --
HANNITY: You're saying make accommodations -- you're saying either we do what they want or what? That's what you're saying.
MARSHALL: No, no, I'm saying -- I'm saying we need to build community in this country right now. We have an opportunity to walk out of the shadow of 9/11.
HANNITY: Explain to our audience why a guy that supports America being Sharia compliant, which would take away the rights of American women and shred our Constitution; why a guy that won't condemn a terror group, Hamas; why a guy that says we're an accessory to 9/11, why does he get the right to build a mosque at the site of the worst terror attack in American history?
MARSHALL: Good question. I mean, remember, this man was also appointed by the FBI.
HANNITY: Good question. Answer the question. Why?
MARSHALL: Because he's speaking the voice of Muslims around the world.
HANNITY: You want to kiss -- you want to suck up to this guy, this radical? I don't get it!
MCCARTHY: I don't think we should be speaking the language that they speak around the world.
And as far as tolerance is concerned we're talking about one mosque. There are almost 3,000 mosques in the United States. Contrast that --
HANNITY: What do you think this is? Why do you think there's such a push to have it there? And why does the State Department ignore his radicalism?
MCCARTHY: That is totally a political statement that is the only purpose for having a mosque there.
HANNITY: And what's the statement?
MARSHALL: It's not.
MCCARTHY: The statement is that it's supremacist Islam.
MARSHALL: That's not it.
MCCARTHY: They're building their icons on top of the --
MARSHALL: Come on (INAUDIBLE) one of the most influential shows in America. The show -- the mosque is about teaching the truth of Islam. Islam is not about violence. It's not about --
MCCARTHY: There's scores of --
(CROSSTALK)
MARSHALL: I spent years with these guys. They do not --
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: How did you get to hang out with radical jihadists? How did you get to hang out with the people who wanted to strap bombs on their kids and kill Americans.
MARSHALL: That's not this whole message.
HANNITY: I'm asking you. How did you hang out with jihad --how did you get to hang out with guys --
MARSHALL: I convinced them that I was objective, that I wanted to bring their message back --
HANNITY: You convinced them -- well, obviously you bought into their propaganda.
MARSHALL: I don't buy into it whatsoever.
HANNITY: Sounds like you've been brainwashed.
MARSHALL: Look, I followed a guy who went from activism in Britain to join the Taliban in Pakistan. The further he got to his radicalism --
HANNITY: It's all our fault.
MARSHALL: No, not at all. The farther he got from Islam. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. That's the point here.
HANNITY: You know, you're really ticking me off. Do you not hear this guy?
MARSHALL: I do.
HANNITY: He's blaming --
MARSHALL: Sean, I do hear him.
HANNITY: Listen to me. He's blaming America for 3,000 American deaths.
MARSHALL: No, he's not. He's saying --
HANNITY: We're an accessory. Do you think America is an accessory to 9/11?
MARSHALL: No, no.
HANNITY: So he's wrong.
MARSHALL: No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying what I'm saying, is that he's saying -- he's channeling the frustration of Muslims who feel, rightly or wrongly, that America has been perpetrating crimes in their homeland.
HANNITY: So why are we going to suck up to him? I don't get it. It's a piece of our time once again.
MCCARTHY: I think we're confusing Muslims with Islam. Islam is not a peaceful religion. It simply -- it simply is not. There are many, many moderate, peaceful Muslims, and they follow what they believe to be an interpretation of Islam. But the fact is, they can't discredit the radicals, because when the radicals cite doctrine they're citing inaccurately.
HANNITY: Will you -- will you admit this guy is a radical? Is this imam a radical?
MARSHALL: I don't think he's a radical. I think you're taking radical statements.
HANNITY: Wow. Wow. Wow.
MARSHALL: Sean, why did the FBI under the Bush administration chose him to do sensitivity training with their own police officers?
MCCARTHY: But they chose Allen Moody before that. He's in a 23-year jail sentence.
MARSHALL: He sounds radical there, but I don't believe --
HANNITY: He sounds radical but he's not radical? He sounds it, but he's not.
MARSHALL: Sean, you know journalism. I'm saying, the mosque --
HANNITY: Listen to yourself. He sounds radical, but he's not. So I'm not supposed to believe his words?
MARSHALL: It's so much more complex issue than this.
HANNITY: It's more complex than that.
MARSHALL: It is.
HANNITY: I shouldn't take him at face value.
MCCARTHY: I think the dividing line ought to be Sharia as far as who's radical.
HANNITY: Bingo. I agree with you.
MCCARTHY: If what you're saying is that there are guys who are more radical than this guy is, that's unquestionably true.
MARSHALL: Sharia has been active in this country since the 1700s. There's been Muslims in this country --
MCCARTHY: It is a different kind of Sharia, since the Saudis have been fueling the Muslim Brotherhood since the 1960s. They are entirely different.
HANNITY: But Sharia now is when we stone women to death. Sharia is when we -- they get 200 lashes for adultery and get shot in the head like the woman in Afghanistan.
MCCARTHY: Sharia has never changed.
MARSHALL: When you talk to youth leaders out in California, one of the largest Muslim bodies in the country. Youth leaders, they don't want to live -- they don't want Sharia. They want our Constitution and democracy.
HANNITY: This guy wants Sharia. He wants America Sharia-compliant. Don't you get it? That's what he said.
MARSHALL: I got it. I got it.
HANNITY: He wrote it in his book.
MARSHALL: I got it. But I also know the plans --
HANNITY: You got it? I shouldn't listen to that.
MARSHALL: I think you should. But I don't think we should see that as the sole point here.
HANNITY: No, I should ignore it.
MARSHALL: Can I say one more thing? America needs to become stronger. It needs to not act from fear but from power. They're not going to build -- first of all, first of all, a shrine to Sharia law, down by Ground Zero.
MCCARTHY: I'm with him on that.
HANNITY: Different interpretation. All right. Guys, thanks for being with us.
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