Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), one of two Muslim members of Congress, went on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show for the first time last night. Hannity set up the discussion with an audio clip from an interview Ellison did with the BBC last September in which Ellison said:
You know, you listen to Fox News, that station is 24/7 trying to excite and divide Americans along religious lines scapegoating the Muslim community. But, you know, and this is sort of a well-worn right-wing tactic.
But during his conversion — which was heated throughout — Hannity misquoted Ellison, using the word “incite” instead of “excite.” Close in definition, yes, but the two words mean very different things in the context of what Hannity and Ellison are arguing about.
Listen for yourself. In the intro, Ellison says “excite,” and twice during the interview Hannity misspeaks, and says “incite.”