Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy‘s controversial comments about African Americans caused a stir yesterday, and MSNBC led each of its primetime shows covering the story; the network also covered Fox News’ Sean Hannity denouncing Bundy’s comments.
At 8pmET, “All In with Chris Hayes” covered the “great Cliven Bundy walk-back of 2014.” More than anyone else, Sean Hannity built up Cliven Bundy into a media hero, Hayes said about the Fox News host. Joining Hayes, MSNBC host Karen Finney noted every major figure that denounced Bundy, especially politicians, did it through a spokesperson–except for Hannity, who called Bundy’s comments “repugnant” and “disgraceful” on his radio show yesterday.
Filling in for Lawrence O’Donnell, Ari Melber claimed Hannity “elevated” Bundy. “If all these developments are progress, it’s of a very narrow and calculated variety,” Melber said after playing Hannity’s critical comments about Bundy.
On “Hardball,” substitute host Steve Kornacki wasn’t satisfied by Hannity’s critical comments about Bundy: “Sean Hannity always ends up being the victim, that’s what it sounds like…Sean Hannity made this guy a cause.”
And on Fox News, Hannity went beyond his radio denouncement of Bundy: “Allow me to make myself abundantly clear. I believe those comments are downright racist, they are repugnant, they are bigoted, and it’s beyond disturbing.”
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