Elizabeth Hasselbeck Condemns Imus, Defends Rosie on Hannity & Colmes

HASSELBECK: I actually think today is a good day. It’s a good day for history. It’s a good day for the future.

COLMES: Why is it a good day?

HASSELBECK: I think that the marketplace has spoken.

COLMES: The marketplace hasn’t spoken.

HASSELBECK: I think the listeners have spoken.

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HASSELBECK: But apologies and regret and remorse do not give you absolution from consequence. We’re in a society now, we’re afraid to give consequence. And this is — did he lose his freedom of speech? He can go on saying all those things all he wants. People are just going to pay for it.

HANNITY: But you know something? Look, we’ll get into this in a minute here. The Reverend Jackson and the Reverend Al Sharpton, I have a whole list of every outrageous thing and instance they’ve been involved in.

HASSELBECK: Yes.

HANNITY: Their jobs were never taken away from them. Both of them, ironically, are still on the radio. They still have a microphone. They still, you know, continue in their jobs.

You know, look, I don’t want to put you on the spot in terms of your show, but, you know, I watched you, for example, when Rosie said Christianity is as big a danger as radical Islam. I watched her insult Asians on your show. She apologized for that. I think Rosie should be forgiven. I think she was sincere when she said, “I didn’t understand I was offending people.” By that standard, should she have been fired?

HASSELBECK: It’s certainly not position to say if Rosie (INAUDIBLE) it’s my job to show up every day. And I love the responsibility. And I take full pleasure in countering everything she has to say.

HANNITY: I know, and you’re great.

HASSELBECK: Our show is called “The View.”

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Imus has a view, too.

HASSELBECK: He certainly does, and it’s answered.

HANNITY: And the only thing I’m saying here is, if that’s the new standard — and I would not want to see this in America. I want to live in an America where, if you make a mistake — and he made a huge one. What he said was despicable.

HASSELBECK: Huge.

HANNITY: But I also think a lot of things that Rosie has said is outrageous, and I think a lot of things that Senator Byrd has said is outrageous over the years. He still has a job. And I think what Sharpton has said is outrageous, and I think what Jackson has said is outrageous. And I think if we don’t stand back here and allow people to admit they made mistakes and apologize, I think we are going to stifle freedom of speech in a way that I don’t think any of us can even begin to anticipate.

HASSELBECK: I understand your concern. I mean, we’re in the same industry. I believe that, you know, we’re all out there saying things that we believe.

But I do believe in consequence, and I believe the people have spoken. And I think that has to be respected, as well.

And the initial two-week suspension not enough to satisfy. And I just had — I honestly would have more respect for Don Imus if would have said, “You know what? I’m going to take a break. I obviously said something, and I need to re-evaluate how I’m doing my job, if it’s getting this sort of result and reaction. I’m going to take a year off.” That would be so much more respectable.

HANNITY: Can I put you on the spot, even though you’re my friend? I don’t like to put you on the spot.

HASSELBECK: Why not?

HANNITY: If that’s the standard, and I don’t think it should be — you and I have a disagreement on that — when Rosie made the comments about Asians, should she have taken a step back?

HASSELBECK: That would be for Rosie to decide if she should step back or not. You know, Rosie’s intentions were not…

HANNITY: But you’re making an opinion about Imus.

COLMES: Then it should be for Imus to decide.

HASSELBECK: Rosie was not doing anything in a malicious way when she made those remarks.

HANNITY: I still think it was outrageous, but I accept her apology.