http://youtube.com/v/hkcMPTmVkNA

This is part of Sean Hannity’s brawl with Al Sharpton. Overall Hannity does a pretty good job, but about 1:50 in, he gets caught in a smarmy and needless display of partisan apologizing.

When challenged to demand Hillary Clinton return the donation from gangsta rapper Timbaland, Sharpton retorts by demanding Sean blast George W. Bush for welcoming Sean “Puffy” Combs to the White House. Hannity, who can’t level anything but the very mildest criticism at the President, gives a weak response, first trying to parse the number of N-words in each thug’s song (he’s “not that familiar with him,” you see), then changing the topic to Sharpton’s own use of foul language.

Sharpton dodged the question, and his record needs to be challenged; no question. But conservatives simply cannot claim the moral high ground if we make excuses for our guys like Hannity did.

The proper response would have been, “First, I’m not familiar with the case you’re talking about, and I frankly don’t trust you to represent it accurately. But if it did happen, then it’s inexcusable and the President should be ashamed of himself.”