After surgeon Ben Carson was roundly attacked for making a statement last week equating homosexuality with pedophilia and bestiality, Fox News host Sean Hannity angrily defended him on his program yesterday, stating that “there’s no freedom of speech for African-American conservatives.”
Hannity launched into a heated exchange with civil rights attorney Leo Turrell, who became so upset after eight minutes of verbal jousting that he ripped out his earpiece and walked off the set.
Hannity suggested that the real reason Carson was attacked was because of “an ongoing epidemic” of criticism of black conservatives.
“If you’re African-American and you’re a conservative, you are vilified,” Hannity said. “You are demonized, you are called names, you are attacked. That is the ongoing epidemic that goes on. There’s no freedom of speech for African-American conservatives in America.”
But Terrell would have none of it.
“That’s not true,” Terrell fired back. “Sean Hannity, you created a monster. Ben Carson, you’re a doctor, you’re not a politician… This guy is a monster who you created. You created him. Ever since that prayer breakfast, Dr. Carson put his size 12 foot in his mouth…”
“I’ve known you for a long time,” Hannity shot back. “You put your foot in your mouth all the time. You’ve done it a lot in your life.”
“No!” Terrell shouted. “This guy equated homosexuality to beastiality. He has made a big mistake … You have elevated this guy and given him 15 minutes of fame.”
“I think he’s a friend,” Hannity said. “He’s articulate, he’s smart, he’s got common sense.”
Carson vaulted to the front of the conservative star chamber after delivering a speech in front of President Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast last month that conservatives celebrated as a right-wing smackdown. There was talk that Carson, with a sterling resume and string of bestselling books, may be the savior to rescue the party by appealing to minorities and capturing the presidency.
The conservative The Wall Street Journal wrote an editorial lauding Carson with the headline, “Ben Carson for President.”
