"Alan, We Hardly Knew Ye"

So Alan Colmes is retiring from playing the role of inarticulate "liberal" on the Joseph McCarthy tribute show Hannity & Colmes. I always believed that Alan Colmes was the single most important persona on Fox News because as the TV network's token "liberal" he gave a degree of legitimacy to the whole operation. Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch loved to point to Colmes and say: "See, we're fair and balanced, we've got Colmes."

If Sean Hannity is a snarling bulldog of the owning class then Colmes was his reliable chew toy. It was always amusing to see the right-wing blonde and coifed Richard Nixon acolyte, Monica Crowley, fill in for Hannity on the Hannity & Colmes Show because Colmes is married to Crowley's older sister. Nothing like keeping it in the family I always say -- just ask James Carville and Mary Matalin or Andrea Mitchell and Alan Greenspan.

Colmes dutifully played the role of the fumbling, hapless Washington Generals to Hannity's Harlem Globetrotters. No wonder Al Franken always referred to the show's title in his books with Colmes' name in a tiny font next to an engorged HANNITY.

Rightwingers love Colmes. Tom DeLay, James Dobson, and Trent Lott all called Colmes their "favorite liberal." That might tell us something. Colmes now might have his own weekend show on Fox. What's Hannity going to do? Where will Roger Ailes find another "liberal" punching bag for Hannity?

Alan, We Hardly Knew Ye.

Comments

[24hourrifle]

it has clearly been "the hannity show" all along.think about it.i never once saw them lead with a negative story about a conservative.in fact,damn near every SEGMENT was intended to somehow smear some liberal or otherwise promote the wingnut hannity agenda.the entire show was designed and carried out only to suit hannity's ideology.just because colmes had a chance(always,ALWAYS less time than hannity) to defend himself,does not make it fair OR balanced.but heres the best part...
it will now be simply "the sean hannity show".im sure theyll find the weakest liberals,or some liberal hating liberals,ie:pat cadell,kirsten powers,juan williams-and prop them up every night.whatever.it pisses me off to no end how fox news is still no. 1 in ratings and how people actually take them seriously as a news organization.having a conservative agenda is fine.msnbc has of course responded with a liberal prime time block.the difference is,the rest of the time,msnbc behaves like an actual news channel.and fox's whole "fair and balanced" nonsense...

[Darthwave]

Washington Generals to Hannity's Harlem Globetrotters what a great analogy. I was thinking the same thing myself. No matter what the augment or disagreement you know Alan's is not going to win it. Save yourself from the Darkside Alan and separate yourself from Fox totally.

[MsLiz]

When Fox News created the show it was called Hannity and ___. It was Hannity's show, and he selected Alan Colmes. Alan Colmes has a face for radio: weak chin, bad hair, nerdy glasses. Surely Colmes knew he was playing a sap; he did it so well. Hard to have any respect for him.

[SenGovLuvr]

I wondered which one read the franken books.
think eating your young

[gorideabike]

It must comfort Alan to know how damn much money he made playing the fool. Not many people can pull that one off.

[sdskelton03]

Has Mr. Palermo apologized to all the white guys in Polo shirts yet?

[realpolitic]

Even O'Reilly pointed to Holmes as the "balanced" in the "fair and balanced" equation of Fox. In that respect, Holmes was priceless giving Fox News one whimpering, sniveling liberal voice that could barely speak above a whisper.

Funny how Hannity and other arch conservatives like to portray liberals as angry. Most on television are the thoughtful, soft-spoken Alan Colmes variety. On the other hand, the Sean Hannity's of the world are always indignant, always flustered, always insulted about something. One wonders if they ever enjoy life and take an occasional holiday from their precious culture wars.

[LMPE]

None of this means anything to me, as I never watch Fixed News, and I'm sure that on FOX "liberal" refers to Richard Nixon's political views.

[realpolitic]

Yes, Nixon or Dick Cheney!

[PhilipTaylor]

Washington Generals! PERFECT!

I new in the back of my mind I had seen that kind of fumbling and poor shot selection before!

[XME]

Here's a novel idea for Fox...try replacing Colmes with a personality as abnoxious to the right as Hannity is to the left. THAT would make for an interesting combination of characters!

Though I'm not holding my breath that they'd REALLY try "fair and balanced".

[MsLiz]

I nominate James Carville.

[smoothsmitty]

James Carville? Now that would be somthing worth watching!!!

[DueTruthinesss]

Who is this "Colmes" you speak of and do you mean to say he was once a guest on the Sean Hannity Show?

[ohioan73]

Alan who? I don't watch Fakes News, sorry. ;P

[davemartin7777]

Twelve years and Alan Colmes did not ONCE call Hannity out for his use of extensive logical fallacies.

Hannity's favorite is claiming "double standards" which is nothing but Tu quoque... something he uses over and over and over again.

Anyone with an IQ over 100 would have called him on that.

Alan Colmes is nothing but a professional wrestler or the team that plays against the Harlem Globetrotters... a Rupert Murdock "liberal" hired to be a punching bag.

A guy like Christopher Hitchens would have absolutely dismantled Hannity in two shows.

Twelve years and Alan Colmes is still insignificant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies

[susanthe]

I predict Hannity will be allowed to bloviate all by himself.