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April 11, 2008

Andrew Card on "Hannity & Colmes"

Hannity & Colmes

HANNITY: What a night of news. Joining us now with more is former White House chief of staff Andy Card.

Andy, welcome aboard.

ANDY CARD, FMR. WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Good to see you Sean. Thanks for having me on.

HANNITY: What a busy news. Now I'm looking at these comments by Barack Obama. "It's not surprising they get bitter. They cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them. Or anti-American sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

Sounds to me like he's saying to small-town America that they are a bunch of gun toting, bible-thumping bigots.

CARD: He wouldn't say what he said in Pennsylvania. He said it in San Francisco to a group of elitists, I'm sure, and I think that he was chameleon trying to fit with an audience in San Francisco that he's comfortable with rather than being the man of the people that he claims to be in Pennsylvania. So yes, I think this is pretty damaging.

HANNITY: Yes. Well, let me ask you this. Does this maybe -- can America now begin to interpret this? Does this explain Michelle Obama's comments she's never been proud of her country? Does this explain Michelle Obama saying that America, in 2008 is a mean country? Does this explain Jeremiah Wright? Does this explain William Ayers? Does this put a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together?

CARD: I think all of what you're stating represents a piece of a puzzle that we're now beginning to understand. I was one of those who felt Michelle Obama's comments really -- comments of a wife supportive of her husband. But I do think there is much more to it. I think there are many pieces of that puzzle and we're looking at the puzzle now where we can identify someone who is not proud to be an American, someone who may not love this country the way they claim they love it, and I'm worried that his campaign is not all about all of us. I think it may be about the elitist in the country that think they have better solutions than the reality that we are living.

HANNITY: But is he -- do you agree with my assessment, that he is telling middle Americans, small towns around this country, hey, you're bunch of gun-toting, bible-thumping bigots? That's how I interpret this. Do you agree with that interpretation?

CARD: That's what I hear in the words that he said in San Francisco in a forum that wasn't designed to be public.

HANNITY: Yes.

CARD: So yes, I think that's what he believes.

HANNITY: I got to wonder what the reaction is here because he pretty much has this -- at least according to my count, I mean, he had this campaign wrapped up. Is there any chance that this would revive Hillary's campaign?

CARD: Well, I think it still pretty dynamic, especially in Pennsylvania, although I do believe Hillary Clinton's campaign is in trouble. But I think Barack Obama has had a stumble and this is not the first stumble but it may be his biggest one.

ALAN COLMES, HOST: Hey, Andy.

CARD: And you know, he also proved that maybe what he said in San Francisco reflects why he only bowled 37 in 10 frames.

COLMES: Andy, what do you -- well, it is about bowling, by the way. Why is it OK for you to put down San Francisco and call them a bunch of elitist? You don't like the fact that -- excuse me, may I speak.

CARD: I don't think San Francisco represents all of America.

COLMES: I keep hearing Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco values. I keep hearing people on the right put down San Francisco. But it's OK to put -- it's not OK to put down Pennsylvania but it's OK to put down so-called elitists in San Francisco.

CARD: Well, no, I think it's just stating a fact. I think that many of the people in San Francisco are elitist and they do not share the same concerns that people in central Pennsylvania.

COLMES: Well, not as American?

(CROSSTALK)

CARD: America is a fabulous country. We've got all kinds and we should have all kinds. But I don't think that what San Francisco people decide, when they go to the polls, is what America would decide when it goes to the polls.

COLMES: But wait a minute, they're part of America. I mean -- you say -- you just said in the last part of the interview with Sean, that she is not -- Michelle Obama, you are talking about, is not proud to be an American because of the things she said.

CARD: Well, that was the -- no, I was -- that was the pieces of the puzzle begin to look like that. You just wonder if that's their mind set.

COLMES: You don't know what's in her heart. To say that that someone's not proud of their country...

CARD: I don't. She said that.

COLMES: .and you're putting down an entire different segment of the country.

CARD: No.

COLMES: You're putting down people from San Francisco which I don't think is proper.

CARD: I like people from San Francisco. They're smart, but I don't claim that they represent the common views in America. They represent views in America. They're important views in America. But I don't think they represent the vast majority of concerns that need to be addressed in this country.

COLMES: But the whole point is that we're -- we are, as David Jenkins, former New York mayor said, a great mosaic.

CARD: We are a great mosaic.

COLMES: And that we think in many different ways.

CARD: I come from Massachusetts.

COLMES: I have lived there. It's a great state.

CARD: It is. It's a commonwealth.

COLMES: And you know people have been negative about Massachusetts calling it a (INAUDIBLE) Commonwealth of Massachusetts, putting down.

CARD: Taxachusettes.

COLMES: Taxachusettes, when that -- Michael Dukakis was -- so people have put down your state.

CARD: And the label fit at the time.

COLMES: Well, but the point is, why put down any part of America? I understand the concerns about what Barack Obama said about Pennsylvania. But to call people of a particular geographical location a name like elitist or anything else and single them out is no better than what you're accusing Barack Obama of doing.

CARD: I apologize. Guilty as charged. I didn't mean it as a slight. I meant it as a description.

COLMES: And you're also slighting someone's patriotism when you say that Michelle Obama, you know, is not -- doesn't love her country or the Obamas don't love their country as if you love your country more.

CARD: I'm taking the words that she said.

COLMES: .if you think on your side of the plate.

CARD: I'm taking the words that she said and giving it an interpretation that I think is credible. That doesn't mean that I think she is less than a patriot. I don't think that her words represented words that a patriot would say.

COLMES: All right, Mr. Card.

CARD: I'm sure she didn't mean them as they were said but that's what she said.

COLMES: Yes. We thank you for being with us tonight. And.

CARD: Thank you very much.

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