Hannity "Worst Person" "runner-up" for failing to challenge suggestion that Obama has not "condemn[ed]" Ayers' actions

Summary: On Countdown, Keith Olbermann awarded Sean Hannity the "runner-up" in his nightly "Worst Person in the World" segment for failing to challenge a guest's suggestion that Sen. Barack Obama has "not condemn[ed] the actions" of William Ayers. As Olbermann noted, "Hannity, of course, never pointed out to the victim that Obama did condemn them -- the words he used were 'deplore' and 'detestable.'"

On the April 29 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann awarded Fox News' Sean Hannity the "runner-up" in his nightly "Worst Person in the World" segment for failing to challenge a guest's suggestion, as Media Matters for America documented, that Sen. Barack Obama has "not condemn[ed] the actions" of former Weather Underground member William Ayers. As Olbermann noted, "Hannity, of course, never pointed out to the victim that Obama did condemn them -- the words he used were 'deplore' and 'detestable.' " Instead of pointing out Obama's denunciation during the segment on the April 27 edition of Fox News' Hannity's America, Hannity asserted that Obama "has a friendly relationship" with Ayers and asked, "Don't you think this should be a major issue in the campaign?"

Olbermann also stated: "Hannity again called Ayers a, quote, 'terrorist.' He also neglected to point out that all charges against Ayers were dropped and he was never convicted of anything, let alone terrorism."

From the April 29 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

OLBERMANN: The runner-up: Sean Hannity of "Fixed News." With the Jeremiah Wright story having pretty much deflated, he's moved on to William Ayers, former member of the '60s and '70s radical group, Weather Underground, with whom Barack Obama once served on the board of a Chicago charity. One of the group's victims complained to Hannity that he can't understand why Obama would, quote, "not condemn the actions of people in the past" like Ayers.

Hannity, of course, never pointed out to the victim that Obama did condemn them -- the words he used were "deplore" and "detestable" -- as Hannity again called Ayers a, quote, "terrorist." He also neglected to point out that all charges against Ayers were dropped and he was never convicted of anything, let alone terrorism.

—A.C.S.