FOX News "Hannity" - Transcript

Interview

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: We have reached the final four days before the midterms. And if you want to know how desperate Democrats are at this very hour, look no further than the commonwealth of Virginia. Now President Obama was there tonight delivering an emergency stump speech on behalf of embattled Congressman Tom Perriello who has been trailing in the polls. Now his Republican opponent is state Senator Robert Hurt, he will join us live in just a moment.

Now in recent weeks, Hurt has taken full advantage of Perriello's questionable voting record. Now since taking office in January, 2009, he has been a virtual rubber stamp for President Obama and Speaker Pelosi. Now whether it was Obamacare or the trillion dollar stimulus plan or the most reckless item on the Democrats agenda cap-and-tax, well, guess who Perriello has voted with? Go ahead, take a guess. Well, you got it, "The Anointed One" and the San Francisco Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this voting record is what he said before casting some of these critical votes. On health care, for example, prior to voting yes, he told constituents in August of 2009, quote, "I have been and I remain a no on the bill."

Still despite siding with Democratic leadership on all of those issues, Perriello told the Huffington Post just last night, quote, "I think in terms of the president, the idea that I'm in lockstep with him is just a kind of silly BS that conventional wisdom pundits get stuck on."

Now, we have extended an invitation to Mr. Perriello to come on this program, and we are awaiting a response from his campaign. But joining me now at this very moment is his opponent republican candidate for Virginia's 5th congressional district, that's state Senator Robert Hurt.

Mr. Hurt, welcome to "Hannity."

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE ROBERT HURT, R-VA.: Thank you Sean, it's mighty nice to be with you.

HANNITY: "I have been and I remain a no on the bill." What happened?

HURT: You know, Congressman Perriello is so proud of the fact that he had held 22 town halls all across Virginia, I think more than any other congressman. And, you know, the people across the 5th district told him they did not want to have this health care bill jammed down their throats. And of course, what he did was, he totally disregarded what he was told, by the people that he represented. He did not represent the people when he went to Washington. He sided with Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. He has done that on all of these signature items that Nancy Pelosi has asked him to vote for.

HANNITY: It is interesting to me that the president goes to help Perriello who normally you wouldn't think he would have to help out on the Friday before election. He is headed to Delaware. I thought Democrats were so confident that they were going to beat and defeat Christine O'Donnell. He's going to Delaware this weekend, he's going back to Illinois to help Giannoulias and his old Senate seat because he doesn't want to be embarrassed. So, it is interesting that, you know, the choices that they are making at this late hour.

All right. Let's go over -- Perriello is saying, I think in terms of the president, the idea I'm in lockstep is silly BS conventional wisdom, the pundits get stuck on. All right. Did he vote with them on health care, cap-and-tax and the stimulus?

HURT: Absolutely. He was elected two years ago on the promise that the people of the 5th district that he would be an independent voice. And since that time, he has voted with Nancy Pelosi, 90 percent of the time. And of course, as you point out, 100 percent of the time on the signature issues.

You know, cap-and-trade in Virginia could cost us 50,000 jobs. In the 5th district since the stimulus package was adopted, we've lost 11,000 jobs. And of course, contributed to $1.3 trillion in deficit spending and $13 trillion in debt. The people of the 5th district are not happy. They are disappointed with his representation. And I think that that's what we are seeing on the ground.

HANNITY: One of the phenomenons that we picked up around the nation is that all these guys that voted for health care, stimulus, cap and tax, when they go back to their districts, the one thing they are not running on this election year are those specific issues. Is Perriello highlighting the fact that he made those votes and stood with the president and stood with Pelosi?

HURT: Well, it is interesting. You know, since the beginning of his campaign, he has run terribly negative false attack campaign against us. From the very beginning, I think that he's got 11 attack ads now running against us and.

HANNITY: Let me guess what the attacks are. Let me see if I can get this. We'll play a game. You want to take away grandma's Social Security and Medicare.

HURT: You got it.

HANNITY: You want to destroy education.

HURT: You got it.

HANNITY: And you want old people kicked out in the street and you want them eating dog food, basically. Pretty close?

HURT: That makes up a large part of what he's running. That and more.

HANNITY: Yes.

HURT: But the thing is that he's afraid to talk about his record. You know, he has said that he's an independent voice but he really is not. And I think at the end of the day, the voters are not going to be -- they're not going to be swayed by this. I think that they see right through it. What is remarkable though is that the DCC, the SEIU, moveon.org, Sierra Club, they've all just been hammering us in this race. And now, four days out, we've got the President of the United States coming in to embrace this man. And I think that frankly.

HANNITY: It's very telling.

HURT: -- it is refreshing to see.

HANNITY: All right. Let's put up -- I think he gets credit, and I got to be honest, this would probably the most honest on the one hand, one of the dumbest quotes I think I've ever heard from any elected official ever. And this is Congressman Perriello, what he said, "The only way to keep them out of the cookie jar is to give them no choice. Which is why, whether it is balanced budget acts or pay as you go legislation or any of that, it's the only thing. If you don't tie our hands, we will keep stealing." He's admitting he's stealing! I just can't believe he was that dumb to stay it but I like it, it was good.

HURT: Well, he said it. And of course, it was an embarrassment to us as citizens of the 5th district. You know, he has said that he believes in a balanced budget in the United States is something that is unrealistic. You know, despite the fact that he has, you know, he claims this independent streak. But he has claimed, he now says, it is an unrealistic thing to believe we can balance our budget. I think, that's a slap in the face to the taxpayers who sent him to Washington to represent them.

HANNITY: All right. Robert Hurt, good luck, we'll be watching the results. And I bet you are a UVA fan. Just a guess.

HURT: Absolutely. Thank you, Sean and anybody who's interested in the race can go to our website RobertHurtforCongress.com.

HANNITY: All right, I appreciate you being with us.

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