One of the most bizarre moments of the first presidential debate occurred when Donald Trump kept shouting for people to call Sean Hannity. This made little sense at first, but revolved around Trump’s enduring lies about his Iraq War stance. Once again, Trump repeated his false claim that he was always against the invasion of Iraq, and this may be the only time in history that Howard Stern ever pops up as a source during such an esteemed event.
That’s not the only odd thing about Trump’s tactics. Not only does he feel no shame, but he’ll keep repeating lies after he’s been proven a liar. So, it doesn’t matter to him that his claim has been disproven via audio of a Howard Stern interview where he seemed cool with the invasion. Trump doesn’t even care that Esquire said, “Donald Trump won’t stop lying” when he quoted his 2004 interview as proof of always opposing a war that started in March 2003.
But Trump had a way to prove he was correct. If only people would call Sean Hannity! He said it four different times because Hannity has aided his lies on the subject. Folks imagined Hannity waiting like this by the phone:
Live from Sean Hannity's house pic.twitter.com/tkmt5bninZ
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) September 27, 2016
Not that this mattered. Folks, including Keith Olbermann, cracked jokes about why Hannity won’t answer their calls. And the Internet swiftly decided that “call Sean Hannity” was the greatest excuse for any lie or bad deed.
I'd call up Sean Hannity but he blocked me.
— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) September 27, 2016
When Sean Hannity is your alibi witness #debatenight pic.twitter.com/i17iBL4XBj
— RiotWomenn (@riotwomennn) September 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/Smooth_Orator/status/780594205273890816
https://twitter.com/owillis/status/780593332925898752
Ask Sean Hannity! is my new alibi for everything.
— L O L G O P (@LOLGOP) September 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/jonfavs/status/780593232065335296
Donald, you keep telling me to call Sean Hannity, but you won't give me his number! #debatenight
— Ed Helms (@edhelms) September 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/halfadams/status/780593325577498624
I love this so much: Donald Trump says he has one character witness, and it is Sean Hannity. It is brilliant in its own way.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 27, 2016
OMG, WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE CALL SEAN HANNITY?!?!
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) September 27, 2016
Imagine being accused of a serious crime and the only person who knew you were innocent was Sean Hannity.
— Soren Bowie (@Soren_Ltd) September 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/brockwilbur/status/780593590003052544
Trump strategy:keep saying Sean Hannity until Lester Holt forgets the question
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) September 27, 2016
"Nobody CALLS SEAN HANNITY!" Holy Moly. pic.twitter.com/jbkccUYkbG
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 27, 2016
I'm calling Sean Hannity. Keeps going to VM.
— Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) September 27, 2016
If Donald Trump says "Sean Hannity" three times in a debate a Klan rally will appear in his mirror. #debatenight
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) September 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/jonlovett/status/780593373585416192
When you use Sean Hannity as a character reference, you character is ruined. #debatenight
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) September 27, 2016
"Call Sean Hannity" is his only defense here. And its new. We just started hearing that claim more this past few weeks.
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) September 27, 2016
Here’s the full video of Trump’s Iraq War discussion, which involves him shouting for Hannity before spiraling into “We should have taken the oil!” And then he followed up with “ISIS would have never started if we’d taken the oil!” The oil.
