Progressive scholar Cornel West and Fox News host Sean Hannity sat down for a wide-ranging, often sharply disagreeing conversation on Thursday’s episode of “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” tackling socialism, Iran, immigration and President Donald Trump while maintaining a notably civil tone.
West, who repeatedly addressed Hannity as “Brother Sean” throughout the interview, said his willingness to engage with someone on the opposite end of the political spectrum draws criticism from his own allies.
“People say, ‘How could you even sit with Brother Sean? Why could you call Sean a brother?'” West said. “I don’t live my life in order to satisfy other people’s expectations.”
West explained the term is rooted in his Christian faith, which he said requires him to recognize the shared humanity of every person regardless of their politics.
“Each person is a brother and a sister, no matter what their politics are, what ideology, what color, their gender, their sexual orientation. They’re human beings at that deepest level,” West said. “So when I see you, I see Brother Sean.”
Hannity, for his part, admitted the conversation went differently than he anticipated.
“I just can’t help but like you,” Hannity told West.
The warmth didn’t stop the two from clashing on substance. On the recent U.S. conflict with Iran, West accused the United States of committing a war crime by killing Iranian civilians.
“The precious children who were killed by U.S. bombs, that was wrong,” West said. “That’s a war crime.”
Hannity disagreed, arguing that Iran’s long record of supporting terrorism and attacks that killed Americans placed responsibility for the conflict on Tehran. He also invoked the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, arguing those strikes ultimately spared American lives by shortening World War II.
The two also debated the proper role of government in addressing poverty, with West arguing that public institutions need to do more to protect poor and working-class Americans—an argument Hannity rejected.
The full conversation is available on iHeartRadio, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms.
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