Hannity & Colmes repeatedly featured Minuteman Project organizers and supporters, with almost no opposing viewpoint

Fox News' Hannity & Colmes has featured organizers and supporters of The Minuteman Project on six separate shows in the past two weeks, but has provided virtually no opportunity for opponents of the initiative to offer their views. President Bush described the group on March 23 as “vigilantes” for their efforts to “police” the U.S.-Mexico border.

Aside from some critical questioning of Minuteman supporters by co-host Alan Colmes, the only presentation of an opposing view since April 5 was a brief audio clip from a U.S. Border Patrol officer, who criticized the group for impeding the Border Patrol's efforts to prevent illegal border crossings. By contrast, Minuteman organizers James Gilchrist and Chris Simcox have appeared on Hannity & Colmes a total of seven times. Reps. Tom Tancredo (R-CO), J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), and Trent Franks (R-AZ) have also appeared in support of the group.

Program date

Minuteman project supporters

Opposing viewpoints

April 5

James Gilchrist, Minuteman organizer

April 7

Chris Simcox, Minuteman organizer

April 8

Simcox

(Clip) Michael Nicely, chief of U.S. Border Patrol in Tucson, Arizona

April 11

Gilchrist

April 13

Gilchrist
Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO)

April 18

Gilchrist
Simcox
Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ)
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)