COLMES: I'm proud of what we did here that enables you to go forward and do what you're going to be doing.
HANNITY: No, and I — and I'm looking forward to all the stuff which I know about, but I'm not allowed to tell. So... it's coming.
— End of an Era, Alan Colmes and Sean Hannity saying good-bye during their last broadcast
Fox News host Sean Hannity announced today that Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann will join his special Tax Day Tea Party broadcast live from Atlanta on April 15. But the big news is that Bachmann, who has become
ubiquitous on the airwaves over the last six months, will join Hannity
as his new co-host, replacing his departed foil, Alan Colmes. Bachmann plans to retain her seat.
"Alan remains a personal friend," said Hannity, "but to be honest, the liberal/conservative thing had gotten stale. Having a socialist in the White House calls for a double-barreled approach, and I don't know any conservative — male or female —who shoots straighter and more deadly than Michele Bachmann."
Including, apparently, fading star Gov. Sarah Palin, who reportedly also was under consideration as Hannity's better conservative half.
"Sean understands that it will take extraordinary measures to save this country," said Bachmann. "It's a unique opportunity for me to join a real patriot and serve as his loyal American counterpart behind enemy lines in Washington."
Bachmann dismissed any concerns that her night job would conflict with her elected responsibilities.
In fact, Bachmann sees taking a second job as befitting a representative from the "workingest state in the country," reminding her critics that "there's nothing in the Constitution preventing this. Besides, the House was in session for only 118 days last year. Most Americans work 250 days a year and still have time to watch me on television," she said.
"I'll guarantee you more of my constituents see me on Fox than at a little town meeting in Mahtomedi," she said. "Yet that takes me more time than an appearance on Hannity, USA."
Seen in that light, her new gig might be an efficiency move, relieving her from a taxing self-promotional schedule that saw her regularly running from Hannity to Larry King, Glen Beck, Bill O'Reilly, Mike Gallagher and Laura Ingraham.
In 2008, the 110th Congress included six members [PDF] who reported prior broadcast media occupations — two radio talk show hosts, a radio broadcaster, a radio newscaster, a television talk show host and a television commentator. However, Bachmann is believed to be the first current member to be given a regular national platform.
Would such prominence present an unfair advantage if she runs for office again?
Political media analyst David Schmutz of the University of Colorado-Denver says, not exactly:
Bachmann comes from a state where the govenors have radio shows. They just play coy about running again for as long as possible. Then, once they have to declare, they can take a break, because they have all that free media in the bank.
Throughout her political career, Bachmann has demonstrated that if she's willing to say anything, she can do nothing and be re-elected. It looks to me like she's ready to try that formula on a national stage.
Fox has not announced whether the name of the show will reflect the addition of the Congresswoman.
