Former McKinney Staffer Comes Clean About Anti-Semitic Allegations

This is a partial transcript from "Hannity & Colmes," August 14, 2006, that has been edited for clarity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got your Uncle Tom. Go put the cameras on him.

You ain't in Israel. This ain't no Lebanese people that's going to back all up. You're going to get your Jewish ass beat.

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ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: That scuffle erupted outside Cynthia McKinney's campaign headquarters following her recent primary defeat.

McKinney and her staff aren't new to controversy. Last spring, in the wake of her altercation with a Capitol Hill police officer, the congresswoman walked out of a press conference and then was caught on tape bad-mouthing a senior staffer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. CYNTHIA MCKINNEY, D-GA.: Oh, crap now, you know what? They lied to Coz and Coz is a fool.

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COLMES: That senior staffer, communications director Coz Carson, was fired this morning, along with the chief of staff and several other McKinney staffers. Coz Carson joins us now in an exclusive interview.

Coz, I spoke to you shortly after you took the job. You left another job. You were doing Cynthia McKinney a favor taking this job.

COZ CARSON, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR CYNTHIA MCKINNEY: No, I wouldn't say that. Actually, we had reached an impasse at CBS Radio, where I did a talk show.

COLMES: What happened with McKinney? What's going on with her?

CARSON: We parted company amicably. Let me just make that clear. We parted company amicably. And Congresswoman McKinney was gracious enough to ask me to come and assist her, and I was more than happy to come and do that.

COLMES: Is she anti-Semitic?

CARSON: No, absolutely not.

COLMES: Why would she have these people represent her?

CARSON: Well, first of all, I have never seen any member of the Nation of Islam representing the congresswoman in any form or fashion. These gentlemen who uttered these unfortunate comments is a low-level worker in her campaign. You as can't hold her accountable, or you don't hold George Bush accountable for Abu Ghraib. There's a lot of people working for her.

COLMES: This group has historically made anti-Semitic comments, anti-white comments. [Minister Nashim] Nzinga is a known quantity. He's been on this show a number of times. Why would she accept that kind of help and allow them to represent her, knowing the history of this group?

CARSON: Well, Alan, I think that what you have to understand is that Congresswoman McKinney is a world figure. She has people from all walks of life who gravitate to her, because she speaks truth to power. She cannot deny someone...

COLMES: Sure, she can. She can say, "I want no part of this group, because they're a bunch of anti-Semites." And look at the things these people have said.

CARSON: Well, I disagree with you, because I've heard Minister Louis Farrakhan say many times that he doesn't hate Jews. He's not an anti- Semite. But the media continues to brand people as anti-Semites. I reject that out...

COLMES: What Nzinga said is outrageous. Why were you fired today? What happened?

CARSON: Well, I don't know exactly. I'm not — I can't speak for the congresswoman. I can say that I went in for a meeting at around 11 and was told that, due to some problems with the budget, they were cutting staff.

SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: Hey, Coz Carson, Sean Hannity, your old buddy, here. How are you, Coz? We worked together in the radio station. I'm not going to bring up our old baggage on this program. We're going to let all that go.

CARSON: You know, you can admit that I taught you everything you know. No, just kidding, Sean.

HANNITY: That has nothing to do with what I'm talking about, and you know better. Mr. Nzinga, was he fired today?

CARSON: Mr. Nzinga works for the campaign. I work for — communications director for the congresswoman.

HANNITY: You said his comments are unfortunate. I think they're anti-Semitic. You were fired today. I want to know why he wasn't fired.

CARSON: Well, I doubt if there's anybody working on the campaign, since she lost the race.

HANNITY: All right. So he's no longer associated with her? Can you say that?

CARSON: I can't speak for the congresswoman and say whether he's associated with her or not.

HANNITY: You just said...

CARSON: Common sense would say, Sean, that if the campaign's over, those folks who worked on the campaign are gone.

HANNITY: But you're distancing any word like cracker, Uncle Tom, Israel, "you ain't in Israel", "you're going to get your Jewish beep beat," et cetera. I mean, pretty anti-Semitic stuff. You say unfortunate.

CARSON: That's not what I said.

HANNITY: Hang on. Hang on. That sounds anti-Semitic to me. Is that anti-Semitic to you?

CARSON: Well, yes, it is anti-Semitic to me, but it doesn't mean that the congresswoman — that doesn't reflect her views on Israel or whatever. Now I will say this. The Congresswoman has been vociferous in her point that the United States has to be an honest broker in the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis as well as...

HANNITY: Hang on a second. Do you believe...

CARSON: It's very unfortunate that the United States of America and Israel both...

HANNITY: Hang on a second. Hang on.

CARSON: Both seem to think that "God bless America" and Israel is the only ones to be blessed (ph).

HANNITY: Is Hezbollah a terror group?

CARSON: Hezbollah has terrorists within its group, absolutely. I don't know that everybody...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: But it is a terror organization. You're playing word games. You sound like Clinton. Is it a terrorist group, yes or no?

CARSON: Sean, I believe that Hezbollah, in the eyes of the American people, is a terrorist group.

COLMES: Coz, we've got to go. We thank you for coming on. Hope you get work soon.

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