Coulter: Contrast Bergdahl to Other POWs — Jeremiah Denton, Sam Johnson, James Stockdale

On Monday’s “Hannity,” conservative commentator Ann Coulter reacted to the news surrounding the release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban that had been detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In remarks, Coulter, author of “Never Trust a Liberal Over 3-Especially a Republican,” called the transaction “worse than the VA scandal” and urged apologists for Bergdahl that he may have succumbed to Stockholm syndrome to compare Bergdahl to Vietnam prisoners of war Jeremiah Denton, Sam Johnson and James Stockdale.

Transcript as follows:

HANNITY: Here to weigh in on all this and more, author, columnist, our friend Ann Coulter. What is your reaction to all this? You always have an interesting take on everything. Are you going to surprise me tonight?

COULTER: I don’t think we’ll disagree, which may disappoint you. I don’t think this is a way to distract from the VA scandal. I think this is worse than the VA scandal. What Obama has done here will not come as a surprise to those of you who have read my book “Treason.” It does seem to fit in line with a Democratic president. It’s — I mean, I keep waiting for someone to come out and say that at least all the news we have so far, oh, no, no, no that’s not true. Those e-mails weren’t real. And no, the father didn’t grow the beard in solidarity with the Taliban and didn’t actually stand in the Rose Garden and thank Allah. He hasn’t demanded the release of all terrorists from Guantanamo in return for the children we’ve killed.

But I haven’t really heard anyone leaping forward to say that all of this is untrue, and that the one we traded five hardened terrorists for himself deserted, got six Americans killed. Why are we doing anything to get this guy back? He is ashamed to be an American. He calls America disgusting. He wanted to leave. So he left. He got what he wanted.

HANNITY: I think that’s well said. In other words, why do we even risk any — the only caveat I would make to that, and you might even call me liberal for saying this, god forbid.

(LAUGHTER)

HANNITY: I do worry because I’ve met too many of these guys that have had long deployments, that have PTSD. I do believe the Stockholm syndrome is proven to be real if for whatever reason people take on the identity or at least sympathize with their captives. Things like that psychologically can happen, and it’s our job — we sent him there to bring them home. In my opinion, that could have happened, it may not have.

COULTER: Perhaps. I would recommend at that point that you read up on Jeremiah Denton, Sam Johnson, James Stockdale who were held for nine years in [Vietnamese] war camps, put in solitary confinement for four years, had their limbs ripped out of the sockets, backs broken —

HANNITY: Good point.

COULTER: — their Legs broken. And when Jeremiah Denton was asked to provide them a propaganda video, he not only blinked out in Morse code “torture,” the first time the U.S. found out our POWs were being tortured, but he said, the statement was beautiful. I can only paraphrase it. “I don’t know what’s been going on but I stand with my government and I will until the day I die.” Boy, we don’t have them like Jeremiah Denton anymore if this is what we have just given up five terrorists for, which, as many have pointed out, is putting all Americans at risk.

HANNITY: And we’ll see you back here in studio next week. Thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.

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