The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce sponsored Sean Hannity at an event which started at 7:00 a.m. at Wild Bill's in Duluth

Sean Hannity signs books in the Zebra Room at Wild Bill's in Gwinnett

Sean Hannity on book tour with the No. 1 book on the New York Times Best Seller List

Evil’s afoot and Hannity says he has it in sight
By MARK DAVIS of the AJC
mrdavis@ajc.com

Evil skulks the land, and Sean Hannity says we have seen it.

It flowered, suddenly and awfully, in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on American soil. It took root in Afghanistan and Iraq, where hateful men plotted against the United States.

Now, said Hannity, visiting Gwinnett Friday morning, evil remains active as the nation prepares for another presidential contest. The evil-doers this time, he thinks, are those who would compromise America’s security.

Emily Wiley, 18, Amy DeLozier, 17, and Laurie Lovell, 16, all of Gainesville, pose with talk show host and aurhor Sean Hannity during his stop at Wild Bill's in Duluth.

Dr. Williams & U.S. Rep. Johnny Isakson,
Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Georgia
in the Zebra Room at Will Bill's in Gwinnett

Dr. Williams & Ralph Reed, the former executive director of the Christian Coalition and currently a political consultant to the Republican Party

Future political star, Justin Williams, meets with present political star, U.S. Representative to Congress, Johnny Isakson

Justin shakes the man's (Hannity) hand

Lori O'Brien sang the National Anthem to open the celebration

Sean, the profile of a man who is right on target in the war on terrorism and the battle against liberalism in America

It flowered, suddenly and awfully, in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on American soil. It took root in Afghanistan and Iraq, where hateful men plotted against the United States.

Now, said Hannity, visiting Gwinnett Friday morning, evil remains active as the nation prepares for another presidential contest. The evil-doers this time, he thinks, are those who would compromise America’s security.

“Evil must be confronted,” the 41-year- old syndicated radio host, Fox News Channel star and best-selling author told about 1,500 fans at a meet-and-greet sponsored by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.

His visit was one of the stops in the “Hannitization Tour 2004,” a five-week sprint across the country to meet fans and promote Hannity’s latest book, “Deliver Us from Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism,” which is No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list.

The best deliverance: Re-elect President George W. Bush, said Hannity, and send packing any Democrats who would lessen America’s defensive posture — especially Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry, the Democrats’ presumptive nominee for president.

Kerry, said Hannity, has not taken a firm stance on security issues, and would lessen the nation’s readiness to deal with terrorists and other threats just to get elected.

“He (Kerry) has politicized the issues of national security, and for that reason, you need to go out there and make sure he never gets elected to the presidency,” said Hannity, who was in Gwinnett three weeks ago when he and Sen. Zell Miller met fans at a book signing at Gwinnett Honda.

On Friday, as he did did during his Feb. 20 visit, Hannity struck a responsive chord among his listeners, a group that included an old woman with a walker, a wiggly boy who kept pulling at his but toned shirt collar and U.S. Rep. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), a candidate for Miller’s seat. Others included men in ties, guys in jeans and at least two women with babies on their hips.

In the middle of all that humanity stood Amy DeLozier, Laurie Lovell and Emily Wiley, Heritage Academy students who decided that two hours with Hannity was more important than two hours in class. Each wore a “Hotties for Hannity T shirt, made at home and worn with pride.

What makes Hannity so special? Amy, 17 and a senior, rolled her eyes. “Oh, gosh,” she said. “He’s patriotic. He has very conservative views, like mine.”

Laurie and Emily nodded. “He’s awesome, said Laurie,16.

Danny Camp agreed, but with the reserve of a 56-year-old. A Jonesboro resident, he arrived at Wild Bill’s at 7 a.m., an hour before the $20-a-head event was scheduled to start. He wanted to make sure he got in, Camp said.

Like Hannity, Camp is no fan of Kerry. He’s a Republican, “proud to be one.”

Like Kerry, Carrip said he served in the Navy in Vietnam— a radarman, keeping watch over the Gulf of Tonkin, 1967-69.

Sure, Kerry is a decorated veteran, said Camp, “but just because you have a medal doesn’t mean you’re qualified to be president of the United States.”

Camp waited in line, a queue that circled the night club’s dance floor, for Hannity to autograph his latest book.

A series of loops written with a blue Sharpie permanent marker, Hannity’s signature was bold, uncompromising — the signature of someone who’s confident he’s right.

Sean is the sea of autography seekers