Thursday's No Spin News began with the Republicans' continuing effort to craft a health care bill that will garner majority support in the Senate.  "This is very important to you," Bill pronounced, "because all of us are vulnerable to disease or accidents and we need some structure in America to deal with that in a fair way.  Many countries have government-controlled socialized medicine, but we have rejected that system until now.  The Democratic Party wants it, but they have not been able to impose it." 

Bill went on to outline a few basic features of what would be a fair and workable system:  "You have to have competition in all 50 states for insurance companies that want to sell health policies, which will drive down the price of health insurance.  However, there have to be regulations that those companies must follow, including preexisting conditions.  The government also has to oversee pharmaceutical companies so drugs won't be be so expensive that they bankrupt people.  Some conservatives hate government oversight, but when it's life and death you have to have it.  You're entitled to a fair health care premium, access to doctors in your neighborhood, and you're entitled to having the state deliver Medicaid if you're poor." 

As for mandates, Bill said, "There will be no mandatory health insurance under Republicans, but those who choose not to buy health insurance have to pay some kind of penalty when they need insurance after they get sick."  He urged Republicans to be reasonable and not doctrinaire.

Bill turned to the timely subject of media corruption, beginning with this revelation:  "I am not on the Fox News Channel anymore because I was attacked by Media Matters and other far left concerns who did a number of untoward things.  We'll be litigating those down the road, and what happened to me was appalling." 

For more on that topic, he welcomed veteran reporter Sharyl Attkisson, who worked for CBS News for many years and who chronicles media malfeasance in her new book "The Smear."  Attkisson identified a few of the major malefactors who have poisoned the news business.  "George Soros is ubiquitous," she began, "and when you look at organizations that are pulling strings you can be pretty sure he has supplied funding.  But there are lesser-known names that I've also noticed on Hillary Clinton's donor list time and again.  The same donors can give to a host of different groups and they tend to be a handful of people." 

Attkisson explained how a small number of left-wing activists are able to terrify sponsors.  "They want sponsors to believe that the pressure is coming from a groundswell of viewer support, but it's actually a very orchestrated effort among a few players.  We in the media have allowed the infiltration of these operatives, we have come to rely on them to provide news tips, and they have figured out how to get us to report certain stories."  Bill added, "They give out names and addresses of sponsors, they tell people to threaten boycotts, and this is all done in the shadows."

Sharyl Attkisson elaborated on one particularly heinous manipulator, the notorious David Brock of Media Matters.  "I wanted to track down all the groups he has started or is affiliated with," she reported, "and I found a few dozen.  Both Republicans and Democrats cite him with both awe and disgust because they think he has been one of the most successful people at doing this.  I asked him to do an interview, but he refused."  She added that Brock has become extremely wealthy by drawing salaries from many different organizations and that many news outlets are terrified of Media Matters.  Bill groused, "It looks like this guy is making millions of dollars."  For more on all of this and what it means to you, check out Sharyl Attkisson's book. 

Bill turned to an amazing and uplifting story out of Panama City, Florida, where nine people were in grave danger of being swept away by the tide.  Until, that is, some heroic beachgoers sprang into action.  "80 people formed a human chain to go out and rescue these people," Bill happily reported, "and they saved these nine people.  This says to me that we Americans, when confronted with something horrifying, use our heads and swing into action.  This is a great story!"  Bill added that, in his lifeguard years, he saved one person's life, and he urged people to give the ocean great and unwavering respect.

In response to an email from a Premium Member, Bill stressed that he will always be a totally independent voice:  "I don't have a rooting interest when it comes to powerful people, and that includes corporations as well.  I'm not in business to help corporations or politicians, I'm in business to look out for you." 

Check in tomorrow for Bill's sure-to-be-informative conversation with Glenn Beck.  It airs on The Blaze Radio and we'll have it all here on BillOReilly.com as well.  Have a great weekend, everybody.