Wednesday, October 10, 2007
On The O'Reilly Factor...
Segment Summaries
All content taken from The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel. Each weeknight by 6 PM EST a preview of that evening's show will be posted and then updated with additional information the following weekday by noon EST.
Talking Points Memo
President John Edwards?
"John Edwards has no chance to become president because he's simply too far left for most Americans, but the positions he holds are now acceptable to millions of voters and the mainstream media. Let's run them down: Edwards opposed a Senate bill that would officially label Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization; he would shut down Guantanamo, move the captured terrorists to American prisons, and give them civilian attorneys paid for by you and me; Edwards would stop surveillance of overseas calls to suspected terrorists without a warrant; he would quickly pull out of Iraq, leaving Iran to dominate that country. Talking Points believes most Americans reject that foolishness, and it has become a problem for both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The Democratic Party can easily be branded as 'soft on terrorism' because it's tough to make distinctions in this area. Again, no way Edwards will ever win the election - Kid Rock has a better chance. But just the fact that his misguided view of the world is so attractive to the left media and others is disturbing, to say the least."
Top Story
The politics of terrorism
To follow up on Democrats and terror, The Factor welcomed two political observers. Time magazine's Mark Halpern disputed the notion that Edwards is out of the running. "I think you're right that he is putting out views that tens of millions of Americans believe in, but I don't think you're right that he has no chance of getting elected. Most people think the balance between civil liberties and national security hasn't been struck the right way." Democratic strategist Liz Chadderdon insisted that John Edwards is sending just the right message. "The Bush-Cheney administration has made this country less safe by forging into a war that has done nothing but create more terrorists. I don't want to see more young men and women dying for reasons we can't explain." But The Factor argued that Americans will not elect anyone perceived as soft on terror. "If a candidate says we're a torture nation and we brought a lot of terrorism on ourselves, do you really believe that candidate is going to win?"
Factor Follow Up Segment
"Redacted" causes film festival brawl
Director Brian DePalma's movie "Redacted" explicitly depicts American soldiers raping and murdering Iraqi civilians. DePalma is now feuding with billionaire Mark Cuban, who financed the film, because Cuban ordered the faces of actual dead U.S. troops to be concealed. Film critic Holly McClure denounced the movie as subversive. "The film is anti-American and anti-military. DePalma has really taken a wrong turn here, and who's going to go to this movie?" The Factor slammed DePalma as the very worst Hollywood has to offer. "He wants to use the real dead soldiers in his vile film. This is so awful that I'm going to call for the VFW to demonstrate against it. DePalma is a true villain in our country."

News Link: Video: Redacted dust-up
Impact Segment
Why is Mexico helping a killer?
After 32-year old Mexican citizen Jose Medellin was sentenced to death for raping and murdering two teenage girls in Houston, the Mexican government filed suit because Medellin was entitled to consult Mexican officials. FNC anchor Megyn Kelly elaborated on the case. "The cops knew he was a Mexican citizen, but did not tell him that he had the right to consult with Mexico. But this guy went through a trial and an appeal and he never raised that. Then, after he got the death sentence, the Mexican government sued the United States. What this guy did to those two girls is too disgusting to repeat, and how anyone could intervene on his behalf is hard to stomach. The problem is that President Bush stepped in and told Texas that all eight Mexican nationals on death row have to get another hearing." Kelly predicted that the Supreme Court will decide against Medellin and he will be executed.

News Link: Bush enters into Mexican death row case
Personal Story Segment
Howard Kurtz on the media
Media reporter Howard Kurtz entered the No Spin Zone, where The Factor began with this hypothesis: "Network news is an outmoded model and in five years they may not even be around." Kurtz wasn't prepared to go that far. "Network news will be around," he said, "but it's locked in a fight for survival in the iPod age and a million choices on cable and the Internet." Kurtz also criticized Dan Rather, who is suing his former employers at CBS. "This fiasco of a story about President Bush and the National Guard was just shoddy journalism. The night before that story ran, Rather was pressuring CBS to put the story on the air, threatening to leak the story to the New York Times. But Rather can't let this go." The Factor added one closing thought about the evening news programs. "They're all liberal, let's be honest. What newsman at CBS or NBC is conservative? Traditional Americans have walked away."

News Link: Howard Kurtz dishes dirt on Dan Rather
Miller Time Segment
Dennis Miller on Kiefer Sutherland
Dennis Miller teed off on Kiefer Sutherland, who was sentenced to 48 days in jail for repeated drunk driving. "He's a great actor," Miller opined, "but when you get behind a two-ton piece of machinery and you're loaded, you have to change your life." Miller also critiqued Tuesday's interview with former Mexico President Vicente Fox. "This guy's a hack, he's in more pockets than lint. How can you take him seriously, for God's sake? If you go down to Tijuana on any given night with night goggles and it looks like the start of the Boston Marathon in ponchos. Nobody wants to stay in Mexico." The Factor blamed Fox for failing to improve his country. "He held power for six years, and things got worse. It's his fault that we have to spend billions of dollars to build a wall."

News Link: Kiefer Sutherland in slammer for 4th DUI
Back of Book Segment
Policing the 'Net: Celebrity edition
Internet ace Mary Katharine Ham began with a look at the comical video director Rob Reiner made for Hillary Clinton's web site, urging other candidates should do the same thing. "Internet video is where it's at. They really have a chance to humanize themselves in these little video shorts. This makes Hillary Clinton look like she has a sense of humor. I think the right needs to play some catch up here." Ham also reported on a widely-circulated Internet clip of Elizabeth Taylor making silly sounds. "Liz was asked whether she is interested in marrying her current partner. I think she was saying 'no,' but very adamantly. Liz Taylor is a living icon, so I don't think she's going to do a lot of harm to herself on YouTube. She's still Liz."

News Link: Video: Rob Reiner stumps for Hillary

News Link: Liz Taylor howls like wolf
Pinheads and Patriots
Who's helping, and who's hurting?
Wednesday's Patriot: Sharon Rocha, mother of the murdered Lacy Peterson, who is raising money for police search and rescue teams. And the Pinhead: The aforementioned Kiefer Sutherland, who now has four alcohol-related offenses. The Factor's verdict: "There should be zero tolerance for drunks getting into cars. Sutherland is getting what he deserves and is a pinhead."
Factor Mail
Viewers Sound Off
Many of you wrote about The Factor's interview with Vicente Fox. Some excerpts:

Humberto Hernandez, Tijuana, Mexico: "It was good to see President Fox in the no spin zone. He didn't evade the questions."

Ingrid Dahlquist, Clermont, FL : "Mr. O'Reilly, I'm so disappointed in you! You didn't ask Fox hard questions. He was laughing at you."

Juan Nieves, New Orleans, LA: "O'Reilly, you displayed an embarrassing ignorance of international relations in that interview."

Michael Lewis-Hart, Queensland, Australia: "That was the best interview I've ever seen on the Factor. I think you could solve that border problem, O'Reilly."

Ron Wirsing, Haver de Grace, MD: "President Fox answered most questions the same way: It is all America's fault."