Monday, March 14, 2005
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
Undermining the terror war
"A federal judge has blocked the transfer of thirteen suspected terrorists being held at Guantanamo Bay after a left-wing group sued on their behalf, saying they might be tortured if they were sent home. Undermining the Bush administration's war on terror is priority number one for the progressives. The New York Times has run another Page 1 story telling the world that two Afghan prisoners were killed by American soldiers. And where did The Times get the information? From an investigation by the US military. Once again, there are going to be atrocities and they must be reported, but responsible journalists will report fairly. And on that subject, a new study examined the Iraq war coverage. 38% of the stories Fox News ran were favorable to the war effort; 62% neutral, negative, or not able to be classified. Over at CNN 20% of the stories were positive; and at MSNBC just 16%. So you can decide which network is fair and balanced. The same study looked at election coverage--36% of the stories about President Bush were negative, 12% of the stories about John Kerry were negative. So there's no question that the majority of American news agencies tilt sharply left, and I guarantee you the progressive media will not question the judge's ruling that terror suspects can not be sent abroad. The whole thing is just insane--no country could fight a terror war the way the far left envisions."

Transcript/Video: FoxNews.com
Top Story
Chaos in Atlanta
Guests: Michael King, Project 21 & Dick Williams, "The Georgia Gang," WAGA

What's going on in Atlanta? Brian Nichols shot and killed four people in a courtroom there after overpowering the 5'1" female guard assigned to guard him. Prior to that, Atlanta DA Paul Howard cut the plea bargain that allowed a baby killer to avoid jail. Atlanta television host Dick Williams claimed part of the problem is the city's racial politics. "Atlanta is mostly concerned with things African-American. Everything has swung toward the politically correct--you've got to have a black Police Chief, a black Sheriff. The Police Department has been in chaos, and the District Attorney's office under Paul Howard has fallen apart." Michael King of Project 21, himself black, agreed with that general assessment. "Everyone is more inclined to deal with political correctness than getting the job done. When you ignore competent individuals to make sure that someone black is in place, you end up with situations like this."
Personal Story Segment
Who is Brian Nichols?
Guests: Greg Fulton, Time Magazine

At the time of his Atlanta killing spree, 33-year old Brian Nichols was on trial for raping his girlfriend. Greg Fulton of Time Magazine looked into Nichols' background, searching for clues to his violent behavior. "He had a normal upbringing," Nichols told The Factor. "But things started going wrong in college. He got in a lot of fights, had a child out of wedlock, got kicked out of school. It's almost like things devolved over time. He had one foot in the thug life and one foot in normalcy. What we don't know is what snapped and caused the kidnapping of his girlfriend."
Factor Follow Up Segment
Michael Jackson case update
Guest: Crime journalist Aphrodite Jones

Crime journalist Aphrodite Jones provided an update on the Michael Jackson trial, reporting the case against Jackson has been severely damaged. "Jackson's accuser admitted that he twice told the dean of his school that nothing bad ever happened with Jackson. Red flags were going up in the minds of the jurors and you could feel it in the courtroom. This is a huge problem for the prosecution." Attorney Shawn Chapman Holley added another aspect in Jackson's favor is the accuser's mother. "The mother has in the past used her children to get money. She has lied in depositions and has coached her children to lie." The Factor noted, for the moment, the trial has tilted toward an acquittal. "If I'm on the jury and hearing all this stuff, and I have to have more than a reasonable doubt to put Michael Jackson in jail, I'm not doing it."
Unresolved Problems Segment
Federal government & terrorism
Guest: Greg Esslinger, former FBI agent

According to new Senate testimony, American borders are out of control and terrorists may try to take advantage. "It's very troubling," said former FBI agent Greg Esslinger, "when you see the former head of the Immigration Service testifying that it's impossible to protect our borders. It's not true. There are a lot of things that can be done to seal the borders." The Factor brought up the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which has made it easier for foreigners to enter the country and stay. According to Esslinger, "They've given immigrants the ability to claim that they are considered terrorists by their home country, and that can be the sole basis for claiming asylum in the United States. It's a ridiculous example of how the judicial system is really the root of the problem as to why there are so many people in this country who don't need to be here."
Personal Story Segment
Governor Kinky?
Guest: Author & musician Kinky Friedman

Entertainer Kinky Friedman says he'll run for Governor of Texas in 2006. The 60-year old musician and author will run as an independent, providing he first collects 50-thousand signatures. "I'm very serious about this," Friedman told The Factor. "This is not a political campaign, it's a spiritual one to bring back the glory of Texas. We're first in executions, forty-ninth in funding public education, but we're going to make the Lone Star shine again." Asked about campaign specifics, Friedman said one priority would be to stop illegal immigration. "I would seal the border by bringing in the National Guard, the Texas Rangers, or whatever it takes."
Back of Book Segment
Banning high-speed police chases
Guest: Senator Sam Aanestad

In 2003 alone, more than fifty people died in California as a result of police car chases. The state legislature is considering a bill that would prevent cops from chasing fleeing suspects. Republican State Senator Sam Aanestad explained why he favors the bill. "We chase people for any reason under the sun. It could be an out of date license tag, a tail light out--the people flee and the police feel they have to get them. People continue to die, and I'm not willing to wait until someone comes up with a better idea." The Factor argued that while clearer rules may be a good idea, an outright ban is not. "You can't be telling the police they can't chase the bad guys. That's totally unrealistic. You can have guidelines, but you have to let the police use their own discretion."
Books Mentioned


Ten Little New Yorkers
by Kinky Friedman

Read more...