Monday, April 27, 2009
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 & Top Story
Brutalizing America
"A new low has been reached in the media - the New York Times printed a cartoon showing the Statue of Liberty holding a whip, ready to strike. The two men responsible are publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and editor Bill Keller, who are on a jihad to define America as a gulag nation. They're aided and abetted by General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt and NBC News president Jeff Zucker, who allow their commentators to push a hateful, far-left agenda. Finally, ACLU leader Anthony Romero and billionaire George Soros are pouring money and legal challenges into telling the world that America abuses human rights. These six men are doing an enormous amount of damage to the country, but why? The reason is simple: If show trials for the Bush administration happen, they will marginalize the Republican Party, national security hawks, and conservative thinkers for decades. And it's getting worse - the Obama administration will soon release photographs of military investigations into prisoner abuse. The ACLU, which sued to get the pictures released, wants to inflame the world against the USA. That will put our troops and diplomats in even more danger and make it harder for the Obama administration to get help from other countries. All of us should hold these America-haters accountable."

The Factor asked former Bush advisor Karl Rove why the left wants investigations and indictments. "There has been a concerted effort," Rove posited, "to change the fundamental fabric of America, and they see this as an opportunity to further that goal. I'm not saying they're unpatriotic, they just have a different image of what they want America to be. They're doing the wrong thing for our country, they're doing the wrong thing for our men and women in uniform, and they're making us less safe." The Factor challenged Rove's assessment of the far left's patriotism. "We're going to have pictures released within the next few days that will heighten the danger for every American troop, every diplomat, and every tourist. And you're saying these people are not unpatriotic? The ACLU knows how this is going to be used by the jihadists and they don't care!"

Fox News analysts Juan Williams and Mary Katharine Ham examined the New York Times' decision to run a cartoon showing the Statue of Liberty brandishing a whip. "I think it's out of line," Williams said. "America has greeted immigrants and has been a safe haven, and to portray the Statue of Liberty in that way is not something I feel comfortable with. The Times is still feeling like they didn't do their job when it came to holding the Bush administration accountable for the entry into war in Iraq." Ham condemned the impending release of photographs showing American abuse of suspected terrorists. "I'm much less worried about the infantile cartoon than I am about the prison photos, which will be used as propaganda. People on the left are arguing to release these things which are really going to cause problems for American troops overseas."
Personal Story Segment
Jon Meacham on Andrew Jackson
Newsweek editor Jon Meacham, who has written a biography of Andrew Jackson, is among those calling for an investigation into CIA interrogation techniques. The Factor began by asking Meacham whether Jackson, a slave owner who mistreated American Indians, should also be put on trial. "Jackson will always be on trial before the bar of history," Meacham replied. "The question is whether his virtues outweigh his vices, and my view is that his virtues do outweigh his vices." Meacham also rationalized his endorsement of a "truth commission" to examine the war on terror. "I'm looking forward to getting together a useful commission to look at how we're winning the war on terror. What have we learned that will keep us safe?" But The Factor argued that any such commission would be filled with partisanship and vengeance. "You did a fair assessment of Jackson, but this pinhead stuff you guys are peddling at Newsweek is ridiculous. Every president at a time of war is going to make mistakes, and I don't want a show trial that is going to make the lives of people who defended us harder."
Impact Segment
Concern growing over swine flu
How much should Americans worry about the swine flu outbreak? The Factor posed that question to Dr. Bernadine Healy, former head of the Red Cross. "It is airborne," Healy explained, "and you're in jeopardy if someone else's respiratory secretions get into your respiratory track. It can travel about six feet, so if you're in a squeezed plane or elevator or subway, you know that's not six feet." Healy added that the symptoms are generally identical to those associated with regular flu. "If you have a flu where you're really incapacitated, there's no way to tell if it's the swine flu or the garden variety flu."
Culture Warriors Segment
Left-wing bomb-throwers stepping up attacks
"Progressive" celebrities like Janeane Garofalo, Sean Penn, Bill Maher, and Joy Behar are more vitriolic than ever in their attacks on conservatives and Republicans. The Factor asked Culture Warriors Margaret Hoover and Gretchen Carlson to explain the rank hatred. "A lot of these people are degenerates from the 1960's," Hoover said. "They didn't get the memo that the revolution is over - they demonize people they disagree with and go after people personally when they can't make the argument with logic." Carlson put forth a different theory: "They think they're above everybody else, they forget that millions of Americans live in the middle of the country and don't agree with them all the time." The Factor added that "there's a difference between an elitist and being nasty and mean, and we try to stay away from that here."
Back of Book Segment
Reality Check: Family Guy and Fox News
The animated program "Family Guy," which airs on the Fox broadcast network, has attacked Fox News. The Factor's Check: "As our ratings rise, the attacks are increasing. 'Family Guy' is run by a far left zealot who is not a big fan of ours." Congressman Barney Frank consistently denies that he was in any way to blame for the housing bubble and subsequent collapse. The Factor's Check: "We have found a new tape - back in 2005 Frank predicted the housing industry would not collapse. For those of you keeping score at home, Frank is batting around zero in economic predictions." Finally, James Carville is plugging his new book. The Factor's Check: "In the book he says some very bad things about Fox News and about me. But here's the thing about ol' James: I've been with him a number of times and to my face James Carville has always been very nice and very complimentary. But behind my back I guess he sees it another way. And now you know the reality about Mr. Carville."
Pinheads and Patriots
Carl Edwards & supermarket-invading bull
Monday's Patriot: NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, who crossed the finish line on foot after crashing his car on the final lap. And the Pinhead: The bull who ran wild through a supermarket in Ireland.
Factor Mail
Viewers sound off
Allen Klein, Plymouth, MN: "Bill, if Senator Feinstein presented a bill in the Senate that benefited her family, why are you and Glenn Beck acting like it's a joke? She should be punished."

Linda Sammons, Demopolis, AL: "The Bill/Beck bit ranged from humorous to deeply intelligent. I learned something while laughing."

Curtis Laseter, Hanceville, AL: "I had a better understanding of the Feinstein situation before Beck began explaining it."

Connie Kean, Pompano Beach, FL: "Am I nuts? I totally understand Glenn Beck."