"The ratings for Fox News have been exploding recently. So why is this happening? Well, a major reason is the health care debate. While the other network news broadcasts down play the dissent and promote the government takeover of the health care industry, FOX News highlights the intense debate. When we cover the town hall meetings, we don't describe the protesters as loons. We don't denigrate people who disagree with President Obama. That's the big difference between FOX News and all the others. Now, some liberals will say we intentionally glorify the protesters. That doesn't happen here. We've said there's no doubt some of the dissent is organized by people who dislike President Obama. That's a fact. And we've reported it. "The Factor" also gives voice to both sides, something you will never get on MSNBC News. So, fair-minded Americans know our reporting is honest, while much of the other TV news media is simply in the tank for the president. Now you'd think that liberal Americans would flock to hear their side propped up, but that's clearly not happening. For libs, conservatives and independents alike, there's really no choice. They have to watch us if they want to know what's going on. And they are in record numbers. "Talking Points" is not gloating, just reporting. But the massive viewership to FOX News is a watershed moment in media history. There is no question anymore that FOX News is now the most powerful voice in the news media, despite unrelenting attacks from almost all other press
organizations."

The Factor asked Fox News analyst Bernie Goldberg if he was surprised by Fox's high ratings. Bernie thought that ABC, NBC and CBS were to thank. "[Fox News chairman] Roger Ailes needs to send champagne and flowers to the presidents of the three network news divisions, along with a nice little note that says, thank you for sending over all those viewers. Because if they were doing their job, there wouldn't be the mass defections." Bernie explained further that even liberal Americans were getting fed up with the biased coverage from the networks, and were coming over to Fox. The Factor saw it as a reaction to the tone of coverage: "FOX News is reporting this accurately, where on the other networks, they're mocking these people. Particularly NBC, which is the worst. They mock them. And I think that Americans, even if you favor Obama care, don't want these people mocked."

The AARP held a contentious town hall meeting in Dallas, and the video went viral online. AARP legislative policy director David Certner admitted that his organization wanted health care reform, but insisted that they were fair to both sides: "Our policy decisions are set by our board of directors, an all-volunteer board made up of Democrats and Republicans. And we've been very careful over the years to be centrist." The Factor wanted Certner to take a position: "Would you vote for this? If you were in Congress Mr. Certner, right now, would you vote on it? Would you say I want this bill, as confused and as chaotic as it is would you say yes?" Certner pointed out that there was no final bill yet, but rather four bills that still needed to be combined. "There's a lot of pieces in these bills we like. And quite frankly, there were some we're not particularly fond of."

The Factor wrote an article for Parade magazine that praised Obama for overcoming the odds that were stacked against him and being a role model for children. Predictably, The Factor was attacked from the left and the right. Fox News analyst Mary Katharine Ham thought she knew why the attacks were coming: "Maybe the folks on the left and right who are partisans and don't know you like I and other contributors do as the teddy bear that you are, see this very nice column, very fair column, and think to themselves 'What is Bill O'Reilly up to?'" Radio host Leslie Marshall thought that The Factor was just being fair: "I think it's admirable that you're saying look, I may not agree with the guy politically, but I got to give him props where props are due. And I commend him for this. And that's a good example for children." The Factor concluded that there were simply some partisans who would never give Obama a fair shake: "I also think that there is a hatred for President Obama as there was for President Bush. And once you get into the hate zone, then all thinking is clouded."

Cable news crime show host Nancy Grace is making the rounds promoting her new book, a novel about a women whose fiance is murdered. However, The Factor had a very pointed question about her TV show: "You covered the Casey and Caylee Anthony story almost every night. Two hundred and six times... When do you get into exploiting the horror of the crime?" Grace defended her coverage of the story: "As long as there are developments in the story, then I will continue." Grace denied that her show only covered "tabloid" news. "I do not believe that unsolved homicides, missing children, drunk drivers that kill, wipe out families in one afternoon is tabloid." The Factor agreed to a point: "It's legitimate news. I mean, look, I don't have any beef with it. It's just a matter of how much you do."

Culture Warriors Margaret Hoover and Gretchen Carlson looked at the case of a woman in Oregon who wanted to hang around her house and yard in the nude. Even though Oregon law allowed for it, Gretchen was opposed to the woman's nudity: "Growing up in Minnesota on a city bus when I was 6 or 7 years old, I saw a man expose himself. And I never forgot it. It affected me for life. Now, can you imagine if you're a child who lives on this block where this woman is coming out in her front yard every day? You don't know the damage that possibly this is imposing on them." Margaret thought that liberal tolerance was the problem: "It is this tolerance that has led to this environment where the social progressives that you talk about have actually taken control." The Factor thought that the citizens should try to put a stop to it: "I think the folks have got to go to the Oregon City city council and say, 'Look, you've got to make an ordinance here of some kind to prevent her from doing it and enforce it.'"

The Factor reacted to a new initiative from the White House that sounded a little familiar: "Today the White House announced a new Web site called WhiteHouse.gov/RealityCheck. Well, Check is both flattered and disturbed by that. The Web site is designed to fight rumors about health care, which is OK, if the rebuttals are true. Check will be watching closely. We don't want our name impugned." The Factor also played a clip of Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal Constitution disparaging the people who showed up to town hall meetings. "I think 45 to 65 percent of the people who appear at these groups are people who will never be comfortable with the idea of a black president," Tucker said. The Factor was not surprised Tucker was saying things like that: "Never be comfortable with the idea of a black president? Nothing to do with health care, but Ms. Tucker has been pedaling that kind of garbage for years."

Monday's Patriot: Hillary Clinton, who went to Kenya and showed off her dance moves with the locals. And the Pinhead: Disgraced former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich who unveiled his Elvis impersonation by singing off-key at a festival in Chicago.

Jim Getten, Vale, Oregon: "Bill, great article in 'Parade.' I'm no fan of Obama's politics, but he is unique and his accomplishments are great lessons for children."

Major Jim Low, Davenport, Florida: "Bill, outstanding article. Parents should use it as a primer for their children."

Barbara Piper, Lone Tree, Colorado. "I was disappointed in the article. Obama is the last person I want my granddaughter to look to for values."

Dave Kresnye, Cleveland, Ohio: "Mr. O'Reilly, your points about the health-care town halls is right on. The president can brand them extreme, but the polls tell the story. Most Americans now oppose Obama-care."

Gabrielle Giosa, Levittown, Pennsylvania: "Mr. O, I am 8 years old and love 'The Factor,' even know I don't understand half of it."