The O'Reilly Factor
A daily summary of segments aired on The O'Reilly Factor. A preview of the evening's rundown is posted before the show airs each weeknight.
Friday, September 11, 2009
The Factor Rundown
Talking Points Memo & Top Story
Fridays with Geraldo Segment
Impact Segment
Body Language Segment
At Your Beck and Call Segment
Back of Book Segment
Pinheads and Patriots
Factor Mail
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Remembering 9/11
"Cable news has been looking back eight years to the mass murder of September 11, 2001. Thankfully the Bush administration was aggressive in fighting Al Qaeda, which was badly damaged, and another 9/11 is far less likely than eight years ago. Some liberals will never admit that, and a few are actively helping the terrorists. Earlier this week we reported on The John Adams Project, whereby radicals are secretly photographing CIA agents and sending the pictures to detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Unbelievable and despicable! The Justice Department is investigating The John Adams Project, which is affiliated with the insidious ACLU. The Obama administration has a responsibility to protect the intelligence community and must stop this atrocity. Looking at the terror landscape today, Iran emerges as the most dangerous enemy. But again, some liberal Americans don't want to confront Iran, and Europe has been weak on the issue. So the world has not learned much from the 9/11 murders. The USA continues to fight the good fight, but Islamic fascism is still dangerous. Somebody tell the liberal community."

The Factor asked two prominent liberals, radio host Leslie Marshall and FNC's Ellis Henican, to assess The John Adams Project. "I do not agree with outing any CIA agent," Marshall said. "However, if anyone in the CIA was a part of interrogating people with torture, that is a violation of international law and they must be held accountable." Henican agreed that rogue agents should be punished, but not by the methods employed by The John Adams Project. "I don't like unmasking CIA agents and the government needs to try and stop it." The Factor asked Henican what he would do, were he president, to halt Iran's nuclear program. "I would squeeze them," Henican replied, "and I would apply economic pressure to make them stop. But I wouldn't attack them because it would cause more problems than it solves." Marshall also condemned military action: "We may perceive their leaders as being lunatics, but they have not attacked us and we are not the boss of the world." The Factor concluded that "neither of you has a solution to stop Iran, which is going to get nuclear weapons."
The far-left view of 9/11
Geraldo Rivera began with actor Charlie Sheen, a "truther" who believes the 9/11 attacks may have involved a government conspiracy. "Charlie and Rosie O'Donnell have swallowed this Kool-Aid," Rivera said, "in defiance of the facts. They are hurting the victims' families because they continue to raise this preposterous notion that the United States government would be so hideously manipulative that we would kill almost 3,000 of our own citizens as a pretext to going to war in Afghanistan." Rivera turned to Michigan, where anti-abortion activist Jim Pouillon was killed in a drive-by shooting. "Pouillon was a very active pro-life demonstrator who carried pictures of bloody fetuses. They have not yet determined the motive." The Factor complained that the media, which swarmed over the killing of abortionist George Tiller, has been conspicuously silent: "This hasn't gotten any attention and it won't."
The trouble with Afghanistan (and Pakistan)
The Factor asked Fox News analyst Col. David Hunt what is required to finally kill or capture Osama Bin Laden. "It's been a lack of political will," Hunt asserted, "and not a lack of capability that has allowed Bin Laden, al-Zawhiri, and Mullah Omar to still be alive. The U.S. needs the will to go wherever Bin Laden is -I would violate anyone's sovereignty to get him." Former Bush administration official Dan Senor urged President Obama to increase troop strength in Afghanistan. "Our interests in Afghanistan transcend getting Bin Laden. The most important thing we need to do right now is weaken the Taliban and Al Qaeda. That's important for getting Bin Laden, it's important for preventing another attack on the homeland, it's important to prevent neighboring governments from being stabilized. We need a 'population-centered' strategy, which is what we did in Iraq with the surge."
David Axelrod on the Factor
Body language interpreter Tonya Reiman watched tape of David Axelrod's first visit to the No Spin Zone Wednesday night. "When you started talking to him," Reiman observed, "his right cheek went up, as if to say 'what are you talking about?' He disagreed with you completely and had intense disdain and disgust. He wasn't thrilled with the interview." Reiman also viewed a clip of former "green jobs czar" Van Jones, before his resignation, comparing President Bush to a crack head. "Three times during that clip he tightened up his mouth and showed anger. He was sincere in moments, but he was also acting."
What should we make of Jay-Z?
Rapper Jay-Z, who has at times talked like a race warrior, is holding a benefit to raise money for families of 9/11 victims. The Factor asked Fox News host Glenn Beck for his impression of the rapper. "I'm going to come clean with you," Beck admitted, "I have no idea who the hell this guy is. I'm tired of the race thing and I don't think it works any more. There is real racism, but every time you throw it out meaninglessly it loses its power." Beck also took aim at ACORN, which has been involved in a series of scandals. "The thing we can unite on is corruption, and this whole system is corrupt. It's beyond ACORN. You can't talk about fixing health care until you clean up the corruption." The Factor called for a federal investigation of ACORN: "These people have received $56 million in taxpayer dollars and could get more. I'm saying not another taxpayer dime! ACORN is a corrupt organization."
The dumbest things of the week
The Factor introduced a new feature, "The Dumbest Things of the Week," whose title says it all. FNC business maven Stuart Varney singled out a Brazilian TV ad for the World Wildlife Fund, which the organization rejected, depicting passenger jets smashing into New York City buildings. "This is beyond dumb, it is equating terror with the desire to stop global warming. It's actually beneath contempt because it shows absolute disregard for the victims of 9/11." Fox News' Juliet Huddy picked Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, who shouted "you lie" during President Obama's health care speech. "This isn't the House of Commons," Huddy said. "You should just keep your mouth shut and wait until the speech is over. Maybe Wilson is looking for a reality show." And The Factor's selection: When Howard Dean said on TV that the Republican Party is trying to "undermine the country," then moments later vociferously denied uttering those words.
Who's helping, who's hurting?
Friday's Patriot: Actress Eva Longoria, who is hosting a poker tournament to raise money for developmentally-disabled children. And the Pinhead: The Japanese purse snatcher who picked on the wrong woman in an elevator and wound up getting jiu-jitsued to the floor.
Viewers sound off
Factor Words of the Day
Joe Murray, Mobile, AL: "Bill, Ann Coulter turned you into toast with facts. You must have spent too much time on vacation."

Darold Schnell, South Korea: "While Congressman Wilson's outburst was inappropriate, he was absolutely right. Illegal aliens will be covered under Obama care."

John Wallace, Katy, TX: "Bill, take a stand."