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.
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Factor Rundown
Talking Points Memo
Top Story
The Hume Zone Segment
Miller Time Segment
Impact Segment
Back of Book Segment
Factor Mail
Pinheads and Patriots
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The Muslim dilemma and sensitivity
"Today on The View, the ladies addressed the shootout I had with them last Thursday when I said that building a mosque near Ground Zero is inappropriate because Muslims killed us there. That caused Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar to walk off the set. Of course, what I said is absolutely true, but is insensitive to some. In a perfect world, you always say 'Muslim terrorists' killed us, but I thought that was common knowledge. Barbara Walters today said the nation is very angry, and therefore commentators must watch the rhetoric. Okay, but my question to Ms. Walters is this: Why is America so angry? One answer is that Americans are fed up with politically correct nonsense. There is a Muslim problem in the world, and if The View ladies won't acknowledge that, that's their problem. Russia, China, the Philippines, and many nations in Africa are fighting Muslim insurrections. The Muslim threat to the world involves nations and millions of people, yet the left in America will not face that fact. Here in the USA we're lucky - the vast majority of American Muslims are good citizens who deplore the extreme actions in the Muslim world. But the cold truth is that jihad, aided and abetted by some Muslim nations, is the biggest threat on the planet. I have had enough of the politically correct nonsense, and I condemn the far-left fanatics who label people with whom they disagree 'bigots.' Finally, wherever I went this weekend people were high-fiving me. Americans are simply fed up with politicians and media people denying the obvious - there is a dangerous problem in the Muslim world, and once again I call for all peace-loving Muslims to join the United States and other conscientious nations to fight the jihadists and defeat radical Islam."
Danger from the Muslim world?
The Factor invited FNC analysts Juan Williams and Mary Katharine Ham to evaluate the Talking Points. "I think you're right," Williams said, "that political correctness can lead to a kind of paralysis where you don't address reality. When I get on a plane and I see people in Muslim garb and I think they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get nervous. But you have to be careful - we don't want people having their rights violated or attacked in the streets." Ham mocked Joy and Whoopi for stomping off in anger. "This whole getting up and running off the set was ridiculous and immature. They stopped the conversation, not you. It was them freaking out about a conservative position." The Factor pointed out that German Chancellor Angela Merkel now says Muslims are creating major problems: "According to Merkel, it's not extremists - most of the Muslims who have come there are not assimilating. But that hasn't happened in America, where most Muslims have assimilated."
Obama trying to stop bleeding in Democratic Party
President Obama has been on the campaign trail, vigorously stumping for Democratic candidates. The Factor was joined by FNC political analyst Brit Hume, who cast doubt on the President's effectiveness. "He's out trying to make a sale to the public about his party," Hume observed, "but remember that he went out for the better part of a year trying to make a sale to the public on his health care plan. He gave dozens of speeches on the subject and in the end he couldn't sell it. He's an inspirational figure in many ways, but he has proven to be not particularly persuasive." The Factor added that President Obama's goal is very simple: "All he has to do is motivate some Democrats and stoke up the base."
Dennis Miller redux
Because Dennis Miller's segment last week was pre-empted by the Chilean miner story, The Factor re-aired Miller's observations about President Obama's town hall meeting with young people. "At this point he has to find a choir to preach to," Miller said, "because he's losing his audiences left and right. Kids are much brighter than when you and I were kids, but they're not any wiser, and I don't think you can cheerlead kids into voting in a mid-term election. They may be there for him again in 2012, but do you really think you're going to get kids at UNLV to get up early in the morning to save Harry Reid's tuchas?" Miller also commented on "Dancing With the Stars," which featured a hot rumba by Bristol Palin. "I'm trying to wean myself off of reality TV because I find it's too representative of the real world now. Undeserving people are winning. I find it sweet when a girl like Bristol Palin gets out there, but I find that a couple of people have won lately who aren't the best dancers. I want the best to win."
Talk radio, The Factor and The View
The Factor asked two radio talk show hosts - conservative Tammy Bruce and liberal Mark Levine - about listener reaction to the dustup on The View. "The first reaction," Bruce said, "was that when Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg left the set, suddenly The View became watchable. The second reaction was they all should have left so it would have The Factor in the afternoon. People were thrilled and they loved how you addressed the issue of political correctness." Unsurprisingly, Levine's audience had a somewhat different reaction. "My liberal listeners were also thrilled, but for the exact opposite reasons. They thought that Joy and Whoopi were absolutely right to walk out and they felt the walkout forced your apology." The Factor pointedly clarified that apology: "My apology was not about what I said, but if someone took it the wrong way. I'll stand by what I said - Muslims killed us on 9/11 and there's a huge Muslim problem in the world."
Reality Check: Gibbs changes his stance
A few months after conceding that Republicans might regain a majority in the House, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs now says Democrats will regain control. The Factor's Check: "To be fair, the landscape does change and Mr. Gibbs may simply have changed his mind." On another Sunday talk show, John McCain's daughter Meghan claimed Delaware Republican Christine O'Donnell is "making a mockery of running for public office." The Factor's Check: "The latest Rasmussen poll has Ms. O'Donnell down by eleven points to Chris Coons, so she's closed the gap a bit." The Factor added a final tribute to Barbara Billingsley, who played June Cleaver on "Leave it to Beaver: "I had the pleasure of interviewing Billingsley, who died last week at age 94. Shows like 'Leave it to Beaver' were great for kids like me - they presented America as a place that was funny and normal."
Viewers sound off
Factor Words of the Day
Muhammad Syafiq, Leesburg, VA: "Bill, I am a Muslim-American and know you are not a bigot. You are a patriot. Please, when you speak of the terrible men that have defiled my religion add the word 'terrorist.' That separates me from them."

Colin Nowell, Scotland: "None of those women on The View would tolerate what some Muslim countries do to women in general. I have lived there so I know."

Andrew Watson, Los Angeles, CA: "Bill, when you said 'Muslims attacked us,' it bothered me. And I'm a conservative."

Mary Wylong, Vero Beach, FL: "Bill, as one of the 'folks,' I never thought you were attacking Muslims or Islam."
You decide who's who!
Monday's Patriot or Pinhead: Late night host Jimmy Kimmel, whose program features a parody called 'The O'Rodriguez Factor.'" Is the satire patriotic or pinheaded? You make the call by voting here on BillOReilly.com.