Wednesday, April 10, 2013
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
Have illegal drugs harmed your family?
Guests: Bob Beckel

"According to the U.S. Department of Health, more than 38,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2010...Yet many on the left are demanding softer drug laws. They don't believe that selling hard narcotics causes enough damage to be classified a violent crime...
"A bunch of celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, Will Smith, Mark Wahlberg, Kim Kardashian, and LL Cool J have signed a letter to President Obama, quote: 'Mr. President...the greatest victims of the prison industrial complex are our nation's children. Hundreds of thousands of children have lost a parent to long prison sentences for non-violent drug offenses, leaving these children to fend for themselves...'
"That is completely absurd and misguided in the extreme...48% of federal prison inmates in this country are serving time for drug offenses, but just 13% are in those prisons because of marijuana and virtually all of them are major weight dealers. This isn't the feds kicking in the door of somebody smoking reefer in their living room. That's what the left wants you to believe, but that's false...
"By putting hard drug dealers in prison, authorities have made all Americans safer...Every criminologist knows most street crime and many murders are committed by drug involved people. But the Hollywood people don't know that because they have no clue what goes on the streets. The left-wing loons who say that selling hard drugs is not a violent crime are hurting all of us."
Beckel, a recovering addict himself, argued there are too many people in federal prisons for repeatedly selling small amounts of drugs. He claimed these prisoners are going in hard core drug users, but coming out hardened drug dealers. The Factor corrected him, citing government statistics that show the vast majority of drug offenders in federal prisons are in for trafficking.
Impact Segment
President Obama reveals his budget plan
Guests: Kirsten Powers and Kate Obenshain

President Obama has offered his budget vision for next year and beyond. Predictably, he wants more money from the affluent. He proposed $3.78 trillion in spending in 2014; he said he'll cut $1.2 trillion over 10 years.

The Factor contended that the President seems intent on spending regardless of mounting deficits. Kirsten Powers defended Obama, indicating that he philosophically believes you need to continue spending when you're in the midst of a fragile recovery. The Factor bristled at this, pointing out that we've been pumping billions into the private sector to try to stimulate the economy for four years and it's not working. Kate Obenshain warned that billions of dollars are being held on the sideline of the economy because of sky-high taxes on the affluent. She also suggested there aren't enough spending cuts in this budget.

The Factor asked Kirsten if she really believes Obama understands the economy and is being fiscally responsible. She conceded that there could be more defense spending and entitlement spending cuts. Finally, Kate Obenshain stressed that it's very important the President take some of the burden off of the job creators.
Kelly File Segment
FBI investigating secret audio recordings from Senator McConnell's campaign headquarters
Guests: Megyn Kelly

Sen. Mitch McConnell is accusing someone of bugging his office and releasing audio recordings of private conversations concerning a potential challenge to his re-election by the actress Ashley Judd. The FBI is investigating.

The Senator insists this information is not the product of a mole within his campaign, but rather a bugging of his campaign headquarters. Megyn Kelly explained how this type of activity would be a felony under both federal and Kentucky state law unless one party consented. The Factor complained about the lack of privacy in today's society and declared that if the government cared, there would be a two party federal consent law.

On another topic, by Supreme Court ruling, the Boy Scouts, as a private organization, is entitled to ban gay people. Now the state of California is trying to punish the organization for its stance and revoke its tax exempt status. Megyn analyzed the situation and said even some left-leaning groups are nervous that this might be a slippery slope, allowing the state to pick and choose which groups can be tax exempt. The Factor just wants everyone to leave the Scouts alone!
Personal Story Segment
Rick Santorum canceled as high school speaker because of his gay marriage stance
Guests: Rick Santorum

Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was invited to speak at Gross Pointe South High School outside of Detroit. But the superintendent cancelled his appearance, suggesting Santorum is a bigot for opposing gay marriage.

The Factor reported that after calling the school district, there's been an about-face. Santorum will be allowed to speak, but students must have a permission slip signed by their parents in order to hear him. Appearing in the no spin zone, Santorum said he was disappointed that, as someone who served two terms in the Senate and two terms in the House, students will need permission to hear him speak, as though he could do to harm them.

The Factor put forth that the pro-gay marriage people have defined it as a civil rights issue. Thus, if you oppose equality, you're a bigot - and they've been very successful at painting the issue this way. Santorum agreed, and said he has been a victim of the mentality that if you oppose changing the definition of marriage, you must hate gay people.
Miller Time Segment
Will California taxpayers fund infertility treatment for gay couples?
Guests: Dennis Miller

The Factor seemed incredulous that with all the financial chaos and the highest taxes in the land, there are some in California who want taxpayers to fund infertility treatments for gay couples, a measure which will be debated by the San Francisco Assembly. Miller called his state so far out of the mainstream that it's no longer one of the 48 contiguous states.

As a segue, the Factor called Greece the only place in worse financial shape than California, where they now want Germany to pay reparations for World War II. To quote Dennis Miller: "Go sit under an umbrella and have an ouzo, it's over."

Finally, in Clarence, New York, the Factor got a chuckle out of a 65-year-old man being awarded $1.6 million by the state Court of Appeals as compensation for his frog phobia. Apparently a developer flooded his land, leading to an invasion of frogs, which was evidently quite traumatizing. Dennis Miller suggested we start shunning litigious people like this.
Back of Book Segment
How much did taxpayers spend on a star-studded concert at the White House?
Guests: Juliet Huddy

Last night, there was a posh concert at the White House, the edited version of which will be shown on PBS. Juliet Huddy did some digging and found out that the concert cost $1.3 million, $432,500 of which will be paid for by taxpayers. Despite the Factor's quibbling, Huddy justified the expense, saying people who can't afford to go to concerts like this and can't afford cable will get to watch it on PBS. However, the Factor wondered why PBS can't sell commercials so we don't have to pay for it.

In other news, Rahm Emanuel is not left enough for former Weather Underground guy Bill Ayers who called the Chicago mayor "a right-wing troglodyte." Huddy broke down the radical's beef: Ayer has become the poster child for the "free school" model of education and he's angry that Emanuel is closing some schools in Chicago.
Factor Mail
Viewers sound off
Luke Murfitt, Kent, England: "I'd like to say that 99% of Britons were appalled by those few celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher."

Ross Collie, Aberdeen, Scotland: "I don't think anyone's death should be celebrated, but Thatcher divided communities. Those who are glad she is dead are not just on the political left."

Bill Swisher, Tampa, Florida: "You might have pointed out that the Mickey Mouse Club is still dominant; at least in Washington, D.C."
Tip Of The Day
Play-Bill
Pick up this month's Hollywood Reporter and you'll notice a certain humble correspondent gracing the cover of the magazine's "Most Powerful People in Media" issue. Read the article here!