Tuesday, October 8, 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
Obamacare Brawl
Guest: Charles Krauthammer
"On day eight of the government shutdown, both sides upped the rhetoric. Talking Points has suggested a one-year reprieve for folks who don't want to buy into Obamacare. That's because of the chaos surrounding the implementation of the law and the waivers the President has already granted to some businesses. Some conservatives are now echoing that one-year delay, but President Obama complained about 'a few irresponsible' Republicans. The core difference is this: Republicans believe Obamacare will drastically harm the country, while Democrats believe the exact opposite and they have the law on their side. But Mr. Obama opened the door to some changes with his waivers, which the administration says it has the legal authority to grant. I continue to hope the President will bend and let the folks who want Obamacare sign up, while the folks who don't want it get a one-year waiver. After one year, hard evidence will be available to determine just how good the law is. If President Obama would make that compromise, the Republicans would stop obstructing the government. Something has to give."

The Factor asked Charles Krauthammer what will likely transpire in the coming days in Washington. "We are clearly heading toward a cliff that the administration can not go over," Dr. K predicted, "and that's the one dealing with the debt ceiling. Democrats are politically enjoying the shutdown of the government because most people blame it on the Republicans. But when it comes to the debt ceiling, most Americans don't want it raised, so the President is on very weak ground and has his back against the wall. I think the House and Senate will pass a three-week extension on the debt ceiling and then negotiations will begin. The President will have to give." The Factor again urged a delay in implementing the full individual mandate, saying, "There's no doubt Obamacare is chaotic and we don't know how good it will be for the country."
Impact Segment
War of Words
Guests: Monica Crowley & Alan Colmes
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has described Republicans as "legislative arsonists," while other liberal Democrats are comparing conservatives to hostage-takers and terrorists. The Factor invited reaction from Alan Colmes and Monica Crowley. "I think people should tone it down," Colmes said, "and I don't think it helps. But there has been a plot to hold the entire government hostage in order to defund a bill that has already been passed." Crowley differentiated between talk show hosts and political leaders. "We've had this kind of incendiary language since the founding of the republic and on both sides, and passions are running high. But when it comes to the President or the Senate Majority Leader or the House Minority Leader, those are people in positions of high responsibility. They should be setting a higher standard."
Personal Story Segment
A Nasty Nation?
Guest: Guy Benson & Zerlina Maxwell
Former government official Shirley Sherrod is suing the widow of blogger Andrew Breitbart, who accused Sherrod of wrongdoing; meanwhile, Jesse Ventura is filing suit against the widow of former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, claiming he was defamed by her late husband. Considering these lawsuits against widows, The Factor asked writers Guy Benson and Zerlina Maxwell whether America is a mean nation. "We are mean-spirited," Maxwell declared. "We have been hard-hearted and we have made a lot of mistakes. We started with enslaving people and then there were Jim Crow laws." Benson countered that America's ills are far outweighed by the good. "America is absolutely not a hard-hearted country. Of course there are instances of cruelty and our history is littered with evil, but that does not make the country mean-spirited at its core. There are examples every day that prove that point." The Factor generally sided with Benson, but worried about the country's direction: "America is a noble nation, but we don't hear an outcry anymore against barbaric behavior. Suing widows? The people who do this should be outcasts."
Stossel Matters Segment
Entitlement Culture
Guest: John Stossel
Fox Business host John Stossel recently spoke with a welfare worker who admitted that government largess encourages dependency. He entered the No Spin Zone and denounced the system of handouts. "We've taught people that you get paid if you are helpless," Stossel lamented. "At first there is a stigma to welfare and you don't want to take it, but then you feel like a sucker if you don't take it. These programs always grow. I'm a stutterer, and if the Americans with Disabilities Act existed when I was young, would I have overcome my speech problem? We want to help the truly helpless, but charity is able to do that without supporting everybody. We should at least stop the growth of welfare."
'Is it Legal?' Segment
More California Madness
Guests: Kimberly Guilfoyle & Lis Wiehl
Lis Wiehl and Kimberly Guilfoyle trained their legal eyes on the case of illegal immigrant Mario Chavez, who killed his wife last month in California. He had been previously arrested, but local authorities didn't report him to the feds. "Things are only going to get worse," Wiehl predicted, "because Governor Jerry Brown just signed a law that will make it more difficult for ICE and local officials to communicate. The law says local authorities can not turn over to ICE anyone who has been charged with a minor crime." Guilfoyle blamed the city of San Jose, where Chavez committed the murder. "It is a 'sanctuary city' and this is what they do as a matter of practice. If they have an undocumented immigrant, they will not tell ICE. Governor Brown is now making the policy statewide." The Factor pledged, "We are going to keep pointing out this insanity, this murder is on the Governor and politicians in San Jose."
Back of Book Segment
Disability Nation
Guest: Karl Rove
As The Factor has reported repeatedly, and as "60 Minutes" documented Sunday, the number of Americans receiving disability payments has soared. FNC's Karl Rove analyzed the problem. "Senator Tom Coburn's investigators randomly chose 300 applications that had been approved," Rove reported, "and they found evidence of fraud in a quarter of them. Coburn found that an administrative law judge was in bed with an attorney whose 'mill' bought off doctors. The lawyer got paid nearly $5-million, the judge may have gotten $2-million, and they put a lot of money into the pockets of doctors. And this is not the only instance." Rove implicated big government in the abusive situation. "There are no fraud protections in Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security. The FBI estimates that 15% of the cost of Medicare is the result of fraud."
Factor Mail
Viewers sound off
Robert Casas, Fairless Hills, PA: "The recent attack by bikers on that family illustrates the need for 'Stand Your Ground' laws."

Eric Rasmussen, Barnes, WA: "Mr. O'Reilly, congratulations on 17 years with the Factor. I used to watch you when you anchored the news in Portland, Oregon and will continue watching until one of us dies."

Foots Thurman, Brentwood, TN: "O'Reilly, in the discussion about Obamacare, Juan Williams ate your lunch."
Tip Of The Day
Socially Repsonsible Social Media
Consider taking a moment to encourage kindness on Facebook, perhaps by urging your "friends" to do something nice for others.