Monday, October 24, 2016
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
Donald Trump Wants You to Listen to Him
"On Saturday at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Mr. Trump delivered a speech that promised a contract between him and the American voter. The Republican says he will push for term limits on all congressional members, freeze hiring at the federal level, crack down on lobbying, and renegotiate trade deals he feels are harming America. So far, nothing too dramatic, but Mr. Trump upped the ante. He says he will stop funding sanctuary cities and remove two million undocumented immigrants he feels are dangerous. He repeated that he will suspend immigration from terror prone regions like the Middle East. In addition, Trump promises middle class families with two children a 35% tax cut and says he will spend one trillion dollars on infrastructure over the next 10 years. He promises to repeal and replace Obamacare, and says he will build the border wall. Also, Trump says he will support Kate's Law, which has mandatory five-year prison sentences for those who illegally reenter the USA with a felony conviction. Most of these promises appeal to Republicans and are abhorrent to Democrats. So Trump is trying to solidify his base, which has slipped over the past few weeks, while also trying to attract independent voters who are fed up with lax policies for illegal immigration and national security. The question is, did anyone actually hear Trump's Gettysburg speech? It was given on a Saturday when most Americans are not watching TV, and the anti-Trump news media gave it scant attention. What the media did trumpet was Trump's threat to sue some women accusing him of improper conduct. Talking Points believes this election has not served voters well. There has been far too much hysteria, hatred and stupid, partisan ramblings. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have opposite views of how this country should be run. Anybody voting should know exactly what those views are. Trump's contract should have been widely reported."

Political reporters Bob Cusack and Kelly Riddell joined The Factor to react. "Donald Trump needs to hit policy at every turn," Riddell said, "and he needs to stop giving the media excuses to cover his antics and his personality. Only 29% of likely voters believe this country is on the right track and he has to emphasize change." Cusack agreed that Trump can win if he zeroes in on the issues. "He has to focus on both policy and Hillary Clinton, and when he does that he does quite well. He has to win every day from this point until the election and he probably needs some kind of 'October surprise' that will help him and hurt Hillary Clinton. I know a lot of people who still don't know how they'll vote."
Personal Story
The Factor Too Soft on Trump?
Some viewers and pundits have accused The Factor of going easy on Donald Trump. Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin, who agrees with that assessment, entered the No Spin Zone to elaborate. "My criticism is that you are actually in the spin zone," she said, "and you do a lot of parroting what Trump is saying to you. You've attacked debate moderators by saying the fix is in, and you're taking the argument of the candidate rather than acting as an independent person. Over time you have kept up what the Trump campaign has been saying." The Factor aired some excerpts illustrating extremely tough questioning of Trump, then concluded with this pointed comment to Jennifer Rubin: "You're entirely wrong about this, your own newspaper posted a headline saying the O'Reilly-Trump interviews are the best. You are not prepared for this interview, your column is a fraud, and you're not an honest person!"
Campaign 2016
Obama on the Campaign Trail
While campaigning for Hillary Clinton, President Obama has been hammering Donald Trump, conservative talk radio, and of course Fox news. Mary Anne Marsh and Monica Crowley opined on the president's tough talk. "Obama's comments remind voters," Crowley theorized, "that he has provided over extremely unpopular policies, including ObamaCare and massive government deficits. People want change, so his mere presence reminds them that they reject his policies." But Marsh defended President Obama's attacks. "He is reminding all the voters that Donald Trump opened Pandora's Box, but the environment was laid by Republicans. Trump gave people permission to say out loud things that we normally only saw in the far right provinces of the Internet, including derogatory comments about race and women and other things."
Impact Segment
Forced to Repay Enlistment Bonuses?
Thousands of military personnel, many of whom served multiple tours in war zones, have been ordered to repay bonuses. The Factor spoke about the issue with Military Times reporter Leo Shane. "These enlistment bonuses were paid in 2005 and 2006 when the Army was really trying to get people to enlist," Shane explained. "These soldiers received the money and spent the money, but now the Department of Defense is coming back and saying they weren't actually eligible and they have to pay the money back. These soldiers didn't do anything wrong but some are being hit with real financial problems." The Factor urged President Obama to sign an executive order that could resolve the problem immediately.
Unresolved Problems
Will the GOP Hold Congress?
Many political analysts predict that Democrats will regain control of the Senate in the upcoming elections, and perhaps even the House of Representatives. The Factor asked Charles Krauthammer to prognosticate. "The House will stay Republican," Krauthammer declared, "and most of those who lose will be moderates, which means Paul Ryan may have a harder time controlling his Republican caucus. As for the Senate, the Republicans are hanging on by their fingernails. They have a four-seat advantage and the only seat held by Democrats that's really in danger is in Nevada where Harry Reid is retiring. If you had to bet the house right now, the Republicans will lose four or five seats and that will swing the Senate to the Democrats."
Watters' World
Watters' World: The Millennial Vote
Jesse Watters sought out 20-something prospective voters and asked them about the election. Some of their answers were not exactly reassuring: "I haven't been really focused on it" ... "The Republican vice presidential candidate is Mike Clinton" ... "The election is November 28th." But in point of fact, quite a few of the young 'uns knew exactly who is running, and one woman was even able to clearly explain the intricacies of the Electoral College.
Factor Mail
Viewers Sound Off
William Konar, Stevensville, MI: "Bill, you are correct that Trump came across as boorish at the Al Smith dinner. But he needs to use every opportunity to bring out the facts about Hillary Clinton."

Maryann Ragan, Coram, NY: "Cardinal Dolan never should have invited Mrs. Clinton to the dinner. She did not apologize for her staff's anti-Catholic remarks and supports the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion."

Brad Vogt, Canton, TX: "O'Reilly, you're a doofus for criticizing Trump's comments at the Al Smith dinner. As a Catholic and a supposedly informed person, you should know that Hillary's positions oppose those of Jesus himself."
Tip of the Day
The Simpsons vs. The Factor
The animated show 'The Simpsons' has frequently taken shots at The Factor and Fox News, but the show's creators should know that The O'Reilly Factor is as popular and informative as ever.