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.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The Factor Rundown
Talking Points Memo & Top Story
Impact Segment
Factor Follow Up Segment
Unresolved Problems Segment
Miller Time Segment
Back of Book Segment
Factor Mail
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Comments
Rosie O'Donnell out at ABC
Guests: Liz MacDonald, Forbes Magazine & Fox News business correspondent Terry Keenan

"As predicted here last January, Ms. O'Donnell is leaving 'The View,' making me an oracle. Truthfully, that wasn't a very hard prediction to make. People who make money for corporations can stretch the boundaries, but sooner or later the corporation - in this case Disney - have to decide what's best for shareholders. Here's the no spin on Rosie O'Donnell - she's talented, troubled, and she allows her emotions to run wild. She does not feel the responsibility to back up her statements with facts, and she feels personal attacks on people are fine. The Walt Disney corporation is a squeaky clean concern that wants the American public to like it. Since millions of Americans don't like Ms. O'Donnell, Disney had a problem. On the Radio Factor, Donald Trump said he is 'convinced that Disney threw her over the side.' I don't know what happened, but I do know that never in American television history has one performer acted so irresponsibly and so defiantly. Again, it wasn't a hard prediction that Rosie O'Donnell and Disney would part ways."

For more on the O'Donnell story, The Factor was joined by Elizabeth MacDonald of Forbes magazine and FNC's Terry Keenan. MacDonald suggested that "The View" co-host was pushed out of her job. "If ABC wanted to keep Rosie, they would have met her demands. I think they were tired of cleaning up every mess, and I think both sides wanted to part ways." Keenan predicted we have not heard the last from Rosie. "I think we're going to see her in syndication, she'll have a new show in September of '08. And she'll be pounding the table for Hillary Clinton just two months before the election." The Factor reiterated that O'Donnell has grown increasingly unhinged. "The wheels went off Rosie O'Donnell for some psychological reason that I'm not qualified to say. This is not the same woman we saw on syndicated television eight years ago."

News Link: Bye Bye Rosie
Cleaning up rap music's lyrics
Guest: Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons

The Don Imus "ho" incident focused attention on the misogynist and violent lyrics of so many rap songs. The Factor welcomed hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, who wants rappers to stop using three words - 'bitches,' 'hos,' and the 'n' word. "The rap community always tells the truth," Simmons declared, "and it's important that we listen to their voices. But I'm asking that we delete those three words for mainstream consumption. This is something we can do that speaks to the pain of people who are frustrated with these words." The Factor commended Simmons for his crusade. "You're going to get a lot of letters from both black and white parents thanking you. The Imus thing is actually doing some good - it focused America on this problem."

News Link: Hip Hop Clean Up
Teacher sentenced for sexual contact with student
Guest: Attorney Lisa Wayne

30-year old Colorado teacher Carrie McCandless, who admitted to fondling a male high school student and supplying teens with alcohol, has been sentenced to just 45 days in jail, which The Factor criticized as far too lenient. "This is exploitation by an authority figure, and I would have given her two years in a state prison because of her abuse of power. It would send a message to everybody else." But lawyer Lisa Wayne argued that McCandless' sentence is appropriate. "There are a lot of factors the court and the DA considered. This is a woman who was 29 at the time, and the boy was nearly 18. She will have to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and she'll be on intensive supervision and probation for five years."
Jessica's Law in Montana
Guests: Claire & Mia Fontaine

The Factor provided an update on Jessica's Law, reporting that some Montana legislators are withholding support for a new law because they want lighter sentences for incest situations. For a first hand account of incest and its effects, The Factor spoke with Claire Fontaine and her daughter Mia. Claire's ex husband allegedly began molesting Mia when she was just one year old. "This was 20 years ago," Claire recalled. "That anyone would have done anything to a small child, you might as well have told me that a Martian was living next door." Mia Fontaine, now in her early 20's, revealed that her father's abuse left her deeply scarred. "When this happens when you're pre-verbal, as I was, it changes your brain chemistry so you always process things much more intensely. When I grew up I was disgusted by boys and I was extremely self-destructive." The Factor urged Montana legislators to pass Jessica's Law quickly. "I'm telling you guys out there that you have to get this done. The destruction on the child may even be more intense when it is within the family."

News Link: Montana moves closer to "Jessica's Law"
Dennis Miller on Rosie and more
The Factor was next joined by Dennis Miller, who commented on Rosie O'Donnell's departure from ABC. "I think it's a win-win-win. Barbara Walters got to protect her back-end money; Rosie can go do a syndicated show and print money; and Bob Iger at Disney, the ultimate CYA CEO, gets to jettison the unwieldy Rosie." The Factor disagreed with Miller's contention that O'Donnell will get a lucrative new show. "I don't believe she's going to get a big syndicated deal. I don't think a major corporation is going to drop a lot of guaranteed money on a person who has been so irresponsible on the air." Miller also took a moment to rant about people who religiously preach the dangers of global warming. "If you disagree with people who believe in global warming now, it ironically gets very heated very quickly. I think some people who are out on the far left like to keep the planet in a perpetual state of triage because then they are able to rescue it and feel integral to the process."
John Stossel on Alec Baldwin
Guest: John Stossel, ABC's 20/20

ABC's John Stossel, who has argued that men often get treated unfairly in divorce proceedings, explained how that could have affected Alec Baldwin. "I don't want to excuse the guy," Stossel said, "calling his daughter a 'thoughtless pig' was disgusting and wrong. But there's been so much misinformation about fathers and what happens after divorce and you can understand that some men are driven crazy by their ex-wives. Maybe that's what she did to him." The Factor agreed that Baldwin had probable cause to be angry, but took it out on the wrong person. "I have no doubt that you're correct and he was totally frustrated, but he called her that terrible name and used some inappropriate language. You can't be yelling at your kid like that. I think our culture has to reexamine how adults treat children."

News Link: Stossel: Bassinger drove Baldwin crazy
Viewers sound off
Factor Words of the Day
Many of you wrote about the segment on PBS' Bill Moyers and his misstatements. Some excerpts:

Herb Martin, Austin, TX: "There is a simple resolution to the question did Bill Moyers forget, or did he lie? The evidence makes clear his statements were false, so he should make a statement to clear things up."

Joanna Madison, Carrollton, MO: "O'Reilly, has the Factor turned into a vendetta against anyone saying bad things about you? What happened to analyzing real news?"

Ken Olson, Bakersfield, CA: "It was a beautiful thing seeing Moyers filleted."