"Time Magazine is reporting that the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Diane Feinstein, may consider more stringent interrogation methods than the Army Field Manual calls for, but she is waffling under pressure from the left. The Army Field Manual bans any questioning that would make a suspect 'uncomfortable' in any way. Talking Points believes President-elect Obama has painted himself into a corner on this interrogation deal. The far left - the ACLU types - want no interrogation of terror suspects at all, nothing but Miranda rights and civilian lawyers. Most Americans understand that a policy like that would be very dangerous. The weak economy has diverted attention from the terror threat, but it remains very real. The pressure falls on President-elect Obama to continue policies that have kept us safe, rather than bowing to far left pressure. If Obama does away with tough interrogation and we're attacked, he will be gravely damaged. So this issue becomes the elephant in the room the day Obama takes office."

Immediately after the terror attacks in Mumbai, author and philosopher Deepak Chopra said everyone should stop using the phrase "war on terrorism." Chopra entered the No Spin Zone and defended his remarks. "This was used as an attack on me that I am anti-American," Chopra complained, "but I came to this country with one dollar and I'm living the American dream." Chopra outlined how he would combat terror if he were president. "I would pick up the phone, call the prime minister of Pakistan and say I'm giving you $1 billion in military aid every year and I want you to arrest all these people right now. I would call Saudi Arabia and ask them to do the same thing." Chopra's son Gotham echoed his father's approach. "You have to apply pressure on the Pakistani people. Their economy is in shambles and most people have no reason to align themselves with fundamentalists." When the senior Chopra argued against any tough interrogation of terror suspects, The Factor accused him of naivet�. "We have been kept safe by a very tough Bush administration war on terror. And let me tell you, 29 people in my area were killed on 9/11. Their families want the war on terror to be called the 'war on terror.'"

News Link: CNN analyst blames America for Mumbai

The Factor welcomed CNN founder and billionaire Ted Turner, who said he was not surprised when his former network was eclipsed by Fox News. "I knew that a right-wing network would pose a threat to us," Turner said, "because not only was CNN pretty much in the middle, but so were CBS, NBC and ABC. The far right did not have a voice." The Factor took issue with Turner's characterization. "You can't possibly think that Fox News is a far right operation, the far right hates me. Either you don't watch or you don't know what you're talking about."

Returning for a second segment, Turner defended his left-leaning politics. "I'm not apologizing for my political views. I've come to them after a lot of careful thought and research, and I consider myself a progressive." Showing just how "progressive," Turner expressed his admiration for Fidel Castro, claiming the dictator has "trained a lot of doctors and they've got one of the best education systems in the developing world." The Factor was bewildered by Turner's viewpoint. "Castro is a killer who enslaves people who don't see things the way he does. If you admire him, why wouldn't you admire Mussolini? What's the difference?"

News Link: Revealing Ted Turner autobiography

Featured Book: Call Me Ted by Ted Turner

Federal agents have arrested Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. Political reporter Jim VandeHei put this scandal into historical perspective. "We've had a shameful amount of corruption in our politics over the last decade," VandeHei said, "and this might be one of the juiciest ones we've seen so far. You have a sitting governor trying to sell a seat, and he's on the phone with various people hearing countless offers. It's delusional." The Factor added that Blagojevich's alleged corruption may be rivaled by his hubris. "The arrogance of this is that he knew he was under investigation by the feds, and he was still on the phone making deals trying to sell Obama's seat."

News Link: Illinois Gov arrested for corruption

FNC legal analysts Lis Wiehl and Megyn Kelly began with Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines, who has been sued for defamation. "Back in the early 90's," Kelly explained, "three 8-year old boys were brutally murdered and three teenage boys were convicted of the crimes. Natalie Maines believes they aren't the real killers, and she believes the stepfather of one of the victims is more likely the killer. She said this in a letter on her web site." Wiehl argued that Maines did nothing defamatory. "She started her letter saying 'I believe they have the wrong person.' If you state an opinion, you can say that under your First Amendment rights." The legal experts also discussed The Simpsons, who are at the center of an unusual situation down under. "A judge in Australia," Kelly said, "has upheld the conviction of someone who was looking at 'cartoon kiddie porn' - child pornography using characters from The Simpsons. The judge said it's illegal to show cartoon figures that appear to be minors engaging in sex acts."

News Link: Dixie Chicks sued for defamation

News Link: The Simpsons is child porn?

Martha MacCallum and Steve Doocy battled again in the Great American Culture Quiz, this one focusing on leading ladies of film. The Factor's questions included these: "Who played Jayne Mansfield in a TV movie about her life?" ... "What was Elizabeth Taylor's last film?" ... "What was Halle Berry's first film?" The evenly-matched arch-rivals fought to a draw, and remained deadlocked even after a sudden-death tiebreaker. The entire GACQ is here on BillOReilly.com under "Fun Stuff."

Tuesday's Patriot: The folks at the Pentagon who helped 3-year-old Kensley Penney get her Christmas wish. The little girl was on Santa's lap when her dad showed up, home on leave after nine months in Afghanistan. And the Pinheads: The same-sex marriage advocates who are advising people to "call in gay" to protest California's vote on Prop 8.

News Link: Video: 3-year-old gets Christmas wish

News Link: Calling in 'gay' to work

Melissa Kerrer, Huntington, NY: "Bill, yes please keep reporting on Reverend Wright. What he represents scares me."

Michael Martone, Boca Raton, FL: "Dealing with Wright is of no importance. We have far more important things to talk about like the economy."

Dr. George Rinard, Denver, CO: "Bill, you are absolutely right about the media running down the economy for political reasons. I believe Obama will harm the economy further."

John Dacy, Snohomish, WA : "O'Reilly, there are some in this state who appreciate your bringing the Governor's behavior to the nation. This place is loonier than California."

Helene Mayer, Palm Desert, CA: "There would not be a problem if the atheists just put up a display and not an attack. I'm 14 and even I understand that."