|
|
| 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.
|
|
|
"A Canadian general will take control of the Libyan operation over the weekend; President Obama has made it quite clear that he wants NATO to run the military action against Qaddafi. In light of that, there is a new Reuters poll showing that only 17% of Americans describe the Commander-in-Chief as 'strong and decisive,' while 36% call him 'indecisive' and 48% say he's 'cautious.' In Libya, he clearly does not want to lead the fight, even though he understands that Qaddafi has to go. Now, another poll: According to Rasmussen, 45% of Americans do not believe the USA should get involved in a conflict for humanitarian reasons alone, while 35% do believe we have that obligation. This goes to 'American exceptionalism.' For decades we have tried to do the right thing around the world, but now we are nearly bankrupt and clearly we can not take on wars like Iraq any longer. But an American president should be able to persuade the nation that confronting evil surgically is a worthy endeavor. If we can save lives without damaging our country, we should do so. If America is indeed an exceptional country, our leaders need to have that mindset. Does President Obama? You make the call."
The Factor asked two retired Army generals to assess President Obama's performance as Commander-in-Chief. "I would characterize his leadership as being uneven and inconsistent," stated Jack Keane. "He's clearly strong and decisive in stepping up the war against Al Qaeda and in escalating the war in Afghanistan over the objections of people in his own party. But in Iran, when there were one million people on the streets in 2009, we didn't hear a word out of the Commander-in-Chief in support of the oppressed." Paul Eaton praised President Obama's caution and general temperament. "We expect a president to be very decisive when a vital national interest is at stake and the country is at risk. We haven't seen much of that in the last couple of years, and soldiers like to see a president go after military action with some deliberation." The Factor portrayed President Obama as a reluctant warrior: "He clearly doesn't like military action and he clearly doesn't want to get involved around the world." |
|
|
| General Electric, whose boss Jeff Immelt is a close advisor to President Obama, booked a profit of $14 billion in its worldwide operations last year, including $5 billion in the U.S., but managed to pay exactly zero in federal income tax. Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs tried to explain GE's tax legerdemain. "GE spends a small fortune creating tax loopholes," Dobbs reported, "and the system allows GE to book its profits offshore and not repatriate them to the United States, no matter where the profits are made. They bought the loophole, they're using the loophole, and they're going to continue to do just that." The Factor complained that President Obama, who advocates taxing the rich, is allowing corporate supporters to skate: "GE, which at the time owned NBC, supported President Obama's election campaign as much any media company has ever done in the history of this country. Shouldn't President Obama, if he's an honest man, try to close these loopholes? They've got to pay something, this is outrageous!" |
|
|
| The Southern Poverty Law Center has been accused of downplaying the threat posed by Muslim extremists in America. The Factor invited the organization's Mark Potok to clarify the his position. "I said the biggest domestic threat to America," Potok declared, "is from the domestic radical right, not domestic jihadists. That was twisted on your show, you mischaracterized what I said. As an external matter, Al Qaeda is a far greater threat." The Factor contended that, even domestically, jihadists pose a far greater threat than kook white supremacist groups: "I don't believe the right-wing radicals are a bigger threat, and I don't think Americans believe that either. But there are white supremacist groups that are a bunch of idiots and the FBI is all over them." |
|
|
| For his special called "Freeloaders," Fox Business anchor John Stossel posed as a homeless man begging for money. He entered the No Spin Zone and reported on his findings. "There is evidence," Stossel said, "that beggars make $100 a day and some make more. People just assume they're in need and they give money, but you shouldn't because it just enables them to perpetuate their bad habits." Stossel hastened to add that the real problem is not with small-time beggars. "The big freeloaders in America are rich people and corporations. For example, I got federal flood insurance - I had a beach house that washed into the ocean and you helped pay for it because of this ridiculous program." The Factor revealed his own tax strategy, the antithesis of GE's: "My accountant Swifty is under strict orders to not look for any loopholes, just pay it! I want to pay it, I owe my country some of my income." |
|
|
| Following up on the huge success of his Washington rally last summer, Glenn Beck is organizing another event next month. "On the 21st of April," Beck said, "I'm asking people to gather groceries and maybe go to the unemployment office or somewhere else where people are a little depressed. I want them to go in and give food and groceries to people and say, 'Brother, we love you, don't give up.' We need more examples like we saw in Japan where people are good to each other." Beck also expressed his disapproval of the administration's actions in Libya. "We are now sowing the seeds of even greater hatred against the United States, England and France. I believe we are protecting bad guys against another bad guy. This is going to end badly." The Factor vociferously disagreed: "It's going to enhance the United States' reputation as an exceptional nation. When you're faced with mass murder by a butcher, you stop it!" |
|
|
| A substitute teacher in Arizona wrote a letter portraying Mexican American students as unpatriotic and future gang members. The Factor invited Geraldo Rivera to opine on the teacher's assertion. "This teacher had the audacity," Rivera groused, "to say that 'most of the Hispanic students hate America.' This is the biggest bunch of crap I have ever heard - this is racist, this is scurrilous, this is slanderous, and I reject it entirely. To suggest that the Mexican children are unique and they want to grow up to be gangsters, this can not be true! We have problems enough in this country and we can't give a guy like this too much credit." |
|
|
| Friday's Patriot or Pinhead: Comedy Central's John Stewart, who compared his confrontations with Bill to a "giant trying to catch a fly." Is Stewart patriotic or a pinheaded for comparing himself to an annoying insect? Cast your vote here on BillOReilly.com. Thursday's P or P asked about country star Garth Brooks, who praised President Obama for "trying his heart out," adding that "I love him to death." 85% of you decided that Brooks' analysis was pinheaded. |
|
|