Thursday, October 3, 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
Coverage of the Shutdown
"So who's going to back down, who is going to accept a compromise? The President is in a corner - the Syria deal made him look weak and he can not afford to look weak again by compromising on his signature issue, Obamacare. The Republicans are in a bad place as well. A new poll shows that Americans blame the shutdown on Republicans by a 44 - 35 margin. There is so much anger on the right over Obamacare that Republicans in Congress can't back down or their careers may be ruined. To be fair, Republicans have little choice but to hammer Obamacare because it's shaping up to be a disaster. We're seeing a loss of full-time jobs, higher health premiums for many working Americans, and a total lack of control by the feds in the implementation of the law. So opposition must be mounted in good conscience and Republicans are right to do that, but the GOP may pay a heavy price for failing to implement a legal law. A two-week study by the conservative Media Research Center shows the three network news broadcasts blaming the shutdown almost entirely on Republicans. That kind of one-sided news coverage skews public opinion. For the American left, this is all about their vision of social justice and income equality. It matters not to the left if health care actually declines because doctors opt out, or if full-time jobs decline, or if health insurance premiums rise for those making decent money. Both the left and the right are furious and are taking no prisoners. President Obama knows the law is flawed, which is why he granted waivers to some businesses. So he should step up and give the same waivers to individual Americans who are not convinced that Obamacare is good for them or their families. Mr. President, the country needs another year to sort this thing out, so please give the folks the option of a short delay."
Top Story
Shutdown Showdown
Guest: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
The Factor asked Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann about the shutdown and the blame that's being directed at her party. "Having twenty-one mainstream press reports blaming Republicans and zero blaming Democrats tells you something," she said. "But we are only on day three of this shutdown and we sensed a real switch in mood Wednesday. The symbol was the fact that the administration had shut down the World War II Memorial just as fragile 90-year-old veterans were trying to get in. That really offended a lot of Americans and we've asked the administration to open these open-air memorials. Public opinion has already started to shift." The Factor reminded Bachmann that many press outlets are reluctant to cover events that reflect favorably on Republicans: "The media is not going to report some things and I'm not sure that message is going to get out to the 'low information' voter."
Impact Segment
A Party Divided?
Guest: Laura Ingraham
With the government shutdown pitting Republicans against one another, The Factor asked Laura Ingraham to assess the intra-party squabbling. "This was a risky gamble from the beginning," she said, "although it was kind of inspired. In spirit I am with the idea of defunding Obamacare, but people in Washington are trying to figure this out. There are only a certain number of Tea Party Republicans in the House, so there isn't the leverage to tell Democrats that Obamacare is dead. Ted Cruz used his pulpit masterfully, but a lot of Republicans are trying to figure out what they get at the end of all this." The Factor laid out the dilemma facing conservatives, saying, "I also thought Cruz did a masterful job stating the objections to Obamacare, but on the other hand you can't be perceived as being a fanatic."
Mad as Hell!
Juliet Huddy
Guest:Juliet Huddy
The Factor introduced a new segment that gives the folks a chance to express their outrage about just about anything. For example, Lori Martin of Illinois wrote this: "Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois has informed me that my policy is no longer available because of Obamacare. I've had this policy for years and am happy with it." Fox News correspondent Juliet Huddy responded to that complaint. "It's not just Blue Cross and Blue Shield," Huddy reported, "A policy has to meet certain criteria under Obamacare and Lori's obviously didn't meet it. For example, you have to have maternity and newborn care included in your policy, even if you're 75 years old." Another complaint came from Dave Reynolds of Nevada: "I'm mad because the White House has approved $300-million to bail out Detroit. Aren't we broke? Is it all about a stronger Democratic voting base?" Huddy spoke directly to Reynolds' concerns. "The Obama administration says this is not a bailout, but their critics say it's kind of a back-door bailout. Detroit is bankrupt because of mismanagement and that's why Dave is upset."
Kelly File Segment
The Return of Megyn Kelly!
Guest: Megyn Kelly
FNC's Megyn Kelly, back from maternity leave and obviously ready for prime time, hosts the new "Kelly File" show beginning Monday at 9:00 PM. "This will be a live broadcast," she explained, "and a breaking news program. But it's not an opinion program, I'm not going to be the 'female Bill.' As someone who practiced law for nine years, I feel comfortable giving my legal opinion, but I'm not going to be somebody like you who outlines what needs to happen with the shutdown." Turning to recent news, Kelly opined on the spate of violence perpetrated by killers who were willing to die in the carnage. "I've been thinking a lot about this," she said, "and I am at the point where I no longer want to utter the names of these people. If people want to know the names of people who shoot up places or take themselves out in a blaze of glory, they can look it up online." The Factor enthusiastically reported that Megyn will still be a Thursday regular in the No Spin Zone.
Rollin' with Carolla Segment
Feuding Celebrities
Guest: Adam Carolla
Kanye West and Jimmy Kimmel have been embroiled in a war of words and tweets since the talk show host joked about the rapper last week. The Factor invited Adam Carolla to weigh in on the feud. "What happened to comedians being able to tell jokes," Carolla pondered, "without getting called 'haters?' I think Kanye West's mom coddled him and told him he could do no wrong. There is a whole new generation of boys and girls leaving the nest with a steady diet of, 'You're the best, don't let anyone ever tell you what to do.' Then when someone makes a joke about them, their reaction is inappropriate. I think we're going to see more of this and I think it's the parents' fault." The Factor suggested that Kanye West's sensitivity to criticism is an age-old story, saying, "Throughout history a lot of people who get fame and fortune become imperious."
Factor Mail
Viewers sound off
Sharon Barr, Fort Worth, TX: "O'Reilly, I don't appreciate your trash talk about Ted Cruz. Yes, President Obama was elected but we do have a right to challenge him. Be careful, O'Reilly. Conservatives are your bread and butter - we can watch others."

Sue Yancey, Hereford, AZ: "Obamacare was passed by Congress but many Americans don't want it. The Democrats will not compromise and the president is acting like a king! He is not a king."

Rev. Bruce Dempsey, Coupar Angus, Scotland: "Bill, Jesus never told people in general to sell all their stuff. He challenged a rich man to do that because the man loved his possessions more than he loved God. The professor was wrong and Killing Jesus is a great book."

Gustavo Rojas, Bogota, Colombia: "Somebody tell Professor Moss that Jesus was not a socialist because that system makes it impossible to help the poor because everybody is poor."
Tip Of The Day
Fighting Falsehoods
When you hear something dishonest being spewed, confront it immediately and honestly.