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| 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.
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Guests:Cody Full & Colonel David Hunt
"This may turn out to be the worst controversy President Obama will experience; he's catching it from all sides and his far-left acolytes are getting desperate in his defense. Mr. Obama says he made the exchange for five Taliban prisoners because he believed Sgt. Bergdahl's life was in danger. But according to American doctors who examined Bergdahl in Afghanistan and Germany, his physical health is fine. So once again, the president finds himself in a truth controversy. Bergdahl's mental health is another matter, that remains undefined. Talking Points is not jumping to any conclusions, we'll stay with the facts. But some Americans don't want to acknowledge the facts - the far left is attacking people who are raising questions about the sergeant and his family. The New York Times ran a front page headline reading, 'Bergdahl Was In Unit Known For Its Troubles.' The article said the unit was 'raggedy' and sometimes soldiers wore bandanas and cut-off t-shirts. That was what the New York Times came up with to denigrate the entire platoon, and the paper ran that story on page one! There is no question that the release of five Taliban commanders will have an effect on the entire world, which is why this story is so important, and there is no way President Obama is going to win this controversy. Sgt. Bergdahl is a deserter and five dangerous Taliban war criminals are free. It's tough to justify."
The Factor asked FNC's Col. David Hunt to assess the Times article on Bowe Bergdahl's "raggedy" unit. "The article was uninformed, specious, and disingenuous," Hunt declared. "Infantry soldiers live in mud, there are no showers, no clean clothes, they don't get sleep and they smoke too much. Somebody took a picture of guys digging a trench with one guy wearing a bandana. Soldiers have looked like that throughout history, it was insulting to write this!" Cody Full, who served with Bowe Bergdahl in Afghanistan, also disputed the Times' characterization. "We were digging bunkers in the side of a hill in 100-degree weather. We were told that security was in place and we could take off some clothing so we wouldn't pass out from the heat." Full also stressed that Bergdahl "deserted his fellow Americans." |
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Guests:Juan Williams & Mary Katharine Ham
The Factor welcomed Juan Williams and Mary Katharine Ham, who analyzed the New York Times page one story. "If they're trying to suggest that we shouldn't listen to the truth being spoken by those soldiers," Williams said, "that's patently ridiculous. But I don't think it's wrong to report accurately on the fact that the unit had bad leadership. The thing I have trouble with in the Talking Points Memo is that you're saying this guy looks healthy, but the truth is that this kid could have psychological scars we can't see." Ham disputed the claim that Bergdahl's platoon was a bunch of misfits. "The unit was disciplined enough that after Bergdahl disappeared they launched several rescue missions looking for him, putting themselves at great risk and losing some brothers-in-arms. These guys seem like sober and smart and calm people discussing this issue." The Factor again slapped the New York Times for reporting that Bergdahl's unit was undisciplined: "We have a corrupt media, and to run a page one article saying a platoon in eastern Afghanistan was 'raggedy' is a disgrace, an absolute disgrace!" |
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Guests:Brit Hume
Fox News political analyst Brit Hume evaluated the Bergdahl story and its possible political ramifications. "What's striking about these controversies," he said, "is that the controversies themselves seem to be utterly manageable in political terms. But it's the effort to try and spin things afterwards, to cover up the truth, and to make a rash of misstatements that prolongs these controversies. It leaves a bad taste that this administration, and by extension a political party, can't shake hands with the truth. It's the accumulation of things over time and the sense that the administration can't run things effectively, they're not up to it. That can give the Republicans a leg up in the coming election." |
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Guests:Jennifer Griffin
A disturbing new report shows that more than 57,000 veterans have been waiting at least three months for their first medical appointment. Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported the latest on the VA chaos. "These numbers are actually worse that they seem," she stated. "We just learned that the VA is investigating 56 facilities that are accused of manipulating the data with regard to wait times. And 13% of the schedulers at VA facilities say they were told by their supervisors to falsify appointment schedules in order to make it look like veterans weren't waiting so long. In other words, they were told to cook the books." The Factor took a moment to praise Griffin for her efforts on behalf of wounded warriors: "Jennifer Griffin is responsible for all of the track chairs we have been able to give to severely wounded veterans. She introduced me to the Independence Fund and we got the system rolling." |
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Guests:
Bernie Goldberg
The Factor turned Bernie Goldberg loose on the New York Times and its disparaging report on Bowe Bergdahl's unit in Afghanistan. "The Times says the unit was 'known to wear bandanas and cutoff t-shirts,'" Goldberg said scornfully, "which is a crime against humanity. The Times also reported that a platoon leader was dismissed because he didn't inspire the troops. That's pretty much it! I think they did the story to suggest that Bergdahl isn't completely responsible for whatever he did, because if he's in a 'raggedy' unit, then what do you expect? They're trying to take the blame off of Bergdahl, and the real reason behind this is that they're covering for President Obama." |
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Guests:Jesse Watters
Jesse Watters headed west to Bowe Bergdahl's home town of Hailey, Idaho, were he elicited opinions about the controversial soldier. Here are some of their comments: "Please reserve judgment until due process is held" ... "People are mad at our town and all we did was support someone who grew up here" ... "He went in the wrong service, he should have been in the Peace Corps" ... "I don't know how anyone can describe that young man as a traitor" ... "I think he switched over to the other side" ... "They should have left him there!" Back in the studio, Watters summarized his visit. "By about 60-40, they support Bowe Bergdahl, and they're upset that the media is coming in. When I walked around, some people yelled out their window, 'Go home!' It looks like Bowe was an introspective and cerebral guy who went over there to help the villagers, not to fight them." |
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| Charles and David Koch, the billionaire brothers routinely demonized by the far left, have donated $25-million to the United Negro College Fund. You probably won't read that on many websites that only give you a part of any story. |
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Len Pyzynski, Syracuse, NY: "You see a Muslim with Robert Bergdahl. I see a mountain man."
Elaine Turton, Worcestershire, England: "Mr. O'Reilly, I am surprised you didn't comment on the president chewing gum at the D-Day ceremonies."
John Infanger, Cedar Park, TX: "Bill, do the world a favor: smoke a joint or eat a pot brownie. You'll mellow out." |
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