|
|
| 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.
|
|
|
"On Monday Michelle Obama said America has come a long way from the days when slaves built the White House. Some criticized her analysis, saying it demeaned the USA. I disagree and presented these facts last night: 'Slaves did participate in the construction of the White House. Records show about 400 payments made to slave masters between 1795 and 1801. In addition, free blacks, whites, and immigrants also worked on the massive building ... Slaves that worked there were well fed and had decent lodgings provided by the government, which stopped hiring slave labor in 1802. So Michelle Obama is essentially correct in citing slaves as builders of the White House but there were others working as well.' That commentary is 100% accurate, providing context to Mrs. Obama's remarks. For doing that I was attacked by smear merchants. The rank tabloid New York Daily News says, 'O'Reilly defends use of White House slaves.' That is a lie, I defended nothing, and it is despicable. USA Today did the same thing, saying, 'Bill O'Reilly defended the working conditions slaves faced while building the White House.' Another lie, not surprising from a publication that routinely distorts events. It is a given that slavery is an abomination, but reporting the story behind Mrs. Obama's very valid points does not diminish the horror of enslavement as these dishonest critics allege. As any honest historian knows, in order to keep slaves and free laborers strong the Washington administration provided meat, bread and other staples, also decent lodging on the grounds of the new presidential building. That is a fact not a justification, not a defense of slavery, just a fact. Anyone who implies a 'soft on slavery message' is beneath contempt. Propaganda and hate now dominate the media landscape, and that will be demonstrated in the upcoming presidential campaign."
The Factor solicited reaction from Geraldo Rivera and Eric Bolling. "You went through history and facts," Bolling said, "and you said Michelle Obama was essentially correct. These left-wing zealots don't realize that you write books about history and they are turning a powerful moment into a race thing about you!" Rivera accused the race-baiters of willful distortion. "You were generally correct in your assertions, but any time you give them any opening they are going to get you. It is preposterous to believe you are soft on slavery, but all of us on Fox News have to be careful about giving anyone any opening." The Factor concluded, "These sneaky and disgusting people want me dead because they have failed to destroy this network!" |
|
|
| The Factor welcomed Republican VP nominee Mike Pence, who gave his thoughts on the state of the nation. "After seven-and-a-half years of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton," Pence began, "we've seen America's role in the world decline and our economy stifled by high taxes, big government, and ObamaCare." Pence laid out his formula for economic growth in Indiana. "We put common sense conservative principles into practice. We balanced budgets, we made the right investments in education and health care, and we let people keep more of their money." Finally, Pence took on the accusation that he is a religious fanatic. "I committed my life to Christ when I was 18, and my wife and I worship at a mainstream evangelical church. I consider myself just an ordinary Christian and I try to spend some time with the Book every day. I will always believe that marriage is between one man and one woman, but I believe that is an issue that should be left to the states. I deplore discrimination against anyone." |
|
|
| Former Obama advisor Austan Goolsbee took issue with Mike Pence's assertions about the Obama economy. "This was a gross distortion of history," Goolsbee declared, "to forget that we were in a horrendous recession when President Obama took office. There were a lot of struggles to reestablish economic growth. There's still a long way to go, but we have had a recovery." But The Factor reminded Goolsbee, "69% of the American people feel the country is going in the wrong direction, there is deep disenchantment with the system in America." |
|
|
| Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani reacted to the fact that the Democratic convention has thus far ignored ISIS and terrorism. "I am outraged," he said, "that last night they didn't even have one minute of silent prayer for the priest in France who had his head chopped off by Islamic extremist terrorists. The president of France said we should be at war against Islamic terrorism, so let's see if President Obama can match that." Mayor Giuliani also reacted to the news that would-be assassin John Hinckley is being let out of prison 35 years after he shot President Reagan. "I have a lot of emotion about this and I am not the most objective source. I wouldn't let him out, but I have deep emotional attachments with Ronald Reagan, who was my boss." |
|
|
| The Factor asked Monica Crowley and Eboni Williams to evaluate Bill Clinton's well-received speech about his wife. "He spent a long time saying how he met Hillary Clinton," Crowley said, "but he knew exactly what he was doing. He was appealing to younger women voters who may not know the history of the Clintons. He was trying to reintroduce her, which tells me that they are beginning to panic over her negatives in the polls." Williams agreed that President Clinton was striving to portray his wife as a likeable person. "The Clintons are convinced that she did not win in 2008 because she was not liked, so this was Bill Clinton's effort to paint her as personable. But it was a failed effort and the speech was too long." |
|
|
| Dennis Miller weighed in on the federal judge's decision that 61-year-old John Hinckley will be set free after spending 35 years in a psychiatric hospital. "I'm surprised the judge didn't try to free him last week," Miller quipped, "so he could have been a super-delegate at the convention this week. He has been released into the custody of his 90-year-old mother! What's she supposed to do if he says he's going out to shoot a president?" The Factor denounced the judge's decision, saying, "Hinckley has lied to federal authorities and there is no question that he is evil and deserves confinement for the rest of his life." Miller then opined on the first two days of the Democratic convention. "I remember a time when the stupidest person in the room had a dunce hat, but now they have a gavel. Bernie Sanders caved in like a Chilean mine! He's a revolutionary? And Hillary Clinton perfectly reflects America, she is a blameless screwup." |
|
|
| Jesse Watters, once again doing his best to annoy people at the Democratic convention, asked some Bernie Sanders supporters if they could say anything positive about Donald Trump. Their replies: "He speaks his own crazy mind" ... "He taps into the feeling of disenfranchisement that a lot of people have" ... "He is against free trade, which is pretty cool" ... "Bernie's blaming the banks, but Trump is blaming the black and brown people in our country." |
|
|
| Finally, The Factor tossed live to Martha MacCallum on the floor of the convention in Philadelphia. She reported that former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta was disrupted when he spoke about the global terrorism threat. "Leon Panetta brought up the priest who was slaughtered in France," MacCallum said, "and it was one of the strongest mentions of ISIS we have seen here. But when Panetta made a case for fighting ISIS, this entire crowd started shouting 'No More War' to the point where Panetta could barely go on with his speech. The reaction in this crowd shows that these people don't know a lot about ISIS and they don't want to hear about war. The Democratic Party has moved, it is clearly more liberal and not a moderate party. That's why Hillary Clinton doesn't talk about this subject." |
|
|
|
| |
|