The O'Reilly Factor
A daily summary of segments aired on The O'Reilly Factor. A preview of the evening's rundown is posted before the show airs each weeknight.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
The Factor Rundown
Talking Points Memo & Top Story
Impact Segment
Factor Investigation Segment
Unresolved Problems Segment
Personal Story Segment
Back of Book Segment
Book Mentions
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Alito confirmed to Supreme Court
Guest: Judge Charles Pickering

"By a vote of 58-42, the Senate confirmed Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court. There is deep anger in the secular progressive precincts. With Chief Justice John Roberts and Alito on the court, traditionalists will rule, and secular progressives will have a much more difficult time getting their agenda mandated into law. Quick background: A traditionalist believes America was well-founded and does not want vast changes to the country. Secular progressives believe that the USA is a fundamentally flawed nation and needs a vast overhaul, including a move away from Judeo-Christian traditions. Ironically, the 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco makes my point. It has ruled that the congressional ban on partial birth abortion is unconstitutional. Remember, Congress is elected to make the laws, and the majority of lawmakers and Americans believe that aborting a baby in late term is wrong unless the life of the mother is in danger. But the 9th Circuit believes a baby can be terminated in the womb at any time, for any medical reason. This is a vivid example of judicial fiat. Roberts and Alito are not going to go along with that, and that's why Senator Kennedy and other secular progressives are so angry. They are losing power in this country and they know it."

Fox News Video: FoxNews.com

Judge Charles Pickering, whose own nomination to the federal appeals court was blocked by Senate liberals, joined Factor with his analysis of the Alito nomination. "The whole battle over the confirmation of judges is an extension of the culture war being waged in America today. On the left are secularists who want to take all references to God out of the public arena. They lost Congress, they loss the presidency, and the only place they can look for new rights are the courts. And Senator Kennedy is the leading spokesman for far left secularism in America today." Factor described how Senator Kennedy and others on the far left unfairly portray their opponents. "They say that if you oppose partial birth abortion or are in favor of parental notification, you're against women; if you oppose quotas you're against blacks; if you oppose gay marriage, you are violating the rights of homosexual Americans. Kennedy was almost off the rails when he knew Alito would be confirmed."

Blurring the lines between reporting & analysis
Guests: Journalism Prof. Napolean Byars & Fox News military analyst Col. Oliver North

CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour has described the war in Iraq as a "disaster" that keeps getting "worse and worse." Fox News analyst Col. Oliver North accused Amanpour of displaying her longstanding bias. "When one makes that kind of observation, it crosses the boundary from journalism into commentary. And frankly, the facts on the ground don't support her opinion that the war in Iraq is a disaster. Her bias has been demonstrated consistently." Journalism professor Napolean Byars defended Amanpour's reporting. "She's one of the best foreign correspondents in the world, and knows the situation in the Middle East very well. If you look at the body of her work, it's dispassionate and objective. But journalistically, calling the war a 'disaster' was not the right thing to do." Factor commended Christiane Amanpour for her bravery, but criticized her comments about the war. "Ms. Amanpour clearly feels this is not going well for the USA. But she's declared herself to say it's a disaster, and you can draw from that she has a rooting interest in it being a disaster."

Postal worker kills six and then self
Guest: Fox News correspondent Anita Vogel

44-year old former postal worker Jennifer Sanmarco shot and killed five of her former colleagues, then turned the gun on herself and committed suicide. Reporting from the crime scene near Santa Barbara, California, Fox News correspondent Anita Vogel explained more about Sanmarco. "She worked here for six years, and left here because of some kind of psychological disability. One co-worker said she 'flipped out' and had to be removed by sheriff's deputies. So clearly the woman had some mental instability." Factor contended that far too many mentally unstable people are walking the streets. "It's almost impossible to put these people in a facility these days. There are a lot of them roaming around."

Underage sex in Kansas
Guest: Kansas Attorney General Phil Kline

There is a legal battle underway in Kansas, where the age of sexual consent is 16. State Attorney General Phill Kline wants abortion providers to report any girl under that age who is pregnant, asserting that her adult partner is by definition guilty of child abuse. Kline joined Factor and characterized the position of his opponents. "Their argument is that a child has a privacy right to choose their own sexual partner. The problem with that is that virtually every state has a law saying that children of a certain age can not consent, and therefore they are raped if an adult has sex with them. The thrust of their argument is very, very dangerous. If the court strikes down the law, it essentially states that statutory rape laws are unconstitutional."

Newt Gingrich on the State of the Union
Guest: Fox News analyst Newt Gingrich

Prior to President Bush's State of the Union address, Fox News analyst Newt Gingrich delineated his suggestions. "The president has to report on the most dangerous threats to the union. He needs to explain that Iraq will be a long struggle, and that we will withdraw our troops as soon as the Iraqi people can defend themselves." The former Speaker of the House also declared that President Bush has an historic opportunity. "He has a chance to re-focus the country on domestic things with a big emphasis on health, energy, and science. In order for us to compete in the world and in order for us to solve the energy challenge, we need to have a very strong science and math base in education."

Dick Morris on State of the Union
Guest: Fox News contributor Dick Morris

Another Fox News analyst, Dick Morris, declared that energy independence should be at the top of the president's agenda. "He has to say we are hostage to these people around the world unless we get independent of oil. It's our national addiction. He needs to restart nuclear power, get millions of hybrid cars made, and he needs to take a bold lead. He should have a clarion call for energy independence." Factor urged the president to lay out a clear vision for the remainder of his term. "He should be bold. He doesn't have to be re-elected, and he's obviously a man of deep conviction. He should just say this is what we're going to do for the next three years."

Book Mentions
Check out the books mentioned during this show.
Supreme Chaos: The Politics of Judicial Confirmation and the Culture War
by Charles Pickering

Read more...