There’s Nothing Sly About Bill O’Reilly
Here’s the no-spin truth: Bill O’Reilly offers a fairer, more balanced version of the latest political headlines than MSNBC’s nighttime ideologues.
Don’t get me wrong. The Fox News commentator remains the most combustible on-air personality since Morton Downey Jr. and his ideological tilt on some topics, like limited government and coerced interrogation, would still raise eyebrows from an in-his-prime Walter Cronkite. But quietly, and with little fanfare, O’Reilly has been doing his best to not only offer both sides of key partisan debates, but also treat President Barack Obama with respect. He recently told a reporter that second-guessing the new president’s stimulus package amounted to “cheap shotting” him. And he spent copious amounts of time on his syndicated radio show saying the media shouldn’t print unconfirmed gossip about New York Senate hopeful Caroline Kennedy, and that reporters should treat her with respect.
Just don’t expect many media critics to give the talk show titan credit for his efforts. They’ve already pigeonholed him as a right-wing hack, a blowhard who doesn’t let his guests get in a word edgewise and is hopelessly biased — like the network he calls home. Arguments can be made for some of the above, but media critics rarely hold MSNBC up to the same standards. And once the critics carve a narrative in stone, they rarely reverse themselves to reflect the new reality.
Journalists have no problem attaching the term “conservative” to O’Reilly’s name in news articles, but reporters usually characterize MSNBC’s hosts by calling them “left-leaning.” Or, as the New York Times recently put it, the hosts have a “sharp, often sarcastic and pointedly liberal take on politics.” Hardly matches the fire and brimstone approach Keith Olbermann brings to his MSNBC segments, does it?
Even Howard Kurtz, the Washington Post‘s media critic and a commentator not quick to throw the media bias flag, dubbed MSNBC “The Obama Network.” But how long did it take for Kurtz to cry foul? Shouldn’t he have done so months ago, maybe even years ago? Imagine the heat O’Reilly would take if he had embraced the campaign buzz words used by President John McCain? Yet that’s precisely what MSNBC did recently during its inaugural gushfest for the new commander in chief.
TO: Toto, et al.
RE: O’Reilly?
I haven’t paid any attention to him since May 9, 2002, after I picked up the report that he said….
“There is no other cure than to kill Matt Drudge,” O’Reilly charged on the IMUS in the MORNING radio show on Wednesday.
Maybe he’s learned better after seven years.
Otherwise, he’s just the same sort as those who called for the murder of President Bush, but without the fear of the Secret Service tossing his house.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
One necessary statistic needed in this piece:
O’Reilly weekly viewers: 3.5 million
Olberman weekly viewers: 1.5 million
O’Reilly’s number of viewers ALONE, eclipses the combined total of Olby and Maddow’s by…..half a million people.
Olberman could double his viewership and still be short of O’Reilly’s viewers by the equivalent of the population of San Antonio, TX
’nuff said.
He’s unbearable to watch about 85% of the time. Not because of what he says but because of his mannerisms and air of self-adoration. Just the sight of his hands make me flip channels. I wish they’d replace him with Andy Levy.
He’s become such a populist, he no longer is worth watching. This week he claimed that
the stimulus had been passed ‘after weeks of debate!’ These stimulus changes are defined in the ‘bill’ as PERMANENT with fed support for three years. Have any of the governors other than Jindal read it? Certainly O’Reilly should not talk about that which he knows nothing . . . apparently that includes the schedule of the stimulus.
I’ve been watching O’Reilly for a few years now and sometimes he is over the top, but for the most part, he is honest, straightforward and passionate about what he believes in. I respect that. In my opinion, he cuts Obama too much slack.
I’ve been watching O’Reilly for a few years now and sometimes he is over the top, but basically he is honest, straightforward and passionate about what he beleives in. I respect that. In my opinion, he cuts Obama too much slack.
I watch O’reilly often and I agree with anonymous, he defends Obama much too much. He says Obama will govern from the center… right! He says nothing about Acorn or the census. He says Obama has integrity, a man who twice on T.V. gave the finger. Obama is setting himself up to be king to the masses forever. Where is O’Reilly’s outrage? Bush was not prefect, but he and Laura had more class in their little toe than Obama and Michele will ever have.
O’Reilly recently said Obama knows history, he quotes Roosevelt and Kennedy. Really O’Reilly? I can quote Shakespeare but I never read his plays.
William:
O’Reilly recently said Obama knows history, he quotes Roosevelt and Kennedy. Really O’Reilly? I can quote Shakespeare but I never read his plays.
William, your “oreillie” résumé is dead on right
the inhabitants of Reunion island have this term to call the kind of phony whiteys (who BTW are french in this aera) : the “Zoreilles”
So I am calling oreillie Z’O'reilly, who spraid so more lies on the French (that too many people took for graunted in the US), during the last decade
“Bush was not prefect, but he and Laura had more class in their little toe than Obama and Michele will ever have.”
Amen! Obama is a poorly-read, poorly-educated, pampered, utopian beneficiary of Affirmative Action. He carries himself with an air of obtuse, unearned superiority. The man exudes little genuine warmth and displays limited spontaneity. Outwardly, all is scripted. Obama has accomplished little of note, yet expects to be treated with the reverence due a benevolent king. Yet this is only the visible side of this president. America still does not know who this man is After two years we still know little of his values, his beliefs or his background. What is said behind closed doors? How does he treat his family, staff and security detail. Who were/are his true mentors and confidants? What about his citizenship, his college academic standing, the content of his theses? In all this, our disgracefully corrupt and biased media is greatly complicit in electing the president we never knew.
Even when taken in small doses of watching O’Reilly, I still find I disagree with him more often than norm. The last time I watched him, he was pre-phrasing his argument vis a vis the stimulus bill with this: “There is no doubt Government should help the poor.”
Oh, really? There is no such thing in The Constitution that says Government should take Peter’s money to help the poor.
Especially nowadays, Government takes Peter’s money to help Paul and Juanita and Suzi and little Debbie…
“Can people tuning in to MSNBC’s nightly lineup say the same?”
Can the 3 or 4 people tuning in to MSNBC’s nightly lineup…
There. Fixed.
As a “right-wing” and/or “conservative” opinionator, Mr O’Reilly’s a pretty fair Deborah Norville imitator.
That is, talk radio’s latest cloning of the boorish and boring Al Franken — and soon to follow him down the gugler — this preening populist/anti-Capitalist galoot, never better suited to a role than he was on TV’s National Enquirer of the airways show: Inside Edition; is about as “right-wing” as is David Rodham Gergen.
Brian Richard Allen
Los Angeles CalifOREILLYcated 90028
The responses here affirm what I said in another thread about O’Reilly being an Independent. Just see how the conservative voices here repudiate him. I find it rather amusing and indicative, when Leftists call him right-wing. They apparently have no idea what right-wing is.
Personally, I enjoy his show somewhat. I don’t generally watch it the whole way through because of subject content. I’m picky about my news. He does seem to suffer from Rush Syndrome. He’s getting louder, and he seems quite taken with himself, believing his own press.
Yeah, this post from a previous thread seems even more appropriate here:
You’re aware of O’Reilly’s voter registration snafu, right? What was it, about five years ago he said “I am a registered independent.” Some enterprising cub reporter tracked tracked down O’Reilly’s card on which Bill had declared himself a Republican. Bill explained, “Well, there wasn’t a place to check ‘independent.’ ” He’s right, the box he was looking for actually read, “I do not wish to enroll in party.” I can see where a guy like Bill might be confused.
Bill punted, “I still can’t tell you, honestly, what happened there. I don’t know. I don’t remember.” He then changed his party to independent.
Of course you can Google “Bill O’Reilly phone sex script” and read what he said (more like did) to to a subordinate employee – aggressive, threatening, perverted, abusive – which he denied when she sued. “(This case is) the single most evil thing I have ever experienced, and I’ve seen a lot. But these people picked the wrong guy.”
Boy, did they. Bill countersued charging that his accuser and her lawyer were trying to embarrass him and Fox News Channel three weeks before the election.
Bill always goes for the big enchilada.
Then come the tapes. Bill settled (rumored to be $8 million) . . . the best possible evidence of his innocence.
And then there’s all that stuff from his show, dozens of contradictions and downright sociopathy – everything from homeless vets to abducted teen boys. THAT is the nature of Bill O’Reilly. He is remarkably disingenuous.
But then again, Marc Malone says, “(Bill) just hates the PC stuff and the dishonesty . . . He believes journalists should be centrist and fair, and tries to live up to that.”
OK, you convinced me.
(Seriously, check out the transcript. You’ll be amazed.)
#15, why do you feel the need to bring your ignorance to every single PJM thread? Are you so insecure with your “love doll” Obama that you have to continually convince yourself you made the right choice by throwing out the same old tired liberal talking points, no matter what topic is being discussed? We get it! You’re a stinking hippie stuck in the by-gone ’60s counter-culture nonsense. So what? Most of us from that era, grew up! Still wearing tie dye and blasting the Grateful Dead on the old turntable are you? Cut your hair yet? Where’s your outrage at the “most ethical administration this country has ever seen”, even though the crooks keep falling like flies, or the “I will create four million jobs in this country that strangely morphed into four million “saved” jobs. Why is Obama killing innocent people in Pakistan, apologizing to Muslim extremists, picking fights with private citizens, and spending hundreds of thousands of our dollars needlessly flying around the country in Air Force One to sign an eleventh hour, bloated spending bill that could have been signed in DC? Where is the transparency? Where is the “Change”? Take it back to Huff n’Puff! You’re a nice fit there! Here, you’re no more than the class clown!
MARIE CLAUDE
#9
Always nice to hear a nice, snotty racist rejoinder from one who can barely speak the language.
BTW – just what the hell are you talking about ???
16: fireyourguns . . . No, you DON’T get it. Wait, I’ll be charitable, you WON’T get it. You refuse to get it. O’Reilly, Hannity, Coulter, Limbaugh – none of them are the least bit genuine. I’m not talking about me (I have you to do that for me). I’m talking about the celebrities you go to for guidance.
Fools follow fools. Liars follow liars. So tell me, have you read the O’Reilly transcript? If so, what did that tell you about that man? Honestly, what do you think about someone who treats women like that? Or does it not matter to you.
It is amusing that the left considers O’Reilly a right-wing idealogue. I stopped watching O’Reilly and Fox in general mid-campaign when he started sounding too much like a Democrat on fiscal matters. I came back to Fox only when Hannity went solo and Beck got a show. Sure I still have to take the social conservatism with the fiscal conservatism but at least I do get the latter with them.
News Corp.’s stock is off almost 70% from its 52-week high, a steeper decline than that suffered by media rivals Time Warner Inc. and Walt Disney Co. Investors have reacted negatively to Murdoch’s purchase of Dow Jones & Co., owner of the Wall Street Journal, which has seen its advertising plummet.
Turn out the lights . . . the party’s over . . .
#Valerie doesn’t like him because of his hands ? Is there really any wonder why men don’t take a females opinion too seriously ? #10 Saltherring describes Obama very well, so well in-fact that if you look into astrology you will see a description of one born under the sign of Leo, which Obama is. Certain astrology skeptics would do well to contemplate this.
pinkerton did I already tell you to f*** off
The man is a hard-working guy whose act has paid off, but he is often as wrong as a compass on the north pole. And he is an actor. Here’s a guy who is trying to thread the needle of opinions and still have one that isn’t right, left, or “moderate.” I don’t believe he’s an embicile, but I’m positive anyone who agrees with him is.
That is, imbecile.
@one of your own:
Apparently you are obsessed with bashing popular and very successfully conservative personalities because their mere existence is an insult to your Marxist-Liberal crappy spiritual sustenance.
Care to explain – you astute, discerning sharp mind – as to why your beloved Air America is bankrupt, so is Nova-M and none of your idolized leftist demagogue attracts considerable audience?
How is the Commie Oracle, the N.Y.Times? Going broke without the Messican rich guy loan on 14% interest? Not even Soros (Schwartz) to your rescue?
Why is that? – lefty smart a***s?
Your only satisfaction in your miserable life is to follow and sniff Bill O’Reilly underwear and present the result on this forum?
Why don’t you inhale the scent around Helen Thomas for she’s the beautiful queen of your tribe.
Why don’t you liven up the gloom and pent-up anger which is the mood on DailyKos;- there is no bay leaf (laurel) growing for you over here only derision and contempt.
#22 Marie Claude you still didn’t answer Pinkertons question, I’d like to know also, what are you talking about ? Or are you just being one of those females I posted about earlier ?
25 Thomas . . . OK, I keep asking people and none of them has the balls to answer. I’m not any more confident about yours, but I’ll ask anyway . . . Did you read the O’Reilly transcript? What did you think? I think it’s worthy target for your surplus of derision and contempt.
Air America is bankrupt for two reasons: first, they whined too much. Second, liberals don’t all agree with each other before they think. Talk radio is the province of lockstep idiots and dittoheads. You should be proud. As for the commie oracle NYT, they’re suffering the same fate as the fascist oracle News Corp. And For every Soros on the left there’s a Richard Mellon Scaife on the right.
As to your sniffing fetish, I’ll leave that for you to work out on your own. And don’t be afraid to type the actual word ass. Really, you’re an adult, you should be able to hand it.
Bill Perron, use your magic brain LMAO
Thank you Marie Claude for recognizing I have a magic brain. Also glad I was able to assist you in having a good laugh. The world really needs more laughter, it is essential to be able to laugh, it takes intelligence to see the humor in todays world, it is also important to not take ourselves to seriously, none of us is getting out alive.
I had no idea people considered MSNBC a ‘news’ network, go figure.
Bill Perron
30. Kay@Feb 23, 2009 – 10:40 pm
I had no idea people considered MSNBC a ‘news’ network
That was before the March 2003 time frame.
Once they used that reject from CNN (who was made ‘famous’ in the first Gulf War) pimping for Saadaam, people ssaw through them quickly.
Plus Keith O was not this bad at that time either. Olbermann did not make too much sense then, but he was nowhere as looney after March 2003.
TO: All
RE: one of your own
Why is it that whenever I see a post by this character, I get the distinct remembrance of that passage from that Old Book about Eve in the Garden, confronted by some ‘serpent’?
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[The snakes are always with US.]
There’s really nothing sly about Bill O’Reilly. Just ask Andrea Mackris.
I think you’re correct about O’Reilly. I’m a Democrat, and all I knew about him was what I’d heard from other liberals/Democrats. So, one night, during the primaries last year, I decided to see what this “racist” was all about. I haven’t missed a show of his since then. No, I don’t always agree with what he says, but he most definitely has a more balanced approach than those on the NBC stations that I used to watch. I’ve seen him defend Obama more than I’ve seen him say negative things about him. And, I’ve never, ever, seen a hint of racism from him; in fact, I’ve seen more black journalists/commentators on Fox than I ever saw on the other stations.
I can’t even imagine watching Chris Matthews again. I can’t believe I spent all those years watching him.
I have been saying this for years… O’Reilly is seen as the ultimate Christian Right fascist, racist, blowhard by the left. He is not nearly as conservative as Hannity or Rush and is nowhere near as biased as Matthews, Maddow, or Olberman (who I contend is the most biased voice on television).
Anybody that watches him knows his deal. The lock-step ignorance of the left is truly astounding.
Every media outlet has fault.
For example, Pajamas Media hasn’t been “fair and balanced” in its coverage of the former USSR.
O’Reilly is self-absorbed, that’s true. But when it comes to lack of knowledge and a complete lack of professionalism and objectivity, no one matches MSNBC and its crew. And their man in the White House is no slouch in the giant ego and narcissism categories.
O Reilly doesn’t understand the economy at all. Can someone please educate this man?
Very good blog article.Thanks Again. Fantastic.