Bill O'Reilly: "I Don't Want To Go On A Lynching Party Against Michelle Obama Unless There's Evidence"

From Media Matters:

In a discussion of recent comments made by Michelle Obama, Bill O'Reilly took a call from a listener who stated that, according to "a friend who had knowledge of her," Obama " 'is a very angry,' her word was 'militant woman.' " O'Reilly later stated: "I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels -- that America is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever -- then that's legit. We'll track it down."

Read the entire Media Matters post about the comment, made on Bill O'Reilly's radio show yesterday, here, or listen to the audio below:

Update: Portfolio.com's Jeff Bercovici reports that David Tabacoff, O'Reilly's executive producer, has defended the remark:

"What Bill said was an obvious repudiation of anyone attacking Michelle Obama," he said, according to Fox spokeswoman. "As he has said more than ten times, he is giving her the benefit of the doubt."

Comments

[fixbone]

fox noise conveniently edited out the word "really" then bill-o takes a shoot first look later attitude - his no-spin gives me vertigo then "lynching" - the only context such a word can be used is in the "wild west (cowboys) or deep south (racial)"-

[electress]

Of Course I turned Fox News, Bill O'Reily and
Rush Limbaugh off many years ago.
Bill is rollicking with delight that he
is on every station, radio, and blog for making
this racial/sexist remark. People he has got to GO.

Bush & McCain refuses to sign the Hate crime
Bill, and Hillary is the one who has supported
the bill. Should that bill have passed last
year, we would have evicted the devilment
out of O'Reily.

Though I am not a Obama supporter, I surely
don't approve of Bill O'Reily's comment.
We are long past the lynching era, and yet
everyday people are being threaten. It's
heinous, and shows pure hatered.

[(R)Haslittle1's]

This is disgraceful! If FOX News or their sponsors do not speak up and condemn Bill O'reilly comments my family and I will not support or shop the companies and corporations that sponsor or advertise with them starting with the SLEEP NUMBER bed.

[americanwhocares]

Bill O'Reilly is proof positive that the republican party is controlled by the rich and the rednecks, known collectively as the R&R’s (the term rednecks include the radical religious right like James Dobson, etc). I am so looking forward to January 20, 2009 when these slime buckets will be reduced to powerless crying and complaining babies. Intelligent Americans will need to put on earplugs to drown out the wail coming from the wacko right. Jesus does love America; just watch the November 2008 elections.

[DownwithFearMongers]

Ya know, I didnt think that Imus really deserved to be fired.What he said was rude and crude but I really think it was more of a sports thing.But "LYNCHING PARTY","UNLESS"???
WTF!!!!THESE WORDS SHOULD NEVER BE IN A DISCUSSION TOGETHER, EVER!Not to mention the fact that it is aimed towards 1 out of the 3 pontential first ladys/men.What is wrong with people?Why does this clown still have a job?

[se7enMMBsg]

. . . sadly, "DownwithFearMongers", it's likely "Because" this man is a clown that he maintains his job as "Clown-Master- of 'Fixed News.'" *sigh*

se7enMMBsg

[peachfuzz]

Anyone dare express any discontent with this country is the enemy -- but black people get special treatment.

[transendentilist]

Well they sure got "special treatment," during slavery in the U.S.! Blacks fought racism in Nazi Germany only to come home to American racism. The same for Korea, and in Vietnam, more blacks were killed than whites. I think Mrs. Obama had every right to say what she said.

[richardsgirl]

Actually, it was Karl Rove and George Bush who defamed anyone speaking dissent against this country as unpatriotic and un-American, and it was exactly from this tunnel-vison attitude that Michelle was attacked, contrary to the "special treatment" that you suggest she was given. Most thoughtful people understood what she was saying and understood as well that she is not "the enemy." Why is it that it becomes threatening when minorities (black, gay, etc.) are treated with equity, which is then twisted to be interpreted as "special treatment?"

[2liveNdie]

I'm curious to know what special treatment you're speaking of?

[champions1]

Yeah Right...Now that's funny....

[operalovr]

First of all, and most importantly, Michelle was misquoted. If you either watch the video, or listen to the audio of what was said, one important word was edited out. What she said is "for the first time in my life I am REALLY proud of my country. Whoever did the editing job over at Fox news, is a hack. The word REALLY changes the meaning of what she said. Listen again, carefully, my friends. You will hear where she starts to say the word REALLY, but it is clipped. Whoever deleted this, has malice on their mind.

[generaldelivery]

No. The word "really" was never used. I've seen the clip six or seven times on several networks.

[LeftLeanWing]

I noticed that too.

However, she made this statement more than once and on the other occasion she actually did not say REALLY.


I think everyone knew what she means, but this is campaign season and every utterance is measured with the sensitivity (real or imaginary) levels on set at the highest levels.

[ResidentChimp]

I guess it all depends on what the definition of is is.

[LintLass]

How can he keep *saying* these things?

...With his foot in his mouth all the time?

Further, how does he expect to misconstrue anything from any of Mrs. Obama's past remarks and simultaneously defend *that?*

:)

That man, though.

[Rondo]

we should stop calling this mob "right wingers"

for the most part these parasites are white and they always open mouth before engaging brain
as in to wing it

ergo, white wingers

[protagonia]

Give Bill-O enough rope, and he will hang himself?

[Diana]

Yes...the racism and image of violence behind the statement is obvious. But we need to see this statement as not merely another thinly veiled racist comment by BOR, but frankly as a serious threat against a presidential candidate's wife.

Of course, bill did qualify the lynch mob statement by saying only IF it turns out that michelle obama made the remark (i.e., her opinion on the U.S.) would he get a lynch mob together!

ALthough oreillys racism has been his trademark for years, this particular statement is beyond the pale, and it's time to call for his firing. Contact fox and tell them just how much of an extremist--and dangerous--oreilly is. Demand his firing. Boycott fox sponsors.

Let's not let this lie, because there's much, much more to come.

[oogabooga]

Ignore him. His ratings are falling among the cave and trailer dwellers.

[outnow]

Bill 'O made a not-so-veiled threat. This could be construed as a hate crime and intimidation of a presidential candidate by making terrorist threats. He needs to be reported to Homeland Security. Why doesn't he just don a white sheet and burn a cross and get it over with. This is beyond disgusting. A conditional threat is still a threat. He needs to be reported for making terrorist threats to the family of a presidential candidate.

[Diana]

Amen!

[aznurse]

I guess he didn't hear Bushs talk last week about how much lynching is a bad expression.
Im sure the republicans have spoken out against what he said. Oh Wait, they haven't?
I'm Shocked.

[weaselbasher]

O'Reilly...worst....bigot...of the year.

I smell a weasel...BASH!

[RhondaSTL]

My guess is that most if not all of us that find O'Reilly's use of the term lynching grotesque and beyond offensive do not watch or listen to O'Reilly. The majority of his viewers/listeners probably dismiss it without a second thought.

This is not new territory for O'Reilly (I used to watch him to counterbalance/check the news I got from CNN - but at some point it became just too ridiculous. I watch MSNBC now, which has it's own problems, but I find myself rolling my eyes and shouting at the screen less often).

The truly offensive (and frightening) thing is that his ratings are so high and that his supporters probably make up a large percentage of those actually voting.

[fact finder]

RhondaSTL. But most of his viewers are under 18 or to senile to vote. 1776

[alohajoe]

It's not just "lynching", but "go on a lynching pary"; a phrase that, in American historical discourse, can have only one meaning. Oreally is not stupid. He knows what he said. To whom was he speaking?
He should be made to apologise to the American people for his bigoted remark.

[WIpatriot]

Or for his existence.