Bill O'Reilly Defends Obama, Slams Smears

Bill O'Reilly led off tonight's episode of The Factor with a pointed critique of the latest small-minded content of the news cycle, criticizing the McCain campaign both in terms of character and tactics, slagging the media for pressing the story senselessly, and largely absolving Obama - though perhaps with faint praise: his "Obama doesn't like confrontation" statement seems out of joint with last week's insistence that the Illinois Senator was "tough" and "not a wimp."

Nevertheless, O'Reilly very clearly stipulated that there was no evidence that Obama intended to make any sort of sexist remark.

This being Bill O'Reilly, the content naturally managed to slag Daily Kos and NBC News.

[WATCH.]

In related news, The Corner's Ramesh Ponnuru isn't happy about the McCain campaign's tactics, either:

...there may have been good ways to take shots at Obama over the "lipstick on a pig" comment. But the Republicans are coming across as whiny grievance-mongers. Don't they realize that this harping on ambiguous slights is what people hate about political correctness? It was bad enough when liberals were trying to destroy Palin. Now Republicans are trashing her brand. They're undermining the basis of her appeal as a different, tougher kind of female politician. Today has been worse than wasted.

Comments

[Vermontah]

It is a vast tribute to Obama that he not only got away with the interview with Billo, he actually won him over. I wouldn't be surprised if in the secrecy of the ballot box Billo actually votes for Obama. You can tell he was impressed by the interview, that his preconceptions of Obama were shattered, and, wow, Billo was inspired to be fair! That's an achievement.

[DougChristian]

I've thought the same thing. He did a great job and Bill clearly changed his opinion of Obama drastically. Obama really nailed him on taxes, worked out a new plan for capital gains taxes that Bill could support, and even got him to agree to travel to Iraq with Obama! Amazing. Here's to hoping that we have slightly more open-minded, kind-hearted people than mean-spirited, cynical people in America.

[horton79]

If MySpace was reduced to the racial diversity of the Republican National Convention, Rupert Murdoch would hurt like the Montgomery, Alabama transit system circa 1955.

[afgail]

Nah, Billo is hedging their bets for FOX Noise. If Obama wins they don't want to be shut out of all Obama presidential news conferences. They've got nothing if Obama shuts them out. If President Obama thinks they can not be even remotely fair and shuts them out they all lose their jobs in a bid for FOX to be allowed in. It's CYA time at FOX. They see MSNBC on the rise with the crucial younger cable viewer demographic. This was a business decision not an ethical or fairness issue for FOX.

[RHCNYC]

I don't know what you guys are watching. Bill is doing his typical slimy rant, but with a slightly better disguise, a la J.oe S.carborough.
-"Nobody knows why O.bama used the lipstick and farm animal analogy". What does he mean? B.ill never heard the term before?
-"B.arac.k is not a 'bomb thrower'. He -doesn't like confrontation"
C'mon, guys. This isn't that subtle.He's attributing weakness and cowardice to O.bam.a.
Then he goes on with the typical "media unfairness". Right, Bill. You would know.
-"Vile smear merchants at the D.aily K.os and M.S.NB.C".
Yeah, that's civil of ya, Bill.
-"If the Mc.Cain campaign continues these smears, O.bam.a gets votes".
All I see is a right-wing nutjob warning his buddies that even this ridiculous smear campaign is just too over the top. Admitting stupidity on the part of his party is not 'fairness'. It's a warning.

Mind you, I'm a liberal progressive, voting O.bam.a... but some of my friends here have really taken a nap on this one.

[LightningJoe]

Obama on O'Rielly, is like lipstick on an old fish.

[SwingVoter]

When will O'reilly talk about this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afawZWEtCKc

[divagirl]

Why does nt the media remain silent on this issue. Not enough evidence?

[Juanon]

I think my applauding something from Bill'O is one of the signs of the Apocalypse....

[hockibabe]

LOL..... Juanon....I cannot stand Bill O he is the epitome of everything I am against. He and everyone are talking about this "lipstick" crap instead of getting (legit) answers from Palin, yet, she is unable to speak for herself. She, like McCain, is more of the same

[bellindaba]

Kudos to Bill O'Reilly for being fair in his comments and, for the most part, being fair in his one on one interview with Barack Obama. He kept it lively and while there were a few thing 'off' things, for the most part it was a fair interview and, of course, Obama sparred with him beautifully and unlike another Vice Presidential candidate can THINK on his feet or sitting down.

[wmfor]

Actually, I was pleasantly surprised by B O'R's even-handedness in the interview. It was so unlike him. Could it be that, in the privacy of the voting booth, he is thinking about pulling the Democratic lever for the first time in his life? How would THAT endanger his job at F*x News?

[zoozey]

Wouldn't endanger his job at all. I don't really think a lot of people vote the way they talk sometimes. No one would ever know. Rush probably votes for the Dems just so he can ensure a job for 4 years. These people are better on the offense. Look how us left leaning folks are better on the attack the last 8 years, than we were when Bill was in office and we were constantly defending.

[zoozey]

And just think, many of Billo's fans saw the interview. Wonder how many of them will talk tthe talk for McCain, but vote for Obama.

Ofcourse, we have to worry that just as many might talk the talk for Obama and then vote for McCain because they just can't bring themselves to vote Black, or worse, because they think Sarah is pretty.

[joan az]

Who would know. Imagine lots of voters who normally vote party only, will be voting for the other party---no one will ever know and they would never admit to it. It's their right.

[Audrey704]

No no she never claimed to think she said she is hard wired not to BLINK...

[mlaiuppa]

McCain should get a clue. You know you're in trouble when even the right-wing media jump on you.

[jaleh]

Murdoch likes Obama...so it may have been communicated with the crew?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHdQHgIR0-s

[divagirl]

Murdoch said earlier this year Obama will have a landslide victory. (before Palinmania)

[KayDGee]

He's a member of the "press" that worships money. Keep in mind - The news has been driven by its advertisers since Reagan's man Fowler eviscerated the fairness doctrine. On the one mercinary hand it appears that he sees the turn of the tide and wants to keep his options open. On the other idealistic hand he did preface one of his Obama interview segments by saying he respected the Senator. While one would like to believe civility is returning to the airwaves, in the end reality sets in aned we remember that this pitbull wears no lipstick... and he attacks from behind.

[thecanadian]

Would really like to see him take on CNN and their obnoxious gossip mongering - all day today over and over and over - Blitzer played the Palin card. Over and over. Even though there was a million things he could have reported on. But then, he would have to think wouldn't he.

[Bozwellian]

BillO may have spoken up on something THIS time, but by and large he does NOT offer fair or balance and leaves a "wonder" what game HE is playing for have him burning too often elsewise to give credit across the board and somehow virtueous o r in step or marching with fair let alone balanced presentations. As for CNn or the others , the GOSSIPY trash they present as pertinent rather than reporting on issues that ARE of importance causes many to flick the dial or simply turn off as they INFORM us nothing worthwhile and many are fed up so seek info elsewhere regulating the on air folks to strictly "entertainment" diversionaries for peruse but NOT take seriously.

[exflatlander]

Hey, liberal folks! Where's your outrage that Karl Rove is an op ed writer for Newweek, has a gig on Fox News, etc. That's like the church making a pact with the devil so they can feel safe. Rove is so cynically evil he competes with Darth Cheney for the all-time "I hate America Mosat" award.

[Philm35]

We'll do it LIVE!!!

[socratiskiss]

LMAO! I needed that laugh! Thanks.

[TN]

Dont' be fooled by Billo, he is still a clown

[thecanadian]

Have to disagree. Read his bio. Suspect he is one of three people on MSM who actually knows about the political situation. Thought he asked intelligent questions even if he was a bit abrasive at first. Enjoyed it and I am not a Political Guru - just a Common Sense Senior.

[Donald-Iowa]

Sorry TN, If you think O'Reilly is a clown, you haven't been to a circus in a long time. The biggest mistake people make with people like O'Reilly is to underestimate them. O'Reilly is nobody's fool. He is a highly intelligent man, a brilliant interviewer, and uses his tongue like a sabre to destroy everyone that disagrees with him.

He does have a short fuse and like most on the phony Fox News progranda channel he gets his way by browbeating, outshouting, and cutting off the mic of his victims. He is undoubtedly the star of the otherwise joke Fox network. The rest of them are truly idiots who wouldn't last ten minutes in a true news station.

O'Reilly makes a ton of money doing exactly what he does. Does he believe in his own stuff ? Hard to say, but his ego is enormous, and as long as he walks the GOP line and brings in the viewers, old Rupert will be glad to keep him on board. The rest of the squad can carry the water for the GOP and bring the Fox message to the masses :-)

As that fat slob Limbaugh ? He doesn't care which side wins. Ever stop to think why this megolomanic with millions of admirers has never run for public office ? He has no answers to anything....Just criticisms of the other guys. He's a professional blabbermouth with no solutions to anything. NOW THAT IS A CLOWN

[jeanwny]

From a Stepen King novel no doubt

[Amalek]

I think O'Reilly actually believes he is fair and balanced. Compared to the others at Fox he is almost reasonable. I bet if Obama plays him right, he can use O'Reilly to make the Hannity and Doocy types look ridiculous to the Fox News audience.

[Americanium]

Doesn't he know that he works for the Public Relations arm of the Republican Party?

Can you imagine what his answering machine has been recording since his comments?

[uncalledfor]

When O'Reilly makes sense and Sarah Palin is next-in-line as commander-in-chief.... "That's the signpost up ahead — your next stop, the Twilight Zone."

[darthmaul]

You know, you would have to be Rush Limbaugh to want Palin to be VP. O'Reilly is right wing, but he's not stupid. I think any "thinking" (emphasis on thinking) person would really be nervous at the though of Palin at the Helm of the US.

[BlackWidowPilot]

Fear. That stink is fear, the overwhelming soul-ripping fear of an aristocracy facing its impending demise like the Hapsburg Dynasty in August 1914. All hubris and bluster and defiance, yet knowing in their lizard brains that their doom was upon them, that their privileged position was at an end, a house of cards at the moment of collapse, and that bottom card had just been flicked away.

When the willing shills of the aristocracy start to turn such as Bill O'Liar, that stink is the terror of the aristocracy, so strong that their previously willing servants are looking for the exit, hoping to avoid their masters' demise.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[TMAN]

Ohh, I loved it!