O'Reilly Interviews Biden Interlocutor Barbara West

Last night, Fox spitting-head Bill O'Reilly sat down with Florida news anchor Barbara West, who told O'Reilly that her daffy questions to Joe Biden represented "serious issues!" and that "we are running out of time!" O'Reilly thought that her questions were "fine," naturally. None of this surprises you, the reader, I'm sure. Fittingly, in the clip of the interview O'Reilly shows, West is shown gravely quoting Marx as if she were a serious adult, and asserting that widely debunked falsehoods -- like that Obama was a community organizer for ACORN -- are true, as well as making it sound like his efforts to compel the State of Illinois to comply with the Motor-Voter Act were done so as some sort of personal retainer to the aforementioned group. O'Reilly, naturally thinks that this constitutes toughness -- though I'm guessing that he'd probably himself punk out of any interview containing tough questions about loofahs. Similarly, I'd have to imagine that an interview with Sarah Palin that covered such topics as witchcraft and Alaskan secessionist parties and rape kits would be the equivalent of a tough interview, but I imagine that O'Reilly would likely label such a reporter a "pinhead."

Anyway, West paints herself, and her actions, as those of a "probing, penetrating" reporter. She even believes that she gave John McCain the same sort of thorough grilling that she gave Biden. Hey, why not watch for yourself! I'm sure all that coddling she gave McCain really stung him!

She should offer up an example of a prior probative penetration of someone on the opposite end of the ideological spectrum from Biden, then! I'm guessing however, that her Biden interview was a brief flirtation with penetrative probes, as I'd never heard of this lady until last week and am looking forward to forgetting who she was around about the time I finish this sentence. There. What we're we talking about? Bill O'Reilly's crazy loofah fetish? OH YEAH. He's one BOLD, FRESH, PIECE OF HUMANITY, that one!

Comments

[goplayrabbit]

by "we're running out of time" she means herself and her republican husband.

[Riverrat10k]

First, Obamas ties to ACORN are true and documented. Biden flat out lied or at least twisted the truth as some of the funding mentioned was given to a subsidiary of ACORN, not ACORN directly.

As to the Marxist comment, I thought it was very fair and should have been asked of ALL candidates during a televised debate. There are many of us in this great country that are tired of social engineering by politicians to get elected, especially when my hard earned money is being stolen from me by legislation. The socialism that has run rampant since the 1930's has been profilgated by both sides. Much of this is because the electorate has learned how to vote themselves bread and circuses. Ultimately, no one works because you can't get ahead and capital flees the country. Why do you think Elton John and John Lennon moved the the U.S.? Because Britain taxed them right out of the country.

I feel that marxism/socialism is a valid line of questioning directed at either candidate.

[Durango]

Err, Umm. Mmmm,

Doesn't your Lennon Elton John argument cancel out the rest of what you were saying?

Consistency. The hobgoblin of "conservatives."

[hotwire]

I think what Riverrat meant egghead was we don't want what happened in the UK, with all their Socialist bs,to happen here.




Hillary in 2012!

[Riverrat10k]

Not following you. Unless I did not make clear that they left because of burdensome taxation, a path we seem doomed to follow.

[alenaspoppa]

You're right. Obama's "ties" to ACORN have been documented, but your version of them are not true:

1) Obama at one time represented a large coalition of groups that happened to include ACORN, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice and a host of other entities. The legal work was in support of an uncontroversial "Motor Voter" law.

2) Project Vote was not directly associated with ACORN until 1994, two years after Obama organized for the group. The Obama campaign provided a statement from the Project Vote's executive director during the period of Obama's involvement. "[I]t wasn't until after Mr. Obama's tenure had ended that it began to conduct projects more frequently with ACORN than with other community-based organizations," Sanford A Newman wrote to a letter to the Wall Street Journal.

If you have any other questions, you can follow these links:
http://fightthesmears.com/articles/20/acornrumor
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/03/obama-camp-debunks-voter_n_131686.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/05/smears-contradicted-obama_n_132098.html

The HuffPo stories have multiple links within them, if you fear that HuffPo is too biased to be a strong source.

[Icantbelieveher]

ACORN has never registered a voter -- the only people who can register a voter is the election board!!! ACORN has never given out a registration!!! ACORN cannot register voters -- they turn the registrations into the election board and it is the board's job to verify the information!!!

http://www.cbpp.org/3-27-08tax2.pdf

The government has grown under the republicans more than democrats, while the middle class has shrunk -- the republican government has outspent the democrats! The tax and borrow that is the republicans is what has gotten us into the mess that we are in!!!

It's not socialism, marxism or communism to give back to the people what has been stolen from them for years!

And if it is, please check out Palin's socialist view of taxing the oil in Alaska and redistributing a rebate check to Alaskans!!!

[lisakaz2]

Nice try. NOT. Find us some "documentation." Good luck with that. And define marxism and/or socialism. Figuring you're a college dropout at best.

[Durango]

Funny isn't it how many people have no clue as to what either Marxism or socialism means.

And giving river rats a bad name to boot.

[CIgarCityGirl]

Now, THAT is a question! Well done!

[1984everyday]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/2982314836_525b2aef93_b.jpg

[Tenngirl]

West was mean almost to the point of insolence with Biden, but with McCain her voice softened, and the questions were easy. She's no unbiased reporter, doesn't know what that means. We've had eight years of the little dictator, and she's worried about what will happen if Obama is elected???

[TrialDate]

That b*T*c* is OLD...her face is pulled back to tight, makes her look so weird. she is not a reporter. f'ing loser...

[G-O-P disliker]

Jason, Why didn't you mention the fact that her husband is a GOP media consultant. That's where she got the neat and tidy little talking points/ O'Reilly-style questions from. Is there any doubt that the right wing is shitting in their pants right now? "We're running out of time"? They are running out of time. I just hope someone is watching the Bush administration's destruction of evidence after the election is over. We must hold B/C accountable for their huge screw-ups. Peace

[bobbysgurl]

West and Billo are fools.

If the press cannot do its job, their licenses need to be revoked. Simply saying how much we hate these underhanded, so-called journalist is not enough.

[all4peace]

What would election season be without Bill O' and Florida...Florida...Florida?

[feo]

Here's what Palin says about socialism: "we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs."

Collective ownership? Share the wealth? Old Karl would be so proud of you, Sarah.

[Mike169]

Biden kicker her a*s and she knows it and Bill O'Reilly, if he had an ounce of integrity, would know it as well.

[beantowner]

I sent a comment to the General Manager of Ms. West's "news" organization when this story first ran. Needless to say, I was incensed at the treatment of Joe Biden, especially when compared to the softball treatment afforded McCain by the same interviewer.

I received a "Dear Viewer" email in response yesterday, stating in part, "...we believe our mission is to address vital issues that we will face together, regardless of our own personal views with thorough, even handed reporting."

What a joke. I responded to the email, making the same points many have already made in the comments here. This woman is no "journalist."

[BobSacomano]

'WE' ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME?? 'We' who? and time for what??

I think 'we' all know the answer to that question.

She spoke to CNN briefly and said something to the effect of: we're running out of time for Americans to see that there is a real danger here, and if they elect the wrong person we're in trouble.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out, which is precisely why I think most Republicans will not question her assertions.

[TheAndrew]

Let's see Palin expose herself to just one hostile interviewer like this . . .

[hotwire]

If you don't think Palin hasn't been grilled by your left wing media buddies your nuts! Whats the matter Joe, can't ya handle a tough question? If you can't handle the tough questions, Joe, keep your mug away from the camera.




Hillary in 2012!

[glimpse]

wow. you guys still exist? amazing.

[BrokenMirror]

Are you kidding? Who, exactly, has grilled Sarah Palin on ANYTHING?! Katie Couric? Give me one tough question from that interview. Charlie Gibson? Please. Sarah Palin has barely made herself available for interviews, unless they are with her hillbilly buddies at Fox News. She'd rather mug on "Saturday Night Live" than have to seriously explain herself on "Meet The Press" or "Face The Nation." That speaks volumes.

[dcjdjay]

First of all, Joe Biden dismissed this stupid woman politely and firmly.

Second, he answered her questions. If she thinks that taxing any income (post deductions) above $250,000 at a rate that is 3% higher than those making less than $250,000 makes you a Marxist, then Ronald Reagan was a Marxist too. Even under Reagan, we had a progressive tax system.

[PitbullCatcher]

McCain is wasting it’s time on this “ SPREADING THE WEALTH” issue. Here is the reason why. In America government we ALREADY mix socialism with capitalism to get the our needs accomplished as a nation. People…socialism is not a new word for this country. It’s all about how you spin it. If you attach socialism it to a crooked nation or deceitful person it sounds bad. If you get a SOCIAL security check it sounds good.

Socialism - general term for the political and economic theory that advocates a system of collective or government ownership and management of the means of production and distribution of goods. Because of the collective nature of socialism, it is to be contrasted to the doctrine of the sanctity of private property that characterizes capitalism. Where capitalism stresses competition and profit.

HERE ARE SOME OF AMERICA’S SOCIALIST PROGRAMS THAT SPREADS THE NATION’S WEALTH AROUND.


Government Worker Programs
Civil Service Retirement Systems
Federal Employee Retirement Systems
Railroad Retirement System

Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Programs
Public Housing
Rental Vouchers & Certificates
Section 8 Housing Vouchers
Shelter Plus Care
Single Room Occupancy
Low Income Home Energy Assistance

Social Security Programs
Social Security (OASDI)
Unemployment Insurance
Temporary Disability Insurance
Medicare
Medicaid
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan

Welfare Programs
Supplemental Security Income
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Food Stamp Program
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
National School Lunch Program
School Breakfast Program
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Taxes

That 700 Billion bailout package. That’s