Bill O'Reilly On Obama
Posted by Ashish on 09.11.2008
This makes Obama appearing on the show worth it...
So after sitting down and interviewing Barack Obama one-on-one, Bill O'Reilly seems to be impressed with Obama the man, even though he obviously disagrees with his positions.
The Barack Obama I witnessed is self-confident, determined and driven. He was acutely aware of his surroundings from the moment he entered the room. He looks you in the eye and touches your shoulder. He understands how to connect one-on-one.
He even seems to have won O'Reilly over a bit on foreign policy, an area where O'Reilly previously had expressed doubts about Obama.
On the foreign policy front, Obama has convinced me that he is tough but cautious. He rose up quickly because he vehemently opposed the Iraq war. But now I see a man who understands the victory that has taken place in Iraq. I don't believe he wants to screw that up. I could be wrong.
After going mano-a-mano with Obama on television, I am also persuaded that he is a sincere guy-that he wants the best for all Americans. He's an ideologue, but not a blind one. He understands that his story is incredible, and, I have come to believe, he is grateful to the American system for allowing it happen.
This was the type of statement Obama was hoping to get out of O'Reilly and is probably why he went on the show in the first place (along with trying to get some attention last week against the Republican convention). Obama deserves some credit for going on the show. No other Democratic nominee would have (Hillary Clinton wouldn't have, she only went on during the primaries because she was trying to further rally the ringwing Rush Limbaugh vote since Republicans wanted to try and extend the primary battle). Roughly 90% of FOX News viewers are Republican, so the odds of him gaining many voters from the appearance are low, but he may have earned the respect of some.
Wow...I pretty much hate O'Relly but even I have to give him credit for giving Obama some respect. Further proof that respect is earned, not just given, and that despite the differences we may share we can still coexsist in this country if we try. Because after all is said and done the fact remains that we are all americans and we all want what's best for this country even if we have different visions of what it should be. Anybody no matter weather you're a democrat, republican, or independent will tell you that. That said, I will always believe that the republican party has the wrong vision.
Posted By: Geoff (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 01:36 AM
Here's something you won't hear very often, but O'Reilly isn't HALF as bad as he's made out to be. O'Reilly's name is thrown in there with Limbaugh and Hannity all the time.
O'Reilly deserves better. He's a tabloid journalist, but he's one who isn't completely blind or ignorant like the other right wing nutzos. is he a bully and a ratings hound? Absolutely.
But there is a shred of journalistic integrity with O'Reilly, where there is none with guys luke Lush and Hannity.
Posted By: Poppycock (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 02:30 AM
I wonder what the odds are of Keith Olbermann actually mentioning that O'Reilly said something good about Obama
Posted By: Michael L (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 08:44 AM
Geoff said:
"Wow...I pretty much hate O'Relly but even I have to give him credit for giving Obama some respect."
I don't think we should give credit to O'Reilly for his comments on Obama and I don't think we should give Obama credit for bravely going on his show. It seems pretty transparent to me that each struck a "deal with the devil" (i.e. the other). I am beyond skeptical to the claim that O'Reilly respects Obama and beyond skeptical to the claim that Obama respects O'Reilly and Fox news.
The most credit I can give is that both knew that it was a wise calculation.
Posted By: Pat Shepard (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 10:21 AM
How can you believe the republican party has the wrong vision on every front? I find it mind-boggling that people are either "democrat" all the way or "republican" all the way. Both parties have some good ideas and some bad ones. Are the republicans vision about an end to earmarking and a reform to the insolvent social security wrong? Are the democrats wrong about pursuing changes to help curb global warming? Are republicans wrong about school vouchers for kids like my children who live in a district that is 90% black that has a failing public school? Are democrats wrong about trying to reform some of these broad executive powers? Are republicans wrong about the indisputable economic fact that free trade is the best reality? There's plenty of issues one can agree or disagree with on either side, I don't know anyone, including these very politicians, who score 100% on one side or 100% on the other, or anything even close to that.
Posted By: Heartbrand (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 10:34 AM
"Are republicans wrong about school vouchers for kids like my children who live in a district that is 90% black that has a failing public school?"
Now, what was exactly the purpose in mentioning that the school district is 90% black??? Is it *their* fault that the public school is failing? I'm sure they're taxpayers just like you.
Sheesh, people should really THINK before they speak/type.
Posted By: Americans Are DUMB (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 12:55 PM
"Are republicans wrong about the indisputable economic fact that free trade is the best reality? "
I'd like to dispute it. Yes, free trade is very good, but let's not forget the downside whereby corporations seek out better deals and governments are pressured for minimal environmental, labor and wage laws so as to attract and keep business. I think the positives outweigh the benefits, but don't say the fact is "indisputable" as if there isn't any problem with free trade.
Posted By: Michael L (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 02:04 PM
Are republicans wrong about the indisputable economic fact that free trade is the best reality?
Posted By: Heartbrand (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Indisputable? Really? Trickle-down economics works in theory, but in reality, not everyone gets a piece of the action.
Posted By: MattL (Registered) on September 11, 2008 at 03:16 PM
Really, and it'll sound like pandering, but I'd like to support Poppycock's statement. One time, Bill O'Reilly slipped a producer into one of my colleges raunchier dances and then sent it out everywhere as an "Ivy League Sex Party" so I have less reason than some to like him...
But he does have some integrity. He does. He was fairer to Hillary than most people, fairer to Obama than most people. He's kind of an asshole, but so is Chris Matthews. He's not Sean Hannity.
Posted By: Andrew Tobolowsky (Registered) on September 11, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Wow... I mean... I can't believe I'm saying this but... Props to Billo.
Posted By: Lawrence (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 06:35 PM
Heartbrand
When the republicans only seem to give tax breaks to the rich at the expense of the middle class and poor, that's wrong. When they give tax breaks to oil companies who are making lots of money by gouging us at the pump, that's wrong. When many republicans don't believe in global warming and seem to continue to want to destroy our enviroment for monetary gain, that's wrong. When a party that seems to have been founded on individual freedom for all without goverment intervention is hell bent on having our goverment deny a woman the right to choose weather or not to have an abortion, that's wrong. When a party discriminates againt gays and lesbians who want to marry and be together, that's wrong (I'm straight so don't get any ideas in your head). When a big segment of a party including our soon to be ex president stand in the way of stem cell research that could improve millions of lives (including me who has a miled form of C.P. that allows me to talk and act normal but forces me to use a weelchair because I don't have good balance and need support just to stand up), that's wrong. And last but not least, when we are in a war for oil based on a lie, that's wrong. Don't tell me Saddam was bad to his people or WMDS as a justification for going there. I know that he was a horrible human being. I'm not stupid. But he never atacked the United States. Not once.
Granted, not all republicans hold the views I just listed. A lot really do mean well and want to help the average person, help the enviroment, are against the war in Iraq, are pro choice, pro gay rights, and pro stem cell research. But a lot don't and that's what's wrong with this country. We don't need any more right wing nut jobs.
Posted By: Geoff (Guest) on September 11, 2008 at 07:36 PM
You have no constitutional right to marry whomever you want or to an abortion. The Supreme Court made up an entire fake concept of privacy starting from Griswald v Connecticut about privacy and emanations and what not. Republicans rightly believe these issues are state issues. States have the right under their police power to regulate how things should be. If you want an abortion so don't live in Utah/Texas etc., states that would make it illegal.
And yes, it's no surprise that 90% black public schools are failing. I see probably a good six felonies taking place a day outside the school every time I drop my child off at school. Try living in downtown Baltimore and sending your kid to a school where people bring guns and drugs and the average lunch fight requires a taser. And you wonder why the education in the school is poor? Call it racist I don't care, but back in Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, aka liberal blue states, they don't have schools like that (well maybe New Haven) so it's easy for them to preach their "oh that's racist" bs. Somethings wrong when more than half the kids in the district aren't graduating high school, and it's about time people take responsibility for their actions instead of blaming Uncle Sam every time their kid can't put a condom on or doesn't know how to put down a bottle of jack before getting behind the wheel.
And by the way, I'm sure most of those african-american kids families AREN'T taxpayers like me, and with Obama I'm sure they never will be.
Oh and Geoff, go ahead and tax oil companies all you want, don't come crying to me when supplies decrease and the average pump at the price is seven dollars. Corporations pass on taxes to the consumer, they never pay them, you do. You can "punish" the evil corporations who make a profit all you want but it's only your money that will take the hit, and similarly force them to do less exploration and r&d. The government is not a cure-all panacea it cannot help tell companies in the private sector how to run their businesses. These politicians couldn't even build a road efficiently without billions in earmarks, contracts that rip the government off (aka our tax dollars), delays and inevitable corruption, but yet some of you want them to make even more decisions that they are unqualified for. And someone who doesn't know the difference between whether and weather certainly doesn't impress me.
Posted By: Guest#8536 (Guest) on September 12, 2008 at 08:22 AM
Hey - I am a liberal guy on most issues. But, having been educated in economics, I have to agree with Heartbrand and say that free trade is the way to go.
The problem with "fair trade" is that it is very shortsighted and doesn't see the overall deadweightloss that it brings into the economy.
Lot of people simply look at jobs being taken away etc - but in an increasing global economy, laissez faire is the way to go.
Posted By: Rahdisas (Guest) on September 12, 2008 at 11:24 AM
"And by the way, I'm sure most of those african-american kids families AREN'T taxpayers like me, and with Obama I'm sure they never will be."
They've been under Bush for 8 years and haven't been paying so what's your point here?
"Oh and Geoff, go ahead and tax oil companies all you want, don't come crying to me when supplies decrease and the average pump at the price is seven dollars. Corporations pass on taxes to the consumer, they never pay them, you do. You can "punish" the evil corporations who make a profit all you want but it's only your money that will take the hit, and similarly force them to do less exploration and r&d. The government is not a cure-all panacea it cannot help tell companies in the private sector how to run their businesses. These politicians couldn't even build a road efficiently without billions in earmarks, contracts that rip the government off (aka our tax dollars), delays and inevitable corruption, but yet some of you want them to make even more decisions that they are unqualified for. And someone who doesn't know the difference between whether and weather certainly doesn't impress me."
Once again your logic is flawed. Big oil has gotten the biggest tax break ever and our prices have sky rocketed, becasue of greed. Also under republican rule "President and Congress", we have the biggest government in recent history, have a huge national deficit, in a bogus war with no end in sight, have a housing crisis, finincial institutions crumbling because no one was making sure they were doing the right thing, poor school, and millions with no health coverage. All of this under the republican watch, yet some how the Democrats aren't fit to lead, give me a break.
Posted By: Johnny (Guest) on September 12, 2008 at 02:21 PM
STAY CURRENT