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In Unedited Video, O'Reilly Told Stewart That "Shepard Smith Said To Me, 'I Like Common'"

May 18, 2011 12:32 pm ET by Eric Hananoki

On Monday, Bill O'Reilly debated Jon Stewart over the White House's invitation to the rapper Common for a poetry event last week. O'Reilly criticized the White House, while Stewart pointed out the hypocrisy of Fox News' selective outrage. The unedited video of the debate reveals that Stewart may have had the support of at least one Fox News anchor: Shepard Smith.

Edited portions of the interview aired on Monday and Tuesday, and FoxNews.com posted the full 27-minute interview. In a portion Fox News cable viewers didn't see, O'Reilly said that "Shepard Smith said to me, 'I like Common.' We have a lot of diversity here."

Watch:

Smith - who anchors one-hour shows at 3pm and 7pm ET - frequently acts as the lone voice of reason in the conservative network's daily programming. Still, as Stewart correctly pointed out, Fox News was relentless in its criticism of the White House over a poetry event. Indeed, if Smith didn't work at Fox News, it's not hard to imagine Fox News employees and Fox Nation attacking him as someone who "Defends 'Cop Killer' Rapper."

Tags: Bill O'Reilly, Fox News Channel, Shepard Smith

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    • Author by foole (May 18, 2011 12:38 pm ET)
      12 1
      O'Reilly said that "Shepard Smith said to me, I like Common. We have a lot of diversity here."


      "...a lot of diversity..." O'Reilly, you keep using this phrase. I do not think it means what you think it means.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by epichuntarz (May 18, 2011 12:54 pm ET)
      20 1
      As Stewart always points out, no other "news" network functions the way Fox does.

      Fox and Friends opens with some new idiotic story about something bad from a liberal.
      Megan Kelly picks it up and bashes someone over the head over it.
      **Shep Smith ducks and covers while he whimpers out the voice of reason on the subject**
      Neil Cavuto then brings up the issue and make some snide remark about the people involved.
      Beck then claims the world is ending because the liberal thing happened, and tells us to do some esoteric vague action that isn't what it seems...then tells us to buy gold.
      Bret Baier lets his mostly conservative panel pound a liberal over it.
      Then O'Reilly brings on a faux liberal like Colmes or Williams to give the impression he's having a discussion when, in reality, he's letting a windbag like Crowley blabber on with some talking point. Then he calls everyone who disagrees with him a pinhead.
      Then Hannity comes on and let's his panel say whatever the want about the subject, and repeats, ad nauseum, the same baloney about how anti-American and unpatriotic "The Anointed One" really is.
      Then Greta puts on an Oprah-esque performance with someone giving their take on the story in a folksy way.
      Then the idiots on Red Eye engage the story in the stylings of Dennis Miller.

      Then it starts all over again the next day...usually with the same story unless some other outrageous liberal "thing" has happened.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by David2012 (May 18, 2011 1:00 pm ET)
        5  
        Perfect.

        You would think at some point they would get bored.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Boswell (May 18, 2011 8:16 pm ET)
          1  
          being bored involves use of memory and FAUX's base either have congenital issues with memory or self-inflicted by booze and/or meth
          Report Abuse
      • Author by handsomejack54 (May 18, 2011 1:44 pm ET)
        5 1
        this is probably the most accurate description of Fox News I have ever read.
        seriously, Shepard Smith is probably the only likable person on that channel.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by JasonB321 (May 18, 2011 1:03 pm ET)
      5 1
      I keep wondering how Shepard Smith is allowed to be on Fox. He is the closest thing to a "real journalist" on that network.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by The New Pilgrims (May 18, 2011 1:10 pm ET)
        7 1
        What most people don't know is, Shephard Smith is the bastard love child from the short but steamy affair Rupert Murdoch had with a much younger Bill O'Reilly.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Always Right (May 18, 2011 5:59 pm ET)
          1 7
          Lefties continue your juvenille personal attacks while the white house invites inappropriate guests.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by Johaely (May 18, 2011 6:23 pm ET)
            4  
            Whatever. The only reason he is considered "innapropiate" is because he was invited by Obama. Obama could invite the Lama and the Right and Fox will try to find a way to paint him as some evil radical.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by whatIthink (May 18, 2011 7:45 pm ET)
              2  
              Don't forget that Common was also caught RWB (Rapping While Black*), which makes him inappropriate, period.

              *Saw this on another site, but forgot which one.
              Report Abuse
              • Author by Always Right (May 19, 2011 7:40 am ET)
                   
                You can always tell when a left-wing loon lost an argument ..... they play the race card. Poor poor pitiful me, they're only doing it because I'm black, anything negative that happens to me in life happens because I'm back, boo hoo.
                Report Abuse
                • Author by Johaely (May 19, 2011 10:46 am ET)
                     
                  When was the last time a non-union member, white man was called a cop killer and a thug?
                  Report Abuse
          • Author by Boswell (May 18, 2011 8:21 pm ET)
               
            but Bushie holding hands with his lover-prince was OK with you?
            Report Abuse
          • Author by bilbo_dies (May 18, 2011 8:35 pm ET)
            2  
            Lefties continue your juvenille personal attacks while the white house invites inappropriate guests.

            Inappropriate in that he wasn't approved by Repubs first?

            Report Abuse
      • Author by pete x tp (May 18, 2011 1:41 pm ET)
        4 1
        My guess is that he has video of Rupert and Roger doing something of a sexual nature that would really upset the loyal SaudiFAUX "News" viewers.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by epichuntarz (May 18, 2011 1:55 pm ET)
        3 1
        They HAVE to keep him around. He's the closest thing to a news reporter/anchor/journalist they have.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by ProgLib (May 18, 2011 4:02 pm ET)
        3 1
        I keep wondering how Shepard Smith is allowed to be on Fox.


        He gets paid bank to be their excuse for trying to remain legitimate.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by ProgLib (May 18, 2011 4:01 pm ET)
      3 1
      If you're talking about Fox News anchors, ONE anchor being different from the others is not "diversity". Maybe some of the contributors like Beckel, Colmes and (sometimes) Juan Williams are diverse... but not much more than that.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Jimijams (May 18, 2011 5:49 pm ET)
      3 1
      Yup, Shepard Smith and Geraldo Rivera. Two out of a cast of thousands. And you know what? Those two I have trouble with as well.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by CUonTheOtherSide (May 19, 2011 2:07 pm ET)
      1  
      How is it that such issues, like the controversial lyrics of one song, are catapulted to the forefront of political news in this country? The white house would be hard pressed to find any music artist, rap or otherwise, that did not entertain controversial lyrics in at least one of their songs. Common, like others invited to the WH, should be judged not on cherry picked lyrics, but on his entire body of work. In my opinion, he deserves the recognition.
      Report Abuse