Scarborough labels O'Reilly's attack on NBC over "civil war" decision "insane" and "insulting"

On the November 29 edition of MSNBC's Scarborough Country, host Joe Scarborough said that Fox News host Bill O'Reilly's criticism of NBC and MSNBC for deciding to use the phrase "civil war" in describing the situation in Iraq, was "insane," "insulting," "over the top," and "very disturbing." On the November 28 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly said, "[T]he American media is not helping anyone by oversimplifying the situation and rooting for the USA to lose in Iraq." After airing the clip, Scarborough said O'Reilly is "suggesting that NBC is rooting for America to lose in Iraq" and asked: "What is going on at Fox News? Why is Bill O'Reilly claiming that my network, NBC News, is rooting for terrorists? That's truly insulting to me."

From the November 29 edition of MSNBC's Scarborough Country, which featured Matthew Felling, media director for the Center for Media and Public Affairs:

SCARBOROUGH: And you know, Matthew Felling, though, when we're talking about bias, I gotta -- let's bring in Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly because he actually went after NBC News for the decision to use the term "civil war" to describe the situation in Iraq. Take a look at Bill O'Reilly's attack on NBC.

O'REILLY [video clip]: NBC News has declared that there is indeed a civil war in Iraq. Now, that's not shocking because NBC is the most aggressive anti-Bush network these days, as they have made a calculated effort to woo left-wing viewers. The question is, is NBC wrong about Iraq? The answer is, yes. Of course, the American media is not helping anyone by oversimplifying the situation and rooting for the USA to lose in Iraq. And that is what some media people are doing.

SCARBOROUGH: I think that's insane, that he's suggesting there that NBC is rooting for America to lose in Iraq. Bill O'Reilly has had questions about this war from the very beginning. Bill O'Reilly knows we're engaged in a civil war over there. I'm stunned. What is going on at Fox News? Why is Bill O'Reilly claiming that my network, NBC News, is rooting for terrorists? That's truly insulting to me.

FELLING: Yeah, well, apparently, we now know of two programs that don't have a breathalyzer and require you to be sober when you go on the air. It's The View and The O'Reilly Factor. This "No Spin Zone," the blood alcohol must be through the roof.

SCARBOROUGH: And let me tell you this, Matthew. Hold on. I have defended Bill O'Reilly time and time again because I know liberals hate Bill because he speaks his mind, and he wins. But I think in this case, it's over the top and it's very disturbing to me.

—R.D.