Alter: O'Reilly is "so inflated, it's coming out of his ears."
On the January 8 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, Newsweek senior editor Jonathan Alter compared Fox News' Bill O'Reilly to a "blimp ... balloon in one of those parades," adding that O'Reilly is "so full of himself" and is "so inflated, it's coming out of his ears." Host Tucker Carlson had asked his guests what they thought "of the meltdown occurring in public of Bill O'Reilly," saying that MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, host of Countdown, "has set out to drive Bill O'Reilly crazy, and apparently he's succeeded." Carlson also stated that he is "not a huge fan of the [Fox] network -- but some of [the people that work there] are decent, and some of them are -- actually are intelligent." Tucker's other guest, retired Col. Jack Jacobs, concluded of O'Reilly's flagging ratings that "there's a finite life to everything."
As Media Matters for America has noted, O'Reilly has recently taken to attacking NBC and MSNBC for what he perceived to be "Bush-hat[ing]" and "irresponsible" reporting of Saddam Hussein's execution. For instance, on the January 3 broadcast of his television show, O'Reilly asserted that "NBC News led the way" among the "Bush-hat[ing]" media because "elements over there" were "calling the execution a PR disaster for the USA." O'Reilly's remarks drew a response from MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, a self-described conservative and host of MSNBC's Scarborough Country, who, on the January 4 edition of his show, asserted that O'Reilly was "way off base on MSNBC, on NBC, and certainly on me. And I challenge you to debate me anytime, anyplace, anywhere." Scarborough also suggested that O'Reilly is "a suck-up."
On the January 4 editions of both his television and radio shows, O'Reilly continued to attack NBC News' coverage of Saddam's execution. On his radio show, O'Reilly asserted that "[t]hey are an activist network now. They hate Bush across the board. They hate him. Their White House correspondent, David Gregory, hates him. The Today show hates him. The Nightly hates him. Everybody hates him, across the board." On his television program, Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly stated that he was "disturbed by" NBC's reporting "because I don't believe it's honest. I believe it's a calculated decision to attack people in the hopes of getting viewers, which is sleazy to say the least."
Additionally, on The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly falsely claimed, "There isn't one conservative ... not one conservative commentator that works for NBC News at this time." In fact, at least two MSNBC hosts -- Scarborough, a former Republican member of Congress from Florida, and Carlson -- identify themselves as conservatives.
From the January 8 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:
CARLSON: Now, I wonder what you make of the meltdown occurring in public of Bill O'Reilly. I wanna play you a clip. This is an interview that he did with NBC's [chief foreign affairs correspondent] Andrea Mitchell. It comes after a number of years of needling from Keith Olbermann. Keith Olbermann has set out to drive Bill O'Reilly crazy, and apparently he's succeeded. Take a look at this clip.
O'REILLY [video clip]: You're entitled to your public and private beliefs. You are, and I don't have any quibble with that, but if it's all one way, if it's all of them across the board, then I'm saying, "Where's the diversity?"
CARLSON: So, Andrea Mitchell goes on -- that doesn't quite capture the intensity of this interview -- she goes on his show to sell her book, and right in the middle of it, he starts going crazy about "NBC News is bad." Here's my question to you: If year after year, you're being needled, right -- so Keith Olbermann is trying to get under his skin -- aren't you wise to resist and try to ignore it and not take the bait?
JACOBS: Well, it depends on what you're after. If you're after the people standing around a watercooler saying that you, Bill O'Reilly, are really a cool guy, and you're even-tempered and intelligent and all the rest of that stuff, well, of course you hold back. But, at the end of the day, if what you're after is viewers, then you go by the old adage that says any publicity is good publicity, and the more of a lunatic you act like, the greater the likelihood is that people will be watching you next time around. So there's a little bit of showmanship in all of this.
ALTER: He's got a book out --
CARLSON: No, I think that's right --
ALTER: Tucker --
CARLSON: -- but I think, in the end, it helps MSNBC. I think Bill O'Reilly has helped this network quite a bit.
ALTER: Yeah.
CARLSON: Jonathan Alter, don't you? And why -- why don't the people at Fox, who are very smart, and some of them -- now, I'm not a huge fan of the network -- but some of them are decent, and some of them are-- actually are intelligent people. Why don't they say to Bill O'Reilly, "Stop, don't respond"?
ALTER: They can't. They can't. They tried to say that to him, Tucker, when he sued [Air America Radio host] Al Franken. Do you remember that whole thing? He said -- they said to him, "You've got no case, Bill. Don't sue. It just gives Al Franken publicity." He wouldn't listen. He's like the Macy's Day, you know, blimp -- balloon in one of those parades. He's so full of himself. He's so inflated, it's coming out of his ears. He's so full of it that they can't possibly, you know, bring him down to earth.
JACOBS: You know, this has developed --
ALTER: So, he's gonna do this, and it's gonna help Keith. I think it's great for Countdown. It's great for MSNBC. He keeps feeding it, his numbers keep going down, Keith's numbers keep going up. Status quo's great for MSNBC.
JACOBS: You know, this has developed over a period of time. It's developed over a period of time. When O'Reilly first popped on at Fox, I think it was 18 months to three years before he had any ratings that were larger than those that are usually reserved for watching a test pattern. [Fox News chairman and CEO] Roger Ailes stuck with him because he thought eventually the bombast would take hold. It did, but, you know, there's a finite life to everything, and it is great news for Keith and for MSNBC.
CARLSON: Yeah, and I think for the American people.
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How strange that nobody (besides Olbermann) could be bothered to mention O'Reilly's craziness until he attacked NBC.
Destroying our democratic process by lying for a corrupt power is one thing, but now it's serious!
I caught most of the interview of BOR with Mitchell. For those who did not, Fox News has it available on their website:
[link to www.foxnews.com]
For those math majors out there, the number of times Olbermann is mentioned: zero
Throughout the entire interview, it is clear that BOR is referring to NBC News, the mother ship, not MSNBC or CNBC (curiously omitted even by the MSNBC folks). When Matthews is mentioned, Mitchell says he is an MSNBC commentator, and BOR says that no he is referring to his frequent appearances on the NBC evening news show and the Today show, not his appearances on MSNBC.
And "meltdown": If Tucker & co think BOR had a meltdown on his own show, what do they think of Bill Clinton's thigh poking inteview with Wallace?
Try this link instead:
[link to www.foxnews.com]
Fox News cycled to the next story on me!
>>>"And "meltdown": If Tucker & co think BOR had a meltdown on his own show, what do they think of Bill Clinton's thigh poking inteview with Wallace?"<<<
Placing, as you do, O'Reilly's interview on an equal par with Wallace's only makes sense in the non-analytical, pretend, fantasy-land of the right-winger, but not in the real world where the rest of us live.
By the way, did you ever click on that yellow sidebar?
Re your comment from today:
If you remember, both Bill Clinton and Bill O'Reilly have now been accused of interview meltdowns. In Clinton's case, it involved physical contact and his hot temper. In O'Reilly's case, there was no physical contact, no temper. So I was just wondering how Carlson & group would scale Clinton's over the top performance. What inventive words would they use?
I did not compare interviewing skills. My feet go all the way down to the floor. Have a great day.
You need to look at the pattern used by O'Lielly when he tries to have a dig at his intellectually superior competitors. Normally he'll get Geraldo or another Fox call girl to come on in the guise of some media analysis segment. They spend a couple of minutes praising each other and then begin to lament the dropping standards in "the far-left media. (Notice how everything that isn't as far right as Fox is automatically Far Left) Then they start referring to Bush-haters and so on and so on. Then normally Geraldo or whichever agree-bot is on set with the booby-washer will start saying "c'mon Bill let's call these cowards out!" Then Bill will get a smug grin on his face and say "oh no, that's what they want - I'm not gonna give em the publicity.."
Face it, O'Reilly is a total cretin who bought his p#ssant postgrad from Harvard the way that his hero Bush did. Just the other day i heard him refer to "M 1 6 in Britain." Simple mistake I'm sure you'll say - only it's not. Anyone who refers to M 1 6, clearly has no idea that it is MI6 (The MI stands for Military Intelligence) - and given the structure of the text it's pretty clear that the moron has misread from a page fed to him by someone else. There are countless other examples of O'Reilly's pig ignorance. The only reason that it isn't picked up on more often is that in the blind world of Fox News viewers, this one-eyed windbag is king. His time will come and he'll slink off to mexico with his millions to have cut-price hookers oil up his Mr Burns-like body for 12 pesos a day. I pity anyone who is foolish enough to swallow his garbage (or anything else of his for that matter). He will one day be forgotten for everything bar his blind cheerleading at the wasted lives of thousands of young Americans who had the guts and the heart to make the ultimate sacrifice in this collossal military folly. P.S - If you're really from Missouri, Truman must be rolling in his grave.
"He will one day be forgotten. . ."
Don't tease me like that. (i think i need a cigarette)
I'd never wanna face off with you at high noon on a dusty street.
You're a gunslinger!
"...he'll get Geraldo or another Fox call girl...."
More liberals watch Fox News than any other cable news network. Way to smack down your own people.
"More liberals watch Fox News than any other cable news network. "
-----
Welcome to yet another episode of "Leatherhelmet's statistics pulled directly from his George."
Maybe it was in the Paris Business Review...
Say what? Are there any facts to support this strange delusion of yours?
The only reason any liberals watch Bill orally is to witness three things:
A nightly public meltdown......
A good laugh...... lets face it, between his obsession for missing blonde girls and fellow female workers, can anything he does truely be taken seriously?
And to take note of his bloviating/lies, then go out in the real world where a liberal might find to be in what looks like a discussion or debate, listens for Bill O talking points, upon which actual facts are used by said liberal........
I now reside in Missouri, the Show-Me state.
While you impressed Holly with your ramblings, it sounds to me like you are in need of a sedative or a relaxing somethingorother.
even when shown. Even when they say they need to be shown.
The only reason that it isn't picked up on more often is that in the blind world of Fox News viewers, this one-eyed windbag is king. His time will come and he'll slink off to mexico with his millions to have cut-price hookers oil up his Mr Burns-like body for 12 pesos a day
Sounds like incoherent rambling to me.
I thought -
The only reason that it isn't picked up on more often is that in the blind world of Fox News viewers, this one-eyed windbag is king. His time will come and he'll slink off to mexico with his millions to have cut-price hookers oil up his Mr Burns-like body for 12 pesos a day
was a very funny and insightful passage in an excellent post.
I wouldn't dream of facing off with you. I have far too much respect for a thoughtful, reflective person who learns the lessons of history as you clearly have. As infuriating as Murdoch's propaganda machine is, it's people like you that give me hope. I wish i could be as optimistic about things as you sometimes seem to be. Cheers.
you're too kind for I have my dark days too. You're right about the lessons of history. BOR clucks about the War on Christmas, which can be compared to Nero playin' his fiddle while Rome burned. In our case, it's Baghdad, the Earth, the Constitution, and our nation's credit that burns.
if you want to plumb the perspective of another gunslinger and pessimist, read this: [link to www.rottentomatoes.com]
Keith Olberman is simply calling O'Reilly on his B.S. Billo's a stupid simpering bully boy and now he's whining because Keith's handing him a taste of his own medicine. I say BRAVO Keith-it's about G.D. time someone stood up to that jackass.Limbaugh-you're next.Then Hannity.
On every thread about O'Reilly and Fox, someone suggests that it is only the over 65 crowd who watch O’Reilly. I used to watch Fox News-- including O’Reilly sometimes--until about three years ago; in other words, until I reached age 65. Now I watch no TV except the Weather Channel occasionally and get all my news on the Internet. Media Matters and occasionally News Hounds (so you don’t have to watch Fox) are enough TV information for me. Well all right. I will, as my civic duty, watch the President’s speech tomorrow night. However, I then will run to the computer to read reactions -- on progressive Websites such as Huffington Post and also in the New York Times. So please, stop blaming Fox News’ top ratings on the over 65 crowd. For one thing, demographically there are not enough of us to give Fox top rating, even if we ALL watched that, and only that channel. Statistically, an outrageous assumption. So, a lot of you not yet tottering crowd must be sneaking a peek--regularly. So come on, ‘fess up.
...to you Christie. I've never made an age-related remark about Fox News viewers. You are obvoiusly a thinking person with a sense of civic duty. For that you deserve the utmost respect. I can see how you would be offended by some of the remarks suggesting that Fox's ratings are supported by people of your generation - i would be too. I think some folks are a bit quick to make assumptions and generalisations about different groups in our society - that is a big part of the problem. Ironically, it is also the kind of mindset that Fox perpetuates. If i were to make assumptions about older people it would be that they have seen more of life, politics and society than my generation and (particularly the WWII generation & Vietnam generations) have an appreciation of how little is gained by blind prejudice and ill convcieved military ventures. Anyway, it's not my place to speak for my elders, only to listen and learn. Ignorance is the enemy, in my view and sadly that comes in many colors shapes, sizes and ages. In the end, the ratings numbers for Fox aren't the point - i mean geez, Pepsi would outsell coke if we put heroin in it. Just a couple of thoughts.
The nearly constant ads for the Scooter Hut and diabetes supplies deliverd right to your door (EVEN if you forgot to reorder!) would lead one to assume the average age is a bit over say 18!!
Lots of B.O.'s fans are getting up there in years. If they don't count ratings from hospitals and nursing homes, the ratings numbers will be way off.
Pot meet kettle.
be nice.
Nice is good.
Nice is nice.
But most importantly, nice is good citizenship.
O'Reilly:"I believe it's a calculated decision to attack people in the hopes of getting viewers, which is sleazy to say the least."
Cindy Sheehan says hi, Bill.
Bill O'Reilly's interview with Ms. Mitchell was nothing short of bullying tactics. Having worked in media, I can assure you his producer was yelling in his ear to calm down. Let's roll out some facts.
1.) When Bill was on NPR a few years ago, they did not talk about his book but ambushed him on other stuff. He rightly complained yet he did the same to Ms. Mitchell. 2.) He is mad at Law and Order and NBC for doing a mock up on his phone sex stuff. If a reporter or columnist mentions this, they are immediatley attacked. 3.) Tom Brokaw is the icon of WWII vets. Hardly a left wing loon. 4.) During the interview he mentioned Chris Mathews working for the late Tip O'Neill. Has Bill ever mentioned Roger Ailes numerous GOP connections? 5.) We always here about George Soros on his show, never about Reverend Moon, Phil Anschutz or the other right wing financiers. 6.) He once predicted Brian Williams would bomb. That is not so. 7.) Who actually conducts these Factor investigations? It looks like a 25 year old field producer knocking on a door.
And finally for MMFA posters the real secret of Bill O'Reilly. It is called the law of percentage. The USA has thousands of school districts and millions of undocumented immigrants. So there are naturally going to be bad behavior or crazy rulings just as a percentage. The trick to Bill O and Fox is to find the crazy one and then blow it up as a "national" trend. In other words find a strawman and then knock it down. Have you ever noticed how he always attacks the local press in the area's he investigates. That is because they don't print the exxaggerations and down right factual misstatements which are on the show.
1) Mitchell wasn't on to talk about her book. She was on to talk about NBC News.... 2) Yes, that seems consistent. He is mad at anyone who mentions an allegation from his personal life that was never proven. Is there supposed to be a contradiction there?? 3) First, where do you get the idea that Brokaw is "the icon on World War 2 vets"?? Second, I didn't know that automatically nullified you from being liberal. 4) Roger Ailes is NOT a commentator and DOES NOT host his own show on Fox. He is in the management level. Chris Matthews DOES host his own show and DOES offer commentary on NBC. Thus, your analogy is terrible and pathetic. 5) As soon as Rev. Moon or any other right-wing financiers pump $25 million into 503C groups during 1 election cycle, then they will get the same scrutiny that Soros/Lewis, etc..get 6) Completely irrelevant. So he made a bad prediction. Paul Krugman has made hundreds of bad predictions. Don't see any MMFA posts about those. 7) His staff conducts these investigations. Staff that have much more intelligence than someone like yourself who can't make an analogy or make a coherent argument.
"The USA has thousands of school districts and millions of undocumented immigrants. So there are naturally going to be bad behavior or crazy rulings just as a percentage. The trick to Bill O and Fox is to find the crazy one and then blow it up as a "national" trend. In other words find a strawman and then knock it down. "
What are you talking about?? Law of percentage?? Have you ever taken a math class? Bill has highlighted mistakes by judges and law enforcement officials which have resulted in crimes being committed (Harry Rapkin granting bail to Joseph Smith despite numerous convictions and parole violations) or accused criminals skipping prosecution (Paulo Sheispan-Landero). Judging by your terrible argument, it seems that you have no problem with the terrible decisions made by these judges, which is absolutely appalling.
He is against pretending they are some kind of movement or some kind of trend rather than what they are. Isolated instances of either mistakes or blatant stupidity.
Way to address the substance of the issue - very thoughtful stuff. You should run for the Republican nomination.
missourishowme is not representative of the citizens of Missouri. Yeah we have more than our fairshare of wingnuts and wingnuttery but it seems the vast majority of Missourians are returning to the blue status of the past. There is hope for us! We elected Claire McCaskill to the senate and got rid of Jim Talent. Watch Missouri closely as we are the bellweather state in 08. To amend a quote "As Missouri goes so goes the nation".
Bill O'Reilly. Just saying the name leaves a bad taste in one's mouth.
He's vapid and boorish. His arguments are unsound and lack reason or sophistication. When faced with positions or ideas that require even a moments thought or an ounce of reason he attacks with playground name-calling or generalized slander. All of this while endlessly nailing himself to some fictitious patriotic cross.
In my mind (I may be crazy) there is a difference between having a position and having an opinion. To me, a position implies some effort was taken to seek out information and ideas, from across the board, and then taking a stand based on my own analysis. An opinion is just grabbing hold of whatever is the most convenient or likely to get some attention. Bill has opinions for days but lacks any grounded reasoning to actually have a position. He's like a little kid that's heard the adults talking about something he doesn't understand but feel's very important talking loudly about it to anyone within earshot. And the more confrontationally abusive he talks about it the more important he feels. I guess that's why (in terms of news or even semi-rational dialogue) he's stuck sitting at the "kid's table" (FOX).
reminds me of a cult leader whose followers are slowly beginning to leave him one by one. He still might have a strong following, but there are people beginning to leave. He knows this and is pulling out all the stops. Actually, he is a cult leader, because many of the people who watch his lame show have trouble thinking for themselves and need someone to guide them and he knows it and is laughing behind their backs and using them for his own personal gain and perverse satisfactions and will dump them once they are no longer useful to him.
THANK YOU. njguy93@yahoo.com
for Mitchell to name 1 conservative at NBC News??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Tucker? Scarborough? There's two for you...
Carlson & Scarborough work at MSNBC...O'Reilly (and myself) were both talking about NBC News--completely separate entity....
still waiting...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Matt Lauer, done
Sure, nobody actually mentioned Olbermann's name in the interview, but--really--is it not obvious Billo's coming apart, and that Olbermann has had something to do with it? It's a case of reading between the lines, and with Billo Subtlety is not something to which we are normally treated; he does avoid saying Keith's name, but it's quite obvious who he is referring to.
As fo Tucker, he's still not forgiven for referring to Canada as America's retarded cousin, but he deserves some credit here; even HE is keeping his distance from the right-wing blowhard of Faux Snooze.
I think you're correct about one thing: We need to have a relaxing something or other...All this talk about BOR has me all hot and distracted...maybe a warm shower and "one of those loofah things" rubbed all over my frontside...presumably from behind by BOR, where he belongs (as in,"Get thee behind me, Satan!)
I just listened to about 3 minutes of his boring radio show at lunch and he was telling a caller from Vermont that the current immigration crisis is a direct result of people in certain states voting the wrong party into office. He conveniently left out the part about George W. Moron being at the helm of an administration that turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to a porous border for 6 years.
it's a trap! Missouri-ho-me wants you to get that relaxing somethingorother......then get Ken Starr to impeach you....careful now.