On O'Reilly, Bernstein vs. Bernstein vs. Bernstein
In a discussion on the June 5 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor of his book, A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton (Random House, June 2007), author Carl Bernstein, in the span of a few seconds, gave virtually every possible answer to host Bill O'Reilly's initial question about whether Clinton had broken the law. First, Bernstein said simply, "Yes," but then gave the following contradictory statements in response to follow-up questions by O'Reilly: "She broke the law if, indeed, she perjured herself," and "No. The special prosecutor determined that she did not." After Bernstein stated: "Let me be really straightforward. I don't think she broke the law. I think there was a time that she did not tell the truth," O'Reilly asked, "Under oath?" Bernstein replied, "You know, I wasn't in the room."
Bernstein then said that Clinton "has a longtime problem with truth telling," only to assert moments later, "I think all people have problems telling the truth when they're under the most pressure, And the question is how much do they succumb to it?" O'Reilly then asked Bernstein if Clinton "succumbed to it, in your opinion, all the time," to which Bernstein said, "No," and then added: "Some of the time. Some of the time."
Later in the broadcast, O'Reilly concluded: "I have to tell you, I still don't know what to make of the woman even after -- even after reading the book. That's how complicated this woman is." Bernstein replied: "That's terrific."
The exchange went as follows, from the June 5 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
O'REILLY: Did she break the law?
BERNSTEIN: Yes.
O'REILLY: OK. Good, I like this. How did she break the law?
BERNSTEIN: She broke the law if, indeed, she perjured herself.
O'REILLY: Well, you just said she did break the law.
BERNSTEIN: No. The special prosecutor determined that she did not. So he did not file the charge.
O'REILLY: So you think she did. But the special prosecutor, Ken Starr, said no.
BERNSTEIN: That is co -- you know what? Let me be really straightforward. I don't think she broke the law. I think there was a time that she did not tell the truth.
O'REILLY: Under oath?
BERNSTEIN: You know, I wasn't in the room.
O'REILLY: But seven years, Carl, come on, you're a tough guy. You got to come to a conclusion.
BERNSTEIN: No. I think that she has a longtime problem with truth telling. And that that is one of the things that has hobbled her through her years in the White House, continues to. And now the question is -- you know, this is a book about a life, a remarkable, epical, American life.
O'REILLY: OK. I got it. I got it. But I want to get specific into what you know, because you're the Watergate guy. All right. Why does she have a problem telling the truth? Why?
BERNSTEIN: I think all people have problems telling the truth when they're under the most pressure. And the question is how much do they succumb to it?
O'REILLY: And she succumbed to it, in your opinion, all the time?
BERNSTEIN: No.
O'REILLY: Once in a while?
BERNSTEIN: Some of the time. Some of the time. I think she has a problem with it. I say it very clearly in the book. I think -- however, I think that her problem with truth telling is as much one of obfuscation, omission.
She wants us to have a certain picture of herself. She wants to control her image. She wants us to control --
O'REILLY: But it's a little troubling if she becomes president, and we can't -- you know, it reminds me of the guy, [entertainment mogul David] Geffen, out in L.A. You know, you must have smiled when you heard Geffen say the Clintons have brought lying --
BERNSTEIN: I think we're barking up the wrong tree here.
O'REILLY: Really?
BERNSTEIN: Yes, I think that what we want to do is look at the whole person for the first time. We've never had that opportunity until this book. Because what I've done is I've gone back to the people who know her the best from childhood through the presidency, through her Senate term, and on the record have gotten from them who this person really is.
[...]
O'REILLY: OK, one more fast question. Why is she the most polarizing person in the country in the political arena?
BERNSTEIN: Partly because she is a Rorschach test in terms of gender. Partly because she is between post-feminism and pre-feminism. That she gets huge ideological cultural warfare conducted around her. She's a lightning rod for it. And we're in the midst of a culture war.
O'REILLY: We are --
BERNSTEIN: And the Clintons, as you know -- and you're on the firing line.
O'REILLY: You bet.
BERNSTEIN: And as you know, as a result, that there are charges false, and there are allegations that have some water.
O'REILLY: I got it. And I read -- I read your whole book top to bottom.
BERNSTEIN: It's time to sort it out.
O'REILLY: I have to tell you, I still don't know what to make of the woman even after -- even after reading the book. That's how complicated this woman is.
BERNSTEIN: That's terrific.
The other right-wing media mogul you should worry about
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I'm glad that's cleared up.
BTW...WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT???
Randy
Randy,
That was pretty good. I can't quite figure out what just happened in that interview.
Maybe The Daily Show can make some sense out of it for us. I think this is great fodder for them. They love to show how useless "news" analysis shows are.
I did see this interview and Bernstein was incoherent and all over the place.....it was nearly uncomfortable to watch. If his book is as meandering as this interview was, my head would be spinning.
I think Bernstein has lost it completely. This is not the same man that I grew to admire from his Watergate reporting.
I agree Doris.
Both Bernstein & Woodward have fallen from grace in my eyes since their brilliant Watergate investigative reporting.
Too bad, they were damn good.
.. sorta like male Kitty Kellys now.
That was an insult to Kitty Kelly. She is the most insightful biographer around today. She delves very deeply into the psyches of her subjects and has never been successfully sued. Bernstein and Woodward are both hacks coasting on past glories.
I beg your pardon Man, but we will have tol agree to disagree. Kitty Kelly sells polished and packaged gossip in my opinion. I don't take her seriously.
Lynn I agree with you. Kitty Kelly is trashy.
Remember back in the Watergate days when Bernstien was considered the heavywieght and Woodward was just so much fluff? What the heck happened?
Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and again - perhaps watergate was his acorn, and the rest is him meandering in hopes of catching another.
Is this really the same guy who busted open Watergate?
Yeah,
Kind of sad to see Berstein reduced to a babbling, incoherent, fool.
Is he trying to suck up to O'Dingbat?
6oo pages? sounds like a book listing baby bush's alcohol and cocaine binges by date only. Never saw anybody retract a retraction on a retraction to the point it is only possible from a sure thing. I think b.o. put him on one of his coolaid IV drip feeds with a double dose of orange sunshine mixed in. I just heard b.o. refer to kascich as"middle of the road" b.o. smokes his own poop.
Too bad Hillary doesn't have shoulders you can land a 747 on, seems like looks is how you get a pass in the republican party these days.
Actually, it was shoulders you could land a 737 on. Typical liberal misinformation.
Those guys have shoulder pads on.(republican candidates) If looks do the trick for republicans tell thompson quick so he won't waste his time. He can go back to acting.
Isn't it interesting how Bill was ready to jump on the "broke the law" issue but had to back off. Poor Bill, he keeps trying to be a star with the MSM Media but no one takes him seriously.
Maybe now people will realize that Sen. Clinton is a complicated woman. Ready for this: Aren't they all?
..I did not say that. It wasn't me...It was The Colonel, or the Major or someone else.
Hi everyone, I'm Bill O'Reilly. Thanks for watching us tonight. Here's todays talking points memo: Hillary Clinton. She's a very dangerous lady. I have no idea where she stands on any issue but she's dangerous. You know me, you can trust my judgement on this. Because I'm an independent, and this is the No-Spin Zone, and even though I'm babbling incoherently right now, please don't change the channel. Because we at FOX News pride ourselves on being Fair and Balanced. Which means, anything a Democrat says, we disagree with. And that's the memo.
Tonight's top story: Hillary Clinton. Joining me now is Carl Bernstein who has just written this stunning revelation into Hillarys life titled "A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton". Carl, welcome to the No-Spin Zone.
BO: So, did Hillary Clinton break the law?
CB: Yes, well no....well, maybe, it depends, I actually wasn't there.
BO: There you have it ladies and gentlemen, we report, you decide.
great summation I should have skipped the clip.
lol, good one Bruce
Although maybe a chart or two will clear it all up.
Brilliant.
Bill should have stopped the interview after Bernstein's "Yes" reponse to "Did Hillary break the law?"
"Well that's it folks, we were long on the previous segment so we've run out of time in this one, thank you Mr. Bernstein for that thouroughly informative interview.........back with more no-spin analysis after this message".
you he probably would of, he just thought berstein would have a juicy follow up. He got greedy.
bill almost ejaculated when bernstein said your on the front lines of the culture war i bet in one of his future shows he awards himslef a victoria cross and says it came from the white house
That was great Bruce, just classic.
Bravo Bruce...
E-mail John Stewart with that one.
For a professional pundit and author like Bernstein...who has given and received many interviews...this performance was truly bizarre.
Newsflash: Brilliant people are often complicated. I am very disappointed with Carl Bernstein.
BillyO' calls himself a simple man..I agree with him. He is simple.
I'll grant you he's simple, prince, but a man?
Ouch! That was hard to watch. I'd be surprised if anyone tries to defend th.....wait a sec, no I won't.
"Hillary has a problem with the truth...but she doesn't lie often, just sometimes...and everyone lies under pressure...and she broke the law even though she might not have been under oath and even though Starr didn't file the charges...so no she didn't break the law...but she did lie...everyone lies..."
Jesus! Just admit you hold her to a different standard than everyone else, and be done with it.
The halcyon days of Woodward and Bernstein are truly dead. Both of them sold out. They've traded honest journalism for muck racking sensationalism. If Bernstein ever had any liberal credentials, he traded them in years ago. Honesty in journalism should not be measured by how much you get on a book deal. I've often thought that Woodward and Bernstein's contributions to journalism were just so much hype. Watergate is more of a passing reference these days.
Yeah, I got it too...Carl Bernstein is inauthentic and has problems with truth telling.
Bernstein is high, once again.
Can't BilldO get a good honest unbiased hit piece on Hillary? Somebody not hindered by reality?
doesn't Dick Morris live in Hannity's utility closet right there in the studio?
under the desk, that's where Hannity keeps the shoes.
aah that's right it's not a shoe fetish, it's toes. Well close enough
Now that's frikkin' funny Huntington...
Maybe the sight of O'Dipstick just scrambled his brain.
What a sorry episode this was.
Thanks Media Matters.
Time to put Carl to bed
He looks old, tired and confused.
Maybe he's been watching John McCain videos.
The more I watch, the less I understand.
It's difficult to watch Bernstein fall from his glory years as the intrepid reporter covering the Watergate scandal with Woodward...alas.
When will someone tell me what Hillary has done wrong.Tell me a lie she has told.
I have studied the Clinton's since 1991 and cannot find what is wrong with them other than Bill adultery.
Had she done a wrong Starr of Scum would have been all over it.
Smear Smear how do they get by with it?
clarence swinney-poltical research historian--since 1991 on reagan-clinton-bushII administrations
cwswinney@netzero.net
Do not fail to recall the Newt Congress spent $110,000,000(GAO NUMBER) on Hearings and Investigations of the Clintons.
Newt said in 1994--"If we take Congress we will investigate every decision by this administration".
$110,000,000 got one CONVICTION of a person who committed a FELONY which was done while "working for" President clinton.
If anyone knows more I would like to know .
cwswinney@netzero.net
Ask Bernstein to show us a record of accomplishments better than this Two For One.
PRAISE CLINTON--WITH PLEASURE
GDP--rose from 6300 to11,600
NATIONAL INCOME-5,000 to 8,000 Billion--
JOBS CREATED—237,00 per month to replace Jimmy Carter record of 218,000.
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS--$360 to $478
AVERAGE WEEKLY HOURS WORKED--never hit 35.0--hit that mark 4 times in 80's
UNEMPLOYMENT--from 7.2% down down down to as low as 3.9%
MINIMUM WAGE--$4.25 to $5.15
MINORITIES--did exceedingly well
HOME OWNERSHIP--hit all time high (no big deal most can say this-except Reagan)
DEFICIT--290 Billion to whoopee a SURPLUS
DEBT----+28%---300% increase over prior 12 years by Conservatives.
FEDERAL SPENDING--+28%---+80% under Reagan- who is da true conservative?
DOW JONES AVERAGE—3,500 to 11,720 top in 2000. All it's history to get to 3500 and Clinton zooms it
NASDAQ--700 to 5,000 top in 2000.---All of it's history to get to 700 and Clinton zooms it
VALUES INDEXES-- almost all bad went down--good went up in zoom zoom zoom
FOREIGN AFFAIRS--Peace on Earth good will toward each other---Mark of a true Christian--what has Bush done to Peace on Earth?
POPULARITY---highest poll ratings in history during peacetime in AFRICA, ASIA AND EUROPE . Even 98.5% in Moscow--left office with Highest Gallup rating since it was started in 1920's.
STAND UP FOR JUSTICE--evil conservatives spent $110,000,000 on hearings and investigations and caught one very evil man who took a few plane rides to events.
BOW YOUR HEADS—“Thank you God for sending us a man of Bill Clinton's character, intelligence, knowledge of governance, ability to face up to crises without whimpering and a great leader of the world. Amen”.
THANK YOU GOD FOR THE GOOD TIMES THE CLINTON YEARS.
clarence swinney-political historian-Lifeaholics of America- burlington nc
cwswinney@netzero.net
6-28-03
That's some good work Swinney. Stick arround and keep your sources handy as I think I can safley pridict someone will disagree with you here. I might have a few differences with Bill, but on the whole I'm in agreement with you on his positive effect as PrezBubba, and after as well.
Sy Herst on Investigative Reporter Bill O
"Scum of the earth-pathological lair-sell mom for story"
Woodward AAAAAANNNNND......Woodward AAAAAAAND BuhBuhBuh
Ahhhhhh doesnt really matter....When youve been Robin to Batman, W to Cheney, Minime to Austin Powers and a Shadow to Woodward you can expect a lil delusions of grandeur to knock you upside the head..
I am NO fan of Hillary, but, this guy looks pathetic...and I for one feel sorry for him
Ugh. What kind of expert is he to tell us that Hillary Clinton is a Rorschach test in terms of gender. Everyone has a fluid gender: it has to do with how we see ourselves, not our sex. That anyone is supposed to be one certain way, static and predictable is utterly ridiculous.
I'm voting for Barack Obama.
I don't like Hill The Pill and there is no way she will do even half as well as Bill Clinton did if she was elected besides the Republicans would swiftboat her in the general election.
Correction: The Republicans will swiftboat ANY democratic nominee in the general election, because it apparently works.
I saw that. Sort of made my head spin.
She broke the law. No. wait. She didn't. Uh. no. She didn't tell the truth.