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Burns: "Fox News is the very definition... of The Big Lie"

April 16, 2010 6:13 pm ET

Burns: If O'Reilly had any integrity, he would come clean and say, "I Was Wrong" about Fox's health insurance "jail time" falsehoods.

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    • Author by ProgLib (April 16, 2010 6:19 pm ET)
      4 1
      O'Reilly seriously needs to move on from this... he's digging his own grave.
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      • Author by ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© (April 16, 2010 7:19 pm ET)
        5 1
        Who knows?

        The wingnuts have been doing this all along. The only price they've paid is having to carry a heavier check to the bank.
        ~
        Report Abuse
      • Author by princeofwheels (April 17, 2010 12:38 am ET)
        4 1
        I have an extra shovel if he needs one.
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    • Author by David G (April 16, 2010 9:57 pm ET)
         
      Fox News is a comedy channel. I personally watch it to see how many mistatements and lies they can make up. I find it very entertaining. The problem though with Fox(aka Fake News) is the violent rhetoric they preach, could lead to violence in our country. But Fox News could care less, all they care about is ratings and how much $$$$ they can make.
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    • Author by freedom-freddykrueger (April 17, 2010 5:52 am ET)
         
      a propaganda network they will never admit they lie. I tried watching glenn beck one day and i could not he is ridiculous. O'reilly is not a journalist he knows it he says the no spin zone unless you a liberal wanting to speak your point of view and get cut off. I know he gets ratings but come on tell the truth please mr. o'reilly i wont hold my breath for that one.
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    • Author by stevensm (April 17, 2010 9:59 am ET)
      7  
      O'Reilly is not the man of integrity that he would have us to believe. He got caught saying something that was not true and even after he was proven to be wrong, he lied some more. One could respect him if he did "man up" and admit that he got it wrong but his pride and ego won't let him. Instead he lied more and attacked those that pointed out his errors.
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    • Author by Jeremy Danials (April 17, 2010 11:48 am ET)
      4 2
      In order to "man up," you need to be human first. Being the Demon of Bullying and Deception, O'Lielly doesn't qualify.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by alienofwar (April 17, 2010 12:12 pm ET)
      3 2
      Gosh Media Matters, you guys are so radically far-left for pointing out the lies of Bill O'Reilly, how day you!

      Keep the laughs coming O'Reilly. You're the reason I keep coming to this website.
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      • Author by Refresh (April 18, 2010 4:00 pm ET)
        2  
        Gosh Media Matters, you guys are so radically far-left for pointing out the lies of Bill O'Reilly, how day you!

        There are a couple trolls who say Media Matters is just as wrong as the liars they call out. MMFA is as extreme as Hannity. Who cares as long as MMFA does not resort to lying, misinforming, and deceit which are staples of Hannity, Beck, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Coulter, Breitbart and a host of others. So MMFA picks out even the smallest lie and reports on it? So what. A lie is a lie no matter if it is a little "white" lie or a major lie. Misinformation is misinformation no matter how insignificant one might think it is, it's still misinformation. Media Matters is wrong for calling out even the slightest lie or the smallest bit of misinformation? Yeah right, that's the whole purpose of MMFA, to call out and correct ALL of it. You dimwits.
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        • Author by lather (April 19, 2010 7:38 am ET)
             
          Misinformation is misinformation no matter how insignificant one might think it is, it's still misinformation.



          And when it is a pattern.. a continuous stream of lies.. it becomes Orwellian.
          I truly think FOX believes the stories that only FOX and its Cohorts create... pass back and forth.. and add to..

          FOX is a propaganda machine and Bill-O is nothing but a Tool (LOL)
          Sadly tools can be dangerous in the wrong hands.. FOX Viewers are children and children should not be playing with tools..

          Now I am off to read any new BJFans post.. Talk about a Tool.. (LOL)
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    • Author by Tania (April 18, 2010 8:52 am ET)
         
      If he wants to maintain his status as the 'voice of sanity' there, which I think secretly he was pretty chuffed about, he's going to HAVE to issue a big embarrassing apology.

      But he won't. The problem is that his viewers are largely unaware of any lie as they watch nothing but Fox but are too stupid to notice inconsistencies and outright lies in their rhetoric. Like we see with Beck, the personalities on Fox can get away with ANYTHING as long as they keep repeating it as a perpetual talking point.

      The stupidity of the average Fox viewer tells us that there is no need for him to apologise. Unlike us these people just simply don't CARE about the truth. I've tried talking sense in to a big Glenn Beck fan in the states there from Australia. I sent him an enormous set of long emails detailing the lies, race batings, distortions and fear mongerings that are an everyday occurance on the GB show and Fox in general. I also offered up a challenge that he could select a days GB show for me to watch in the future and I would bet on me being able to prove a lie or significant distortion. It took me hours and I was happy thinking that I had spread some sanity and truth in the world (this guy was a YouTube nut complete with guns in every room and posted daily rantings about socialism and communism and after the HC reform he was threatening violent means of overturning it). But no, unfortunately these people are simply unreachable; all my hours were for nothing; he simply excused it and said essentially in a laughably colert manner, that facts are liberally biased and therefore worthless. That the new world order controls the information I get so you can't believe anything you ever hear (apart from Fox News and right wing blogs and radio!!).

      It's a very sad sad situation in America right now. I cannot understand how it is allowable that a 'news' channel can broadcast outright lies and distortions on a daily basis and get no repercussions!? Can someone explain this to me? Why isn't there a law to protect ethical journalism?

      The results of the Fox propaganda machine are huge. When I watch footage of the rallies etc I am always amazed at how the rhetoric echoes exactly what Fox and Friends, or Hannity, or Bill, or Sarah have said. It's a very Orwellian era and seems very spooky on the outside looking in.
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    • Author by gobama (April 18, 2010 2:06 pm ET)
      1 2
      What continues to shock me is that MMfA (Marxist Media for America) attacks any view point that doesn't support high taxes, redistribution of wealth, and the limiting of personal rights. Fox simply describes both sides of an issue and somehow many of you find that as a threat to your viewpoint and therefore must attack. I, like MOST Americans want to hear both sides of every issue...not just the liberal side!!! What is so wrong with that???
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      • Author by trelan1701 (April 19, 2010 12:32 pm ET)
           
        Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! Troll! and the crowds yawns wildly!!!
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      • Author by Squeaky Wheels (April 19, 2010 3:15 pm ET)
           
        Even if it were true that there are always exactly 2 equally-valid sides to every issue, FOX is the last media outlet that can claim balance, let alone fairness.

        FOX's MO is to use unfair smears to get people to hate anyone who is not on board with the conservatively-biased viewpoint.
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      • Author by big_O_Other7415 (April 19, 2010 5:23 pm ET)
           
        Ahhh, Shaddup!

        I have never heard anyone here supporting high taxes, redistribution of wealth or limiting personal rights.

        I've heard plenty of right wingers wanting to curtail others' rights -- not just gay rights, or minority rights, but speech itself. They pounce on a single word or phrase and beat it to death endlessly (e.g. Sotomayor's 'wise Latina') because they do NOT care about the truth, only the perception of truth, for which lying seems to be (they feel) the most effective tool. Full of trumped up nonsense masquerading as critique, which your post is.
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    • Author by insaneloki20024664 (April 19, 2010 11:46 am ET)
         
      Nobody has ever said get health insurance or you'll go to jail. They wouldn't say that. however, there is a provision in the current legislation that imposes fines on people that fail to have what the government considers adequate health insurance. What happens when you do not pay government fines or taxes, you go to jail.

      So in a sense they are correct in saying that if you refuse to have health insurance and then subsequently the fine you could go to jail.
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      • Author by trelan1701 (April 19, 2010 12:57 pm ET)
        1  
        First, that's not what they were saying. They were suggesting that not getting health would land you in jail. They skipped over the part about not paying fines in order to allow their incredibly gullible viewers to make that very conclusion. And they did it on purpose, so yes, they did say "buy health insurance or go to jail."

        Second, the bill specifically includes language that PREVENTS you from going to jail for not paying the fine. Or even paying the fine in the first place if you don't feel like it.

        What's that?

        Prove it, you say? OK.

        In the section defining the individual mandate:

        "In the case of any failure by a tax payer to timely pay any penalty imposed by this section such tax payer shall not be subject to any criminal prosecution or penalty with respect to such failure."

        So, either Fox is lying or I am better informed than the entire team of crack researchers they like to brag about.

        aaaaaannnndddd...

        Checkmate!
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