Lauer joined O'Reilly in serving up misinformation on Today
SUMMARY: During his interview with Bill O'Reilly, NBC Today host Matt Lauer joined O'Reilly in serving up conservative misinformation to Today viewers. In questions he posed to O'Reilly, Lauer suggested that Democrats would play a "dangerous" "troop withdrawal game" in Iraq, and that if detainees were released from the U.S. prison facility at Guantánamo Bay and went on to commit terrorist acts, "we've got an international Willie Horton on our hands."
The June 14 broadcast of NBC's Today featured a solo interview conducted by host Matt Lauer with Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, marking O'Reilly's ninth* appearance on Today since November 2001. O'Reilly was again invited onto Today even though, in a previous solo interview with former Today co-host Katie Couric, O'Reilly compared those who advocate for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq -- including Rep. Jack Murtha (D-PA) -- to Hitler appeasers. Additionally, Lauer joined O'Reilly in serving up conservative misinformation to Today viewers; in questions he posed to O'Reilly, Lauer suggested that Democrats would play a "dangerous" "troop withdrawal game" in Iraq, and that if detainees were released from the U.S. prison facility at Guantánamo Bay and went on to commit terrorist acts, "we've got an international Willie Horton on our hands."
During the interview, Lauer asked O'Reilly if "good events" for President Bush in Iraq, such as filling the last remaining cabinet positions there and killing terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had "put the Democrats in a position ... of playing the troop withdrawal game," suggesting that Democrats' "only [political] course of action" in light of these events was "to go back in front of the cameras and say, 'When are we bringing the troops home?' " He also asked O'Reilly whether this was "a dangerous game" for Democrats to "play."
Later, during a discussion of U.S. policy toward terrorist suspects held in the U.S. prison facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, Lauer expanded upon O'Reilly's suggestion that criticism of the current policy was "ridiculous" because the prisoners were too dangerous to be released and did not deserve trials with "civilian lawyers." Lauer asked: "You're saying that if we release these guys [Guantánamo prisoners] and even one of them goes out and commits an act of terror against the United States ... we've got an international Willie Horton on our hands?" O'Reilly had not previously referenced Horton, whose rape and assault of his fiancée after escaping from a 1987 Massachusetts prison furlough was invoked by Republicans in ads attacking Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis. O'Reilly responded to Lauer's question, however, by stating: "It's already happened." In a post on the conservative Media Research Center's NewsBusters weblog, talk show host Mark Finkelstein pointed to Lauer's Horton reference to suggest that "Katie Couric's departure" might have "had a salubrious effect" on Lauer, adding that Lauer's remark "does make you sit up and take notice."
As in O'Reilly's November 30, 2005, appearance on Today, an on-screen graphic reading: "No Spin Zone" was displayed prominently throughout the interview.
Despite his numerous appearances on Today, O'Reilly has labeled NBC "the most anti-Bush network."
From the June 14 broadcast of NBC's Today:
LAUER: Let's talk about -- you talk about turning points. What about here in this country? The president's had a good couple of weeks. Parliament's up and running in Iraq, we've got some key cabinet positions filled, the death of al-Zarqawi. How much of a bump do you think the president's going to get domestically because of this?
O'REILLY: A little bit, but it's a wait-and-see situation. Most Americans want us to succeed in Iraq because it's vital for the world and the United States to win there, and most Americans understand that. People who don't like Bush understand it, but they're not going to jump in, because there's been so much bad news there for three and a half years.
LAUER: Does the progress -- do these -- these good events over the last couple of weeks put the Democrats in a position, Bill, of playing the troop withdrawal game? In other words, is their only course of action now to go back in front of the cameras and say, "When are we bringing the troops home?" And isn't that a dangerous game for them to play?
O'REILLY: Look, the Democrats are in a very tough position. If Bush improves, and Iraq improves, then the Democrats' position in November weakens, OK? Because they're running on Bush's incompetency [sic]. That's what they're running on. If things get better, then the Republicans have a better shot to -- to keep control of the House and the Senate. So Democrats are in a very tough position. But you have to put your country first.
LAUER: Let me ask you about Guantánamo. You were recently there. This is just a flashpoint for criticism --
O'REILLY: It's ridiculous.
LAUER: --around the world. But let me -- I mean, all the calls to close it down, to stop the treatment of these prisoners, to release them or at least put them on trial -- let me read you what the attorney general of Great Britain had to say. He said, quote: "The historic tradition of the U.S. as a beacon of freedom, liberty, and justice deserves the removal of this symbol." This isn't some guy, some Muslim cleric -- radical Muslim cleric. This is the attorney general of Great Britain.
O'REILLY: OK. So where are we going to put them? Where do they go? There's 460 of these guys, 300 are deemed to be enemies of Britain. Where are they going? Leicester Square [in London]? Are we putting them over in the Mayfair Hotel over there? Come on.
LAUER: Well what about putting them on trial?
O'REILLY: On trial where? Here in New York? Are you going to do a [Zacarias] Moussaoui? It took four years to get a guy from Minnesota into the supermax prison. All of those people are going to get civilian lawyers?
LAUER: But are we sure all of these people are huge threats to the United States?
O'REILLY: Are we sure? What, did they take a wrong turn at Kandahar [Afghanistan] and wind up in Tora Bora [Afghanistan, site of battle between Afghan allies of the U.S. and Al Qaeda forces]? It's ridiculous.
LAUER: You're saying that if we release these guys and even one of them goes out and commits an act of terror against the United States --
O'REILLY: It's already happened.
LAUER: -- we've got an international Willie Horton on our hands?
O'REILLY: It's already happened. They released a guy from Guantánamo, they repatriated him back to Pakistan, he blew up the Islamabad Marriott [hotel].
* A Media Matters search of the Nexis database revealed eight additional appearances. Search terms: show (today) and allcaps (o'reilly).
what is the misinformation here? lauer is asking what the democrats do about the "successes" in iraq lately? no misinformation, he is asking. then he asks about gitmo and what to do with the prisoners if it closed?, their trial?, no misinformation. he says if one was released and committed an act of terror it equates to willie horton. no misinformation as that would be very bad indeed, who doubts that?
"U.S. government sources said Oct. 29 that they believe the large explosion at the JW Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, Oct. 28 was likely caused by an improvised explosive device, not an electrical short circuit, as the Pakistani government has claimed. Pakistani government officials said initially that the explosion was caused by a short circuit and, early Oct. 29, said further investigations had confirmed that analysis. The Marriott hotel is usually very heavily guarded, as it is located close to the parliament as well as the Pakistani president, prime minister and other officials' residences. At least seven people were injured, including three Italian businessmen and a U.S. diplomat, in the blast."
Sounds like O'Reilly is turning an unknown into a fact. Isn't that misinformation?
I don't think Matt Lauer said the democrats are playing a dangerous game, he merely asked "IF" they were. Thats asking for an opinion.
Yes, it was a softball for the Big Giant Head (I love that term, thank you KO.), but where is the MISinformation? Mostly this is O'Reilly doing what he does best, spitting out his opinion on something he knows little about.
---"I don't think Matt Lauer said the democrats are playing a dangerous game, he merely asked "IF" they were. "---
Lauer said "ISN'T that a dangerous game for [Democrats] to play?" Lauer did not "merely ask 'IF' they were".
Lauer's questions were specifically phrased to give O'Reilly the maximum leeway to criticize the Dems. They were not fair questions, and any pollster worth a damn would agree.
Lauer was asking the equivalent of "do the Democrats still beat their wives?".
---LAUER: "When are we bringing the troops home?" And isn't that a dangerous game for [Democrats] to play?"---
If anyone is NOT in need of a leading, loaded question like that one, it's O'Reilly. Lauer SHOULD have simply presented the neutral, "How will the Democrats react?" instead of teeing-one-up for Mr. No-Spin.
on even expecting anything at all akin to balance in the media anymore or sanity for that matter; I fear it’s a lost cause. The fact that Matt Lauer repeatedly has Bill O'rielly on his show and evidently regards him as if he's a serious news analyst is a joke; and please no what about when they have Al Franken on. Franken’s visits are rare and he’s generally promoting a new book or talking about his USO tours. In addition to the congress, the judiciary, and the executive branches of government; the right now controls the media, the defacto 4th branch of government. I have NO TRUST in either of the branches as they exist now. Alas, the only thing I can do is continue to vote my conscience and pray for the best.
often and eloquently, so I suspect you may not have given up ALL hope, thank goodness. I feel the same.
--"I've Given Up on even expecting anything at all akin to balance in the media anymore or sanity for that matter"--
This site-and your participation in it-is making more and more of a difference all the time. Don't give up the fight.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Obviously they could be put in another military installation or prison. The point is that these people should eventually stand trial. We are a nation of laws last I checked.
Unless we are willing to just accept Bill O'Reilly's dubious word for everything, these prisoners deserve a day in court.
It strikes me as disturbing that the right wants us to be more like the terrorists every day even to the point of dismantling our system of jurisprudence that has (up until now) separated us from nations that rule on the whims of their leaders, thugs or ruling class.
Lets see if, if the detainees were released that would mean they’re innocent so why would they want to harm our troops? If they’re guilty then they should be held. Wait we have no legal way to determine or prove our case due to the inept Bush strategy of detention so the real question is why did we f**k this up so bad that this is a legitimate concern? …I guess this question is based on the real problem, that being, if they were innocent they're pissed now. Nice little terrorist factory Bush admin created. Idiots.
When I watched this "Spin". I have come to realize that Lauer and Today are becoming s shrill for the Right Wingers including O'Reilly.
number 1485? weren't we on our way after all the others. weren't we seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? and who is matt to decide what the "only course of action" is for the democrats. sounds like talking points to me.
You gotta love how the winguts keep repeating the same bread-and-butter plays . . . hey, if it worked in the 1988 elections, surely it'll work in the 2006 ones.
Stephen: Where's your client located?
"Guantanamo Bay, sir."
Stephen: Guilty! Next, please!
That's paraphrased obviously, but that's basically the defense people like Bill O'Reilly use.
Having O'Reilly on as a follow up to Anne Coulter is kind of telling about where The Today Show thinks its audience is. But that will soon change as the pendulum swings back to the left. Conservatism is dead, long live liberty!
Funny how their policies put America LAST.
While of course the Republicans played the Willie Horton card to the hilt, I think it's important to remeber that it was Al Gore's '88 presidential campaign that first "broke" the Willie Horton story during the Democratic primaries that year.