O'Reilly claimed WI paper tried to "hurt" Thompson for his "compliment" to Jewish audience
During an April 18 interview on his nationally syndicated radio show, Bill O'Reilly asked former Wisconsin governor and Republican presidential candidate Tommy Thompson about an April 17 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial condemning remarks Thompson made during an April 16 speech, in which he said "earning money" is "sort of part of the Jewish tradition." O'Reilly asked: "Why would the Milwaukee paper take a shot at you like this?" Thompson claimed in response: "[T]he Milwaukee paper has never supported me in anything ... and I feel bad." On the April 18 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly again brought up the Journal Sentinel editorial. He suggested that they were "try[ing] to hurt the governor" and repeated Thompson's claim regarding the newspaper: "I know they don't like him. The Milwaukee paper is liberal, and the governor is a moderate."
But contrary to the assertions that the Journal Sentinel does not "like" Thompson because he is a "moderate," the newspaper actually endorsed Thompson during his final re-election campaign for governor in 1998. From the Journal Sentinel's October 25, 1998, endorsement, headlined "An effective governor, Thompson merits 4th term":
It's easy to quarrel with the political brawn of Tommy Thompson, but not with his success. He has proved to be a highly effective, dynamic, popular governor who has dared to make Wisconsin a laboratory for social change. For those reasons, Thompson, a Republican, has earned re-election Nov. 3 to a fourth term.
When Thompson took office in January 1987, the state's economy was practically on life support; today, it is thriving. Much of the credit must go to Thompson, who set out to overhaul Wisconsin's high-tax, anti-business reputation. While Thompson rarely hits the pause button when it comes to partisanship, he has shown an admirable tendency to be politically pragmatic, to embrace ideas no matter where they originate.
He has also shown a willingness to experiment. The best example is his welfare replacement program, Wisconsin Works, which has attracted a keen national following. While it's still too early to declare W-2 a success, Thompson deserves credit for attempting to do what few others have even tried fix a public assistance program that was hopelessly broken. Thompson also deserves kudos for his innovative BadgerCare program to provide quality health care to the working poor, and for his support of state plans to reshape the way Wisconsin provides long-term care to the elderly and disabled.
Until recently, the Journal Sentinel continued to show support for Thompson. Even the editorial condemning Thompson's April 16 comments acknowledged that the newspaper had expressed optimism about his presidential campaign two weeks earlier. From the April 2 editorial:
It will take a bizarre set of circumstances for Thompson (Wisconsin's) to win the GOP nomination, but there is actually more than a bit to commend his candidacy.
He could bring some Midwestern pragmatism to a campaign much in need of it. It seems that the burning debate in GOP circles is who is most conservatively pure.
Sigh. The nation likely has had it with politics by ideology. It is more in the market for someone willing to take good ideas wherever he or she can and who's not afraid of a little creativity.
Under Thompson's watch, W-2 welfare reform, school choice and BadgerCare were born. Yes, closer scrutiny might uncover some flaws in these programs and in the Thompson years (a budget hole Gov. Jim Doyle is still trying to dig out of). But at least Thompson, also a former Health and Human Services secretary, had the gumption to try new things.
This might be a novel concept for presidential candidates. We can attest. This Thompson's different.
The April 17 Journal Sentinel editorial described Thompson as "ill-suited to the presidency," citing comments he made during an April 16 speech to the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Thompson said: "I'm in the private sector and for the first time in my life I'm earning money. You know, that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition and I do not find anything wrong with that." As the editorial noted, Thompson then made a "feeble" attempt at an apology:
He later made a feeble attempt to explain the inexplicable. "I just want to clarify something because I didn't (by) any means want to infer or imply anything about Jews and finances and things," he said. "What I was referring to, ladies and gentlemen, is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion. You've been outstanding business people, and I compliment you for that."
So an accomplishment of the Jewish religion is business acumen? Surely, a presidential candidate who would represent all Americans would know how hurtful stereotypes are. Surely, such a candidate would know, given this country's experience with anti-Semitism, that Jews as fixated on money ranks up there among the most hurtful of them.
Gaffes are nothing new to Thompson. But this was said to give him the aura of the average Wisconsin guy. No. The average Wisconsin guy deserves more credit.
On the April 18 edition of The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly defended Thompson's statements, asserting that Thompson "was basically giving the crowd a compliment and saying, 'You're good businesspeople' " and agreeing that people deserve "the benefit of the doubt." O'Reilly also asked of the Journal Sentinel: "[I]s it fair to take a guy's remarks, which aren't designed to be hateful, and ram them right down his throat?"
Additionally, O'Reilly likened the newspaper's condemnation of Thompson to the firing of former MSNBC host Don Imus, saying: "We are in the age of Imus. ... We are now under siege by people who are going to take what we say -- all right -- whatever the intent, all right, and try to hurt us with it." O'Reilly also claimed: "The hatred of the Internet is driving this."
From the April 18 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
O'REILLY: "Personal Story" segment tonight. Speaking before a Jewish group in Washington, presidential candidate Tommy Thompson said, quote, "I'm in the private sector, and for the first time in my life, I'm earning money. You know, that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition, and I do not find anything wrong with that. "
Well the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel pounced on Thompson's remarks saying they were inexcusable. Thompson replied on The Radio Factor today.
[begin audio clip]
THOMPSON: I feel terrible about it, because I have worked for Israel and been involved in Israel for a long time. And any time, you know, I say something that's hurtful to anybody, it bothers me. I guess it's my Irish --
O'REILLY: But isn't that almost impossible, though. If you are going to run for president, you're gonna have to give hundreds of speeches, probably thousands of speeches.
THOMPSON: And I do.
O'REILLY: And sometimes you're going to make a mistake in the way you phrase things.
THOMPSON: That is true. And I made a mistake and apologized.
[end audio clip]
O'REILLY: All right. With us now, Rabbi Irwin Kula, president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and author of the book Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life. So, Rabbi, are you offended by that?
KULA: You know, I'm not offended by it. But you have to understand that canard, that stereotype of Jews and money has been used for hundreds and hundreds of years to justify persecution, justify oppression. So it's very, very hurtful. It has a legacy of real hurt. And not just in general, but personally.
Many people, in fact people probably in that room, remember someone throwing coins into a corner and whoever bent down they said, "Jew, Jew." So Jews and money is a very serious stereotype.
Now, once we understand it can be used dangerously and has been. You know, by Nazis, American anti-Semites in the 1920s, Islamic fascists today across the Islamic world. Google "money and Jews" and your hair will stand up.
So there's a lot of hate in the world, and stereotypes actually can be used to create more hate. Now, given that --
O'REILLY: Right. I was -- I mean, I was basically going to say that, obviously, Governor Thompson's remarks -- right -- were not intended to be either controversial. He was basically giving the crowd a compliment and saying, "You're good businesspeople."
So why would the Milwaukee Sentinel go and try to hurt the governor? I know they don't like him. The Milwaukee paper is liberal, and the governor is a moderate.
But is that fair? Is it fair to take a guy's remarks, even though we understand -- and I think what you said is right on. But is it fair to take a guy's remarks, which aren't designed to be hateful, and ram them right down his throat?
KULA: No, of course not, Bill. Here is where we are right now. We're in a culture in which, both on the right and the left, however you define extremists, everyone is out to kill each other.
O'REILLY: Right, right.
KULA: And all that does, all that does is it assures that those of us who actually have some wisdom -- and wisdom is making distinctions -- don't get heard. Here is what making distinctions are here. What was his motivation and intent?
O'REILLY: And it was obviously not malevolent.
KULA: My God, he came to a Jewish group, a liberal Jewish group.
O'REILLY: All right, so then the question becomes: We are in the age of Imus --
KULA: Post-Imus.
O'REILLY: All of us who are in the public eye, whether it's politicians or commentators or even a rabbi, even when you're preaching to your congregation.
KULA: Right.
O'REILLY: We are now under siege by people who are going to take what we say -- all right -- whatever the intent, all right, and try to hurt us with it.
KULA: Correct.
O'REILLY: So that's not a good place to be, Rabbi.
KULA: That is the end of a culture that can actually grow and evolve and learn. Because here's what we needed to do here.
O'REILLY: Right.
KULA: Great, the guy misspoke. Obviously, he misspoke, was a compliment to people. He was going to a liberal group. That's what we want.
O'REILLY: Just explain the history of it so everybody learns what the history is, but don't vilify the governor.
KULA: Exactly. Learn the history.
O'REILLY: Right.
KULA: An apology happens -- benefit of doubt.
O'REILLY: Last question: What can we do to fight against this political correct madness? What can the folks do?
KULA: There are two things. First of all, we have to be careful and not say about someone else what we wouldn't want said about us. That's just rule No. 1.
O'REILLY: Thompson wants to a good businessman.
KULA: No, that's rule No. 1. Now second, we have to begin to give people the benefit of the doubt.
O'REILLY: Yes! Yes, Rabbi! The benefit of the doubt.
KULA: I'm telling you, if we don't --- I'm telling you where did that common sense go that we don't give people the benefit of the doubt and just use a little common sense?
O'REILLY: Dissolved in the hatred of the Internet.
KULA: Yes.
O'REILLY: The hatred of the Internet is driving this. Rabbi, your book is great. We appreciate you coming in.
KULA: Thank you.
O'REILLY: Thanks very much. When we come back, Dennis Miller on the Virginia massacre and gun control.
From the April 18 edition of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:
O'REILLY: Yeah. Why would the Milwaukee paper take a shot at you like this?
THOMPSON: Well, the Milwaukee paper has never supported me in anything. And --
O'REILLY: All right. So it's a political thing.
THOMPSON: I don't know why they -- and I feel bad.
DR. HAL, I am elated that you have the ability to spell IQ. Where did you graduate in your class...as you know, some Docs are number 1 while others are in the bottom 10. You know, IQ sorta looks like 10..
The rabbi mentions giving common sense a chance and Bill takes it directly to the Intermet..he never responded to the "commom sense". Damned Internet. Got to blame it on something...Damned Internet, allows MMFA to exist. Damn the press also for being political. Damned liberals.
cant really discount his point about the net though. the internet is rough terrain and anything and everything goes. if you have an opinion, there is a website to support your niche. you can blog it and it will propagate itself through the web. i mean mmfa complains about drudge and the politico propagating lies and misinformation all the time and they call drudge a 'gossip' site to show they give him 0 credibility. so you really cant say that even mmfa believes the internet doesnt disseminate false information
"so you really cant say that even mmfa believes the internet doesnt disseminate false information"
MMFA goes after blogger misinformation all the time.
Hey Prince, the Dr. is Colonel Campbell with a new name, New name same crapola.
O'Lielly stirrin' up the commoners with concise, hard-hitting, brilliant analysis into this country's looney left media OBSESSED with hurting others.... *sigh* The article does have a point in that if one can not distinquish between a religion's tenents and a stereotype, one shouldn't be talking about them in the same sentence...
Mr. L, to be perfectly fair, it's not reasonable to expect a Republican to see the mixing of religion and business in a negative way.
Do I address him THE SOUP DOCTOR?
Thompson mostly sounds like the most rational republican contender I've heard so far. Mr.R seems to be fishing. I feel a censoring rant below the horizon. I don't think I'd vote for him, but he dosn't seem to be idiolgy driven. A type of candidate I wish they would produce more of. I found about a decade ago that I had Jewish ancestry. I'm willing to believe he made a coment while being tired. If he gets hit on this kind of thing a couple times, other things to make a case, well sod him.
O'Reilly is saying that because Thompson's words aren't meant to be hateful, that it is okay? Just because a stereotype isn't 'hateful' does not make it acceptable. What if a politician spoke before an Asian advocacy group and told them that they were all good at math; or that women have a strong tradition of washing dishes; or that black people are skilled in athletics? Those are all positive qualities, but they should not be broadly applied to a large group of people.
One reason a lot of politicians court Jewish voters and address their groups is because Jews give money to them. One of the reasons for that is they have money. Thompson was stating the obvious. I don't get the offense taken in this particular circumstance. Perhaps this was a way to get back at him for some previous more real insult.
It's offensive for a couple of reasons. First, it reinforces the stereotype of the money-grubbing Jew. Take it from me, it does not reflect reality. Not in my house anyways. Making the monthly nut is always an adventure.
And it glosses over the historical record. Jews gravitated into money lending in many cultures because they were forbidden from owning property or participating in other professions.
Regardless of whether it was "offensive," it was an oncredibly stupid thing to say in a room full of progressive Jews, and it makes it clear that this pea-brain has no business running for president.
"What I was referring to, ladies and gentlemen, is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion. You've been outstanding business people, and I compliment you for that."
What an idiot... Money making is an accomplishment of the Jewish religion? Very tactful, Tommy. Surprised you didn't comment on Jews having big noses. Yea, Tommy, you'd make a GREAT President... just like the one we have now.
I don't know too many homeless Jews.
Exhilirating post, Zamfir. What percentage of the homeless people that you know would you guess are Jewish?
Still playing the pan flute?
You imply that you know other homeless people. What religion and nationality are the homeless that you know?
I'm sure if someone complemented and Irish group for making great whiskey, BOR would be up in arms claiming bigotry.
However, it is ok to complement Jews for making money.
Great.
Oh my God MMFA is really stretching this one.......Please you guys boooooo hooooo as much as I flatulate. America has a PC Chicken Little in MMFA.........
Good lord, you must have a lot of gas there. :)
I'm and Semite-American, and I not offended. I find it so much better when someone, especially a politician, just makes an honest comment. I'd rather hear that over some politically correct BS anyday. At least I know where they stands.
BTW, The Irish do make good whiskey.
This is great news!
We can now expect that Bill O will start giving people the benefit of the doubt.
Right.
Bill does give people the benefit of the doubt. He stuck up John Kerry when he botched a joke about the US troops and he stuck up for Bill Maher after he called the 911 hi-jackers courageous. It was obvious both Mr. Kerry and Mr. Maher weren't trying to be malicious and the right wingers took the comments out of context and ran with it. O'Reilly defended both liberal men. Writing off O'Reilly as a partisan for the right-wing cause is so simple and ignorant.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel never supported Tommy Thompson? This is so blatantly false that on its face it should disqualify this hick from running for president.
Tommy twisted arms all over the state to get a publicly funded baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Brewers. He broke rule after rule to keep the Legislature voting on the project until they finally approved it. And the paper supported him every step of the way. They downplayed his antics and all other negative aspects of the story -- like the additional $100 million in infrastructure costs necessary to hook the stadium up to highways, utilities, etc. -- and pushed for the project to the point that the paper actually had to register with the state as a paid lobbyist for it. Reporters who wrote pieces raising questions about the stadium project had their work round-filed, or stories under their bylines rewritten by editors to say the opposite of what the reporters knew to be true.
Some journalist Billo is, to either miss this itty-bitty billion dollar boondoggle or to ignore it.
Tommy Thompson is a joke. I hope he keeps running just so the national media can pull some of the skeletons out of his closet. (Let's just say he has a lot in common with Bill Clinton.)
As a Wisconsin resident, I'm really curious if our two current Senators, both Jewish, have made any responses to this buffoon's gaffe.
And Inkslave, you're correct. The list of women who have been groped by Tommy is about as exclusive as The White Pages.
Ya this seems pretty harmless