O'Reilly attacked Media Matters for "peddling" "propaganda" about Limbaugh's "phony soldiers" comment
SUMMARY: Discussing Rush Limbaugh's controversial remarks about "phony soldiers," Bill O'Reilly claimed that "Media Matters is peddling that Mr. Limbaugh was denigrating soldiers who dissent from the Iraq War, but that doesn't seem to be true." As evidence, O'Reilly aired a clip of Limbaugh claiming that he "was talking about one soldier with that phony soldier comment. Jesse MacBeth." However, during the September 26 broadcast of his radio show, Limbaugh -- in his original comments -- actually referred to "phony soldiers," plural. Further, Limbaugh did not refer to Jesse MacBeth until one minute and 50 seconds after making his "phony soldiers" comment.
On the October 1 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly discussed conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's controversial remarks about "phony soldiers," and claimed that "Media Matters is peddling that Mr. Limbaugh was denigrating soldiers who dissent from the Iraq War, but that doesn't seem to be true." As evidence, O'Reilly aired a clip of Limbaugh claiming that he "was talking about one soldier with that phony soldier comment. Jesse MacBeth." But O'Reilly did not point out, as Media Matters for America has done, that during the September 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Limbaugh -- in his original comments -- actually referred to "phony soldiers," plural. O'Reilly also ignored the fact that Limbaugh did not refer to Jesse MacBeth until one minute and 50 seconds after making his "phony soldiers" comment.
Later, O'Reilly's guest, blogger Brian Maloney, also claimed that "Rush was talking about Jesse MacBeth and actual phony soldiers." Maloney asserted, "It couldn't be more obvious, Bill. What he was talking about -- this started two days earlier with an ABC news piece" about phony soldiers and "[o]n Wednesday morning, Rush Limbaugh had a taped commentary where he discussed that." In fact, contrary to Maloney's claim, Limbaugh's Morning Update discussing fake soldiers -- specifically Jesse MacBeth -- was aired Tuesday, September 25 (subscription required), a full day before Limbaugh's "phony soldiers" comment. Further, as Media Matters has noted, after a caller to his September 28 program questioned Limbaugh about his use of "soldiers" -- plural -- Limbaugh then said that he had been referring to more than one "phony soldier." From the September 28 broadcast:
LIMBAUGH: Putting it all in context -- I'm sorry you missed it. What I can tell you is that what you're hearing on these shows is, is so incompetently, purposefully taken out of context. It's something I never said. I was talking -- I did say, "phony soldiers," talking about an actual fraud named Jesse MacBeth, who is found --
CALLER: But you did say "soldiers" in plural, though, didn't you?
LIMBAUGH: Yes, because there have been a number of these people, but they were not active duty -- I was not talking about anti-war, active duty troops. I was talking about people who've been exposed as frauds who never served in Iraq but claimed to have seen all these atrocities, [unintelligible]. Claimed to be a Green Beret, he was an Army Ranger, he never was [unintelligible]. Claimed that he had a Purple Heart. He never got one. He was busted out of the Army in 44 days in boot camp. This is the guy I was talking about.
CALLER: OK, I don't know much about him, but, uh, can we talk about global warming?
O'Reilly introduced his segment on Limbaugh's remarks by stating: "More smears from the despicable Media Matters organization, which is funded by far-left dollars. In addition to me, Rush Limbaugh is a favorite target of these guttersnipes, who distort hours of talk radio, hoping to create phony controversies." After airing the audio clip in which Limbaugh referred to anti-war soldiers as "phony soldiers," O'Reilly asserted: "Now Media Matters is peddling that Mr. Limbaugh was denigrating soldiers who dissent from the Iraq war, but that doesn't seem to be true." O'Reilly uncritically aired Limbaugh's defense -- that he was referring to "one soldier with that phony soldier comment" -- and attacked the "media [that] picked up the phony story from Media Matters," and politicians such as former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) for "spreading the propaganda" by condemning Limbaugh's attacks.
In fact, as Media Matters has noted, Limbaugh made his original "phony soldiers" comment while discussing with a caller a conversation he had with a previous caller, "Mike from Chicago," who said he "used to be military," and "believe[s] that we should pull out of Iraq." Limbaugh told the second caller, whom he identified as "Mike, this one from Olympia, Washington," that "[t]here's a lot" that people who favor U.S. withdrawal "don't understand" and that when asked why the United States should pull out, their only answer is, 'Well, we just gotta bring the troops home.' ... 'Save the -- keeps the troops safe' or whatever," adding, "[I]t's not possible, intellectually, to follow these people." "Mike" from Olympia replied, "No, it's not, and what's really funny is, they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media." Limbaugh interjected, "The phony soldiers." The caller, who had earlier said, "I am a serving American military, in the Army," agreed, replying, "The phony soldiers." It was not until one minute and 50 seconds after making his "phony soldiers" comment that Limbaugh referred to MacBeth on that show.
For his part, Maloney began his commentary by claiming that: "This entire situation is completely outrageous." Referring to O'Reilly's recent controversial remarks about his visit to Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem, Maloney added: "You've already been targeted by these people. When they couldn't get rid of you last week, they quickly switched gears and moved into Rush Limbaugh's territory. And now, this is an ongoing campaign to destroy talk radio, to destroy anyone that disagrees with them. They have become the self-appointed censors, this George Soros-funded campaign. It's absolutely ridiculous." Later, O'Reilly added: "[W]e want to be accurate here. ... The Democracy Alliance gets Soros money and then doles it out to far left hit men like Media Matters." In fact, as Media Matters has repeatedly noted, it has received no money from philanthropist George Soros -- either directly or indirectly, including through the Democracy Alliance.
From the October 1 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
O'REILLY: Now for the top story tonight, talk about fair play. More smears from the despicable Media Matters organization, which is funded by far-left dollars. In addition to me, Rush Limbaugh is a favorite target of these guttersnipes, who distort hours of talk radio, hoping to create phony controversies. Here is the latest.
[begin video clip]
CALLER: What's really funny is they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers to come up out of the blue and talk the media.
LIMBAUGH: The phony soldiers.
[end video clip]
O'REILLY: All right. Now, Media Matters is peddling that Mr. Limbaugh was denigrating soldiers who dissent from the Iraq war, but that doesn't seem to be true.
LIMBAUGH [video clip]: The same group is trying to get Bill O'Reilly into problems, because of some innocent comments that he made about going to dinner at a restaurant in Harlem. I was talking about one soldier with that phony soldier comment: Jesse MacBeth.
O'REILLY: Now, MacBeth tried to position himself as a veteran when he was kicked out of the Army in basic training.
The following media picked up the phony story from Media Matters: MSNBC, of course, the Boston Herald, the Minneapolis Star[Tribune], the Chicago Sun-Times, the Orlando Sentinel, the AP, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The Baltimore Sun, and CBSnews.com, the usual suspects.
Also, spreading the propaganda, John Edwards and Senator Harry Reid.
REID [video clip]: Last week, Rush Limbaugh went way over the line. Way over the line. And while I respect his right to say anything he likes, his unpatriotic comments I cannot ignore.
O'REILLY: Joining us now from Boston, Brian Maloney, who runs a blog called The Radio Equalizer.
Now, I did not hear the Rush Limbaugh broadcast. I'm operating off of transcripts, which is a lot of crosstalk. That means that Mr. Limbaugh and a guest caller talking at the same time.
The accusation by Harry Reid and the other anti-Limbaugh crew says that the discussion was Limbaugh denigrating soldiers who dissent from the Iraq war. Is that true, sir?
MALONEY: No, it most certainly is not, Bill. This entire situation is completely outrageous. You've already been targeted by these people. When they couldn't get rid of you last week, they quickly switched gears and moved into Rush Limbaugh's territory. And now, this is an ongoing campaign to destroy talk radio, to destroy anyone that disagrees with them. They have become the self-appointed censors, this George Soros-funded campaign. It's absolutely ridiculous.
Rush was talking about Jesse MacBeth and actual phony soldiers. There is an entire movement out there of people who are trying to expose these phony soldiers, people who have not served, people who have not gone to Iraq --
O'REILLY: All right, so that.
MALONEY: -- and who are claiming atrocities.
O'REILLY: Now you are 100 percent positive that he wasn't talking about soldiers who dissent from the Iraq war. He was talking about soldiers who put themselves off as Iraqi veterans or, you know --
MALONEY: Right.
O'REILLY: -- veterans of this campaign when they aren't. That's what he was talking about?
MALONEY: It couldn't be more obvious, Bill. What he was talking about -- this started two days earlier with an ABC news piece, where they used almost the same language. And they used the very same context as Rush on Monday. On Wednesday morning, Rush Limbaugh had a taped commentary where he discussed that, that --
O'REILLY: That was a [ABC News chief investigative correspondent] Brian Ross piece --
MALONEY: Right.
O'REILLY: -- about the masquerading of some soldiers to denigrate the war.
All right now.
MALONEY: Right.
O'REILLY: .You mentioned George Soros funds Media Matters. He does it through -- because we want to be accurate here --
MALONEY: Right.
O'REILLY: -- the Democracy Alliance. All right? The Democracy Alliance gets Soros money and then doles it out to far-left hitmen like Media Matters.
OK, now.
MALONEY: That is exactly right.
O'REILLY: The key question -- the key issue here is not me or Rush Limbaugh. It's not it. It's Harry Reid, a senator, the Senate majority leader going to the floor, using the stuff. John Edwards used it as well. Taking it right from Media Matters. And we just listed the news organizations that did it. Last week on my thing, it was outrageous the news organizations.
MALONEY: It was.
O'REILLY: Outrageous what the lies that they perpetuated.
So now in this country, we have far-left media assassins on the Internet who know they can get their propaganda, their hateful defamation into not only the media, but on the Senate floor.
MALONEY: Well, that's exactly right, Bill. And by the way, Republicans are hopefully going to be introducing their own resolution on the House floor, Jack Kingston Republican representative of Georgia, commending Rush Limbaugh for his support for American troops, telling the truth.
Rush Limbaugh has never been against the troops. This is the most outrageous smear I've ever heard in my life.
By the way, your discussion was so far from being racist, it's unbelievable. I mean, you had a very interesting topic where you were truly talking about the fact that people --
O'REILLY: Well, everybody.
MALONEY: -- aren't being exposed to other kinds of people.
O'REILLY: At this point.
MALONEY: They rely on stereotypes.
O'REILLY: Mr. Maloney, everybody who's taken the time to listen to the tape, which is on our website, and Juan Williams, and read his article knows them. But it's very disturbing what's happening in this country, Mr. Maloney. And we are trying to get Rush Limbaugh on this broadcast tomorrow to talk about it because I think we now need to go on a counterattack and knock these people out. Because this isn't freedom of speech. This is rank defamation.
Mr. Maloney, thanks very much. We appreciate it.
MALONEY: Absolutely, thank you.
I never saw a bigger suck-up on the Factor than this guy. He makes Malkin, Goldberg and Miller look admirable in comparison.
Preston,
We have a suck-up in Colorado that will give Maloney a run for his money
http://colorado.mediamatters.org/items/200710020001
Good Lord, you were right! The guy even used O'Reilly's dumb buzzwords like "secular progressives," "culture wars," "dopey," etc. I've never seen such a shameless display of lapdog behavior, since ... well ... Juan Williams defending O'Reilly's condecending remarks -- oops, excuse me, did I say O'Reilly? I meant MR. O'Reilly according to Williams. It's MISTER now all of a sudden.
Preston,
This guy has his own radio show out here with a "liberal" (think a little stronger than Colmes) and patronizes callers as "my good friend" or "my brother." He is thinking of running for office out here.
I called in once due to a rant he had about people who "look like 9/11 hijackers" and how he would leave the plane if he heard "those people" praying. Predictably, he called me anti-American and hung up.
Maloney (some pronounce it with a "B") is a Rush Limbaugh WannaBe who was fired from a station in Seattle. He has a lousy blog (http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/ ) too. He hates Al Franken as well.
Oh great, now Limbaugh may go on O'Reilly's program and they can have a collective vict-a-whine together! If either had any interest in their respective remark controversies dying down, or settling it someway, they'd get MMFA on their programs and duke it out.
Fact is all parties involved, including MMFA, love the publicity and the media coverage they are all getting. It's in their interest to keep fueling this fire, that's obvious.
Tommy, I think the OReilly story has died in the msm so no one but the viewers of his program are hearing about this. In the end no one won and no one won.
I mean no one won and no one lost.
Doris,
The point is that if O'Reilly was really intent on "looking out for the folks", he'd be on to something far more substantial than his silly little personal vendetta against this website, who cares?
And there is nothing new in either of these controversies anymore, they have been covered and replayed six ways to Sunday - you either believe Rush, or you don't.
Besides our esteemed elected leaders, who apparently have nothing better to do, who cares?
Besides our esteemed elected leaders, who apparently have nothing better to do, who cares?
Tommy you just summed it up perfectly.
if there is "nothing new", then why are some in the media still trying to defend rush? they are extending the controversy, this site replies.
Do you reply everytime some poster goads you into conversation? The answer is No, unless you want it to continue. Same thing here.
I can't believe what I just read.
sort of defines irony, doesn't it?
Do you reply everytime some poster goads you into conversation? - Tommy
The irony hurts my thinking place!
i'm glad you can decide for me what i do, tommy. if someone says to me "you're wrong", then generally, yes, i reply. i do not follow your policy of "ignore it", which you may preach to those on this site, but in practice you do not personally follow. as evidenced by this conversation.
There was one part of Boehlert's opinion piece from today that I think speaks volumes:
"Content-wise, The O'Reilly Factor is a complete train wreck. As O'Reilly [link to www.huffingtonpost.com] title="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marvin-kitman/olbermann-rules_b_65858.html">biographer Marvin Kitman recently noted, 'Frankly, I can't listen to him anymore. As much as I praised the early O'Reilly, I think he's gone nuts. ... He just seems to go berserk more often now.'"
As I've confessed before, in the O'Reilly Factor's early days, I found many of Bill's items to be intriguing and topical. But he quickly morphed into someone else and, among other disappointing changes, began adding all this never-say-die, personal-smear silliness to the mix.
He thrust himself out into the media limelight but he didn't bring the thick skin required to maintain his composure.
He's in a blizzard of his own creation without a parka.
"...a blizzard of his own creation without a parka"
Very descriptive turn of a phrase, well done Pete.
It is very true, O'Reilly props himself up as the culture warrior, then when he comments on it he somehow sees himself as a traditionalist above criticism. If he had any courage at all, instead of just stroking his own ego, he'd have real substantive opponents on his program to challenge him.
Gotta love the word parsing this site does. Parse the words to meet a agenda. Left or right, you are all sheep for the bigger picture. Ron Paul 2008, all others go to hell.
Can you provide examples or have you just smeared MMFA?
Like Faux news, this site has no agenda?
So basically you can't provide any examples.
"Rush Limbaugh is a favorite target of these guttersnipes"
I thought I heard O'Reilly say he never calls people names?
here is the real heart of the whole situation. as noted above, in the original conversation mike from olympia says: ....they never talk to real soldiers. they like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media". and rush interjects: "phony soldiers". clearly rush is saying that all the soldiers who have talked to the media are phony soldiers.
"Like Faux news, this site has no agenda?"
To answer your question: Faux News has an agenda; to misinform the public.
Media Matters tries to inform the public. Oddly enough, that is considered "liberal."
It doesn't matter how much you say it, it doesn't make it true.
Did I just read a moron tell me I am a sheep? Just how easily were you brainwashed into regurgitating these inane and no thought bumpersticker talking points anyway? The left is famous for NOT following while the rightwing is like a collective hivemind. You are ridiculous and your projection is astonishing
I don't think I've said this before, but I really enjoy the sheer honesty of your thoughts Solon. Calling liars liars and morons morons, it's good to see.:-)
S'ok Rush, Bill's got your back. How's that for a statement to raise the hair on the back of your neck.
For what it's worth MMFA responds, They do not jack up the media, up the level of argument. If you aren't stupid, we'll never know, at least from here. Continually become subject of their stated purpose, get used to the nieghborhood.
Per Greenwald, this site and a few others are being targetted as fascist, or nazi's. By actual media fascists. His point was where is the Anti Defamation League. They don't usually sit back while these terms are bruited about caelessly by the media.
I love Greenwald's site, he's so feisty! I hope more than anything that MISTER O'Reilly will invite either Greenwald or Brock on for a debate. MISTER O'Reilly would get his ass handed to him if that ever happens, so instead, he'll drag out Malkin, Goldberg, Bruce, Miller and Williams to whine about those "far left loons," then they'll stroke his his bruised ego after their whine-fest. Afterwards, he'll drag in his body language expert to give an analysis on how he -- MISTER O'Reilly, that is -- came off dominant in the debate while the other person appeared weak and intimidating.
It's all in a days work for MISTER O'Reilly. If anything else I think he enjoys having a show so it can build his self-confidence.
What happened to Malkin by the way? She has been noticeably absent lately. Did Geraldo get her tossed from the Fox airwaves?
I noticed that, too. Can't say I miss her much, though. Tammy Bruce appears to fill Malkin's place as O'Reilly's sidekick suck-up just fine.
She's busy making (and defending) assertions on her blog that will later be proven to be completely false.
Captain Jamil Hussein anyone?
MMFA!!! Stop 'assassinating' people by RE-BROADCASTING their OWN WORDS!! It makes them look bad!! Instead, try to lie and cover up stuff like regular folks like this Bill guy- he's just trying to be nice to other hatists like himself so they don't feel bad about their words and actions!! Thank you...
Right Wing Talking Head X: 2 + 2 = 5
Media Matters: Right Wing Talking Head X today said 2 + 2 = 5. Here's the transcript and documentation.
(Next day)
Right Wing Talking Head X: I've been slandered!!! I'm a victim!!! Waaaah.
(Next Day)
Media Matter: Right Wing Talking Head X says he/shes been been slandered!!! by Media Matters:
(Next Day)
Right Wing Talking Head X: There they go again! They Slandering me again!!! those smear merchants, but I don't name call.
(Repeat ad nauseum)
LOL, clever.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Actually, the regressive response usually goes something like "I've been slandered. I never said 2 + 2 = 5. Here's what I said: <edited audio>"
THEN comes the response from MMFA and others.
These two guys in particular, Rush and O'Reilly, have a habit of lying about their lies. It's worthy of coverage by a site that covers regressive lying.
And if it does build readership for this site, then fine. That's what it'll eventually take to combat the regressive echo chamber we see in full bloom on these two stores.
OOper, that's carelessly by the media
Bill should treat Rush to lunch at the Fox News Mess Hall. They can exchange war stories about the trying events that prevented them from becoming true patriots: Bill can go on about his tumultuous days on the Marist College gridiron and Rush can reminisce about his woebegone anal cyst. These clowns cannot hide from the truth and those who defend them will someday get a clue. Thank you, MMRA.
I was thinking they both could go eat at an army mess tent that is run by a black soldier who hates being in iraq so they could be mutually surprised that they got forks with their meal and that it tasted good in spite of being made by a phony soldier.
I was already laughing, but yours took me over the top...thanks!
I can see the first page of BillO's of his new book.."I"LL GET THOSE SMEARERS WHOEVER THEY MAY BE"...
"It was the best of Smears, it was the worst of Smears." He did not almost steal that line either.
The troglodytes have already won this fight. On Joe Scarborough's show this morning, they reported the story using Limbaugh's version. They simply stated, as a fact, that MMFA had taken the quote out of context and that Limbaugh was referring to Jesse Macbeth. Period. What seemed odd is that they led with the blurb at the top of the first hour and the second hour, and used the same wording both times. They were apparently reading a prepared statement or headline. The Corporate Media are covering for their GOP Propaganda Golden Boy.
The really hilarious part of this is that, even if Rush's version is correct, MMFA is just doing to him what he's been doing to Liberals for sixteen years...and he's whining like a big blubbery baby about it.
Nerzog...
Can you imagine if we had 50% of talk radio instead of 10%.
We'd blast this conservative filth right off the airways. The corporations know this, and they know they've got to keep liberals off the airwaves, or they're sunk.
They've gotten so used to being able to lie at will, and people are beginning to see through it.
keerist...this is beginning to resemble a Marx Bros. movie. Now all we need is for Olbermann to stumble in...and all the names will be on the theater marquee.
Didn't you mean Marxist Bros. movie?
"Media Matters is peddling that Mr. Limbaugh was denigrating soldiers who dissent from the Iraq War, but that doesn't seem to be true." As evidence, O'Reilly aired a clip of Limbaugh claiming that he "was talking about one soldier with that phony soldier comment. Jesse MacBeth"
This would be laughable, except that so many Dittoheads posted here over the past few days to prove that it works.A denial by the perp carries more weight than the truth of the actual event. I hope Rush and O'Reilly's fans don't get to sit on juries very often.
Yeah, the ditto-heads are sponges...
for the right-wing noise machine. Sadly, most of these people can't think for themselves, and their too dumb and apathetic to seek out what the facts are from any reliabe media sources.
Conservatives--as a party--seem to have made a great effort to reach out to dumbasses. This is a dubious political stratety and may be unraveling big-time.
The Marxist Brothers - Stalin, Khrushchev and Fidel. Fidel doesn't talk, he just honks his cigar.
keerist...this is beginning to resemble a Marx Bros. movie.
Which brother are you?
Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo... DITTO!
And Bill-O
Dumbo?
pinnochio? before he became a REAL BOY.
Gummo, and assistent brothers,Bozo and St. Bleepo, The Hydrocephelic clown.
misguided evil folks.. oreilly is looking out for the USA ...not himself shame on you idiots.. u all must be ready to learn arabic.. how stupid can yall be..??? plenty.. mental ward is calling media matters (for notta)
Are you channeling for a Mad TV parody of right wing paranoia?
Isn't this discussion about Rush Limbaugh's comments becoming a bit of a stretch?
I just listened to the whole tape and it simply is not clear about referring to all soldiers as "phony soldiers. The reference Limbaugh made to jesse macbeth is the only thing anyone can go on.
The 90 second delay that keeps getting referred to is simply not a correct interpretation of the facts. Limbaugh completed his conversation with the caller- who did half the talking. That is what too up so called 90 second delay.
Once the caller and limbaugh hung up limbaugh immediately referred to Macbeth as an example of "phony soldier".
Hasn't limbaugh always been big on supporting soldiers? I can't understand how anyone could take such an unclear example thats on tape and use this against limbaugh.
The Senator Reid looks so foolish to so many people.
Is this an example of the politicians getting theiir information from bad sources?
I.S.
You're right, he wasn't calling all soldiers phonies, just those who oppose the (technically illegal) Iraq invasion (wars have 2 sides). Read the actual unedited version, available here on MMFA, if you're really unsure of the context.
Wow...
FOX News is the George Bush of news organizations.
And they will likely take this as a compliment.
You are doing a heck of a job Bill O
The Left is warming up to go after Anne Coulter. Rush should be arrested! Free speech can’t be totally free…
. absurd thought - God of the Universe says smear ALL conservatives
after getting caught for smearing a patriot . . absurd thought - God of the Universe thinks the Right is always wrong
and the Left is always right and facts don’t matter at all .
Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly are Soldiers of Propaganda for the GOP, led by staunch conservative Roger Ailes of Fox News-can't wait for this old goat to retire.
If anyone is peddling propaganda, it's Rush Limbaugh, Fox News Channel, its producers, and its GOP prostitutes Bill and Sean-they get paid to sell themselves.
Oh my god. What is the matter with you people? Your arguing about how the GRAMMER RUSH LIMBAUGH USED! "OMG, IT WAS PLURAL! AND HE DIDN'T MENTION THE SOLDIER DIRECTLY AFTERWARDS!" Are you kidding me? And people wonder why this site is deemed a "smear site".
There are better things to be debating about you know.
Er, speaking of grammar, you could use some. But thanks for coming by. Bye.