O'Reilly criticized as "personal attack" Matthews' assertion that Clinton owes political career to her husband's "mess[ing] around"

During the January 9 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly stated that "some NBC commentators continue to slam Senator Clinton" and aired a video clip of MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews' comment following Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-NY) victory in the January 8 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary, in which Matthews said: "Let's not forget, and I'll be brutal, the reason she's a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around. That's how she got to be senator from New York. We keep forgetting it. She didn't win there on her merit." O'Reilly called Matthews' comment "rough" and said: "Now, we should point out that Mr. Matthews has a perfect right to say whatever he wants to say because he is not a reporter. He is a commentator, as I am." O'Reilly added: "But it's rough. I mean, it's rough business what these people over there [at MSNBC] are doing. We don't do that here. We would never say that Senator Clinton got her job because her husband messed around. I mean, that is -- that is a personal attack. And it is questionable whether a network should allow that or not."

Think Progress, Crooks and Liars, Talking Points Memo, Firedoglake, and others also documented Matthews' controversial comments.

From the January 9 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:

O'REILLY: Now in addition, some NBC commentators continue to slam Senator Clinton.

MATTHEWS [video clip]: Let's not forget, and I'll be brutal, the reason she's a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around. That's how she got to be senator from New York. We keep forgetting it. She didn't win there on her merit.

O'REILLY: Rough. Joining us now from Washington with analysis, Michelle Bernard, who has been observing election coverage as president of the Independent Women's Forum. You know, NBC, a very powerful network. We have said for years that this network is not fair and has an agenda a mile long. And now I think their own people are admitting it. And what do you think?

BERNARD: Well, you know, Bill, I guess one of the ways to look at this is welcome to the era of advocacy journalism. I mean for better or for worse, it unfortunately appears that a large segment of the American population is now willing to accept this type of journalism. I mean, one of the things I was thinking after I heard this reporter from NBC News' comments was, well, maybe, maybe, you know, the silver lining in this is that he is admitting to biased journalism.

O'REILLY: Well, that's what Williams says. That's what Williams says, but I have to tell you when I worked in the network 20 years ago, he would have been removed on the spot if he had said something like that. I worked at ABC and CBS. Both networks when I was there would have removed him because you can't have that kind of a rooting interest. Yes, his candor. I don't know, you can say it's refreshing or it's honest, whatever. Now, we should point out that Mr. Matthews has a perfect right to say whatever he wants to say because he is not a reporter. He is a commentator, as I am. But it's rough. I mean, it's rough business what these people over there are doing. We don't do that here. We would never say that Senator Clinton got her job because her husband messed around. I mean, that is -- that is a personal attack. And it is questionable whether a network should allow that or not.