Ignoring study of McCain's 2007 votes, O'Reilly criticized Obama ad for using McCain's 2003 statement that he voted with Bush "90 percent of the time"
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SUMMARY: On his radio and television shows, Bill O'Reilly criticized an Obama campaign ad for including a May 2003 statement from Sen. John McCain, in which McCain said that "there was a recent study that showed that I voted with the president 90 percent of the time." O'Reilly asserted that the "country was in a far different place" when McCain made those comments. In fact, according to a vote analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Quarterly, McCain was the administration's most reliable supporter in 2007.
On the August 6 editions of his radio and television shows, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly criticized an ad by the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama titled "Original" for including a May 22, 2003, statement from Sen. John McCain, in which McCain said: "The president and I agree on most issues. There was a recent study that showed that I voted with the president 90 percent of the time." O'Reilly asserted on his radio show that the "country was in a far different place" when McCain made those comments. However, O'Reilly did not note that, according to a 2008 study by Congressional Quarterly, a nonpartisan publication that tracks legislators' votes, McCain voted with the president 95 percent of the time in 2007. In a January 13 article (accessed via Nexis), Congressional Quarterly reported that "McCain's 95 percent support [for Bush] score for last year was the highest in the chamber." CQ found that McCain voted with President Bush 90 percent of the time in 2002.
On The Radio Factor, O'Reilly said: "In that campaign ad -- and we're gonna play it for you tonight on television -- when Obama says that McCain voted -- uses the sound bite that McCain says, 'I voted with Bush 90 percent of the time.' " He added, "That's from 2003, when the country was in a far different place. That's not right. That's not right." O'Reilly again referred to the ad later in the program, saying that it was "foolish" to use the 2003 McCain quote because "the McCain people could go back and get Obama statements that are five years old and turn them around and club him with them." On Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor later that day, O'Reilly aired the ad and said: "Now, you may have noticed the McCain statement about Bush was made more than five years ago, when the country was a far different place."
O'Reilly also said of the Obama ad on his radio show: "Now, Obama, tax cuts for millionaires -- that's just bunk. Tax cuts for millionaires -- it's just bull. So everybody knows that's bull." But according to the Tax Policy Center's "Updated Analysis of the 2008 Presidential Candidates' Tax Plans," "In contrast [to Obama's proposed tax plan], the McCain plan would provide virtually no benefit to households in the bottom quintile, and very modest benefits to those in the next three quintiles. The top quintile would receive a tax cut of more than 3 percent of after-tax income. Within the top quintile, the richest 1 percent of households would receive an average tax cut of 3.7 percent. That figure rises to almost 4.7 percent for the top 0.1 percent of the income distribution." According to the report, the top 0.1 percent is made up of filers making over $2.8 million.
From the August 6 broadcast of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:
O'REILLY: Now, as soon as that ad came out, Obama has an answer -- an answer ad. You know, it doesn't take these people long to get these ads up and running, by the way. Roll the tape on that.
[begin audio clip]
ANNOUNCER: He's the original maverick.
McCAIN: The president and I agree on most issues. There was a recent study that showed that I voted with the president over 90 percent of the time.
ANNOUNCER: John McCain supports Bush's tax cuts for millionaires, but nothing for 100 million households. He's for billions in new oil company giveaways while gas prices soar, and for tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas: the original maverick or just more of the same?
OBAMA: I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message.
[end audio clip]
O'REILLY: OK, so he's got the McCain sound bite in there. Let's try to find out where that sound bite came from. I don't know where that sound bite -- let's try -- tell the brain room to track that down, and when it was.
So, Obama's ad basically says, look, you know, McCain is Bush -- third Bush term. Now, if I'm McCain, I don't do this. Number one, you're not gonna win this game. What I do -- and I said this yesterday -- is every time Obama tries to link me with Bush, I link Obama with [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi [D-CA]. That's how I play that game.
Now, Obama's, you know, tax cuts for millionaires -- that's just bunk. All right, it's just bunk. Tax cuts for millionaires -- it's just bull. So everybody knows that's bull. I don't know what he's talking about -- billions in new oil company giveaways? I don't know what that is. So, again, Barack Obama is a generalist. I'd like to know what that is 'cause, as you know, I'm not a big oil company guy.
[...]
O'REILLY: Now, you -- I was surprised because I don't -- oh, by the way, I want to, you know -- did you hear that ad where McCain -- the Obama ad where McCain says, "I voted with Bush 90 percent of the time"?
LARRY SABATO (professor of politics at the University of Virginia): Yeah.
O'REILLY: Do you know when that was made?
SABATO: I believe that was when Bush endorsed McCain. I'm not 100 percent sure.
O'REILLY: May 22nd, 2003.
SABATO: Oh, it was 2003. OK.
O'REILLY: Two thousand and three. Five years ago. Now, would you say that's deceptive?
SABATO: Oh, yeah. I mean --
O'REILLY: OK.
SABATO: -- most things about political ads are.
O'REILLY: All right. Now, I'm gonna have to whack Obama tonight right over the head with that --
SABATO: Sure.
O'REILLY: -- because I'm not going to -- deception is not gonna stand.
SABATO: Right.
O'REILLY: It's not gonna stand.
[...]
O'REILLY: In that campaign ad -- and we're gonna play it for you tonight on television -- when Obama says that McCain voted -- uses the sound bite that McCain says, "I voted with Bush 90 percent of the time." That's from 2003, when the country was in a far different place. That's not right. That's not right. And those are the things that you learn here that you won't learn anywhere else.
[...]
O'REILLY: OK, tonight on the TV side, Dick Morris is gonna come in and analyze the Bush-Maverick ad and the Obama reply. I must correct the record a little bit. On the Obama thing, where they quote Bush saying that he voted with -- they quote McCain that he voted with Bush 90 percent of the time, they do have for what -- two seconds on the screen -- 2003. So, we didn't see that. We just heard it. But they did put it on there and that's to, of course, blunt any criticism that the, you know, that statement is five years old. But still, foolish to do that because they could certainly -- the McCain people could go back and get Obama statements that are five years old and turn them around and club him with them. So, let's be fair about it. Manu, Fairhaven, Massachusetts. What's going on?
From the August 6 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
O'REILLY: Now, in reply, Obama put this out.
[begin video clip]
ANNOUNCER: He's the original maverick.
McCAIN: The president and I agree on most issues. There was a recent study that showed that I voted with the president over 90 percent of the time.
ANNOUNCER: John McCain supports Bush's tax cuts for millionaires, but nothing for 100 million households. He's for billions in new oil company giveaways while gas prices soar, and for tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas: the original maverick or just more of the same?
OBAMA: I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message.
[end video clip]
O'REILLY: Now, you may have noticed the McCain statement about Bush was made more than five years ago, when the country was a far different place. Of course, it wasn't exactly fair for Obama to use that cold clip, but that's politics in America.
"Ahh, what a wonderful supper. But alas for my people, my fatal hour draws nigh. Still no word from my b*st*rd nephew Edmond Ontaz."
"Oh Master Master! Do not trouble yourself over that b*st*rd your son!"
(Waiting on the count of MonteCristo,or someone like him)
Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, ..." (Month Python "Spam" sketch) :-)
"In the wardrobe of my soul. In the section labeled shirts."
(Bonzo Dog Band, Canyons of your mind)
A complete Elvis send up. At one point holding the title to the second worst guitar solo ever recorded.
!-)
Foolish, that is O'Reilly for sure.
On the radio, O'Reilly also implied that the ad was being deceptive by not making it known that the comment was said back in 2003. Much to O'Reilly's embarrassment, at the end of his show he had to confess that he was wrong and that Obama's ad told the viewers that the comment was made back in 2003. O'Reilly made excuses as it was on the screen for only a few seconds. O'Reilly thought he had caught Obama being deceptive but as it turns out, O'Reilly was the one being deceptive by not knowing the facts of the ad and the Congressional Quarterly's 2007 findings.
Just goes to show that O'Reilly has a poor grasp of the facts and he pawns his lack of knowledge off on his listeners.
O'Reilly thought he had caught Obama being deceptive but as it turns out, O'Reilly was the one being deceptive by not knowing the facts of the ad and the Congressional Quarterly's 2007 findings.
Wow. Bill O'Reilly being deceptive. How unusual - NOT!!!!!!!
Wow what a distinction O'Tool. We're not in the same place we were 4 years ago? Where did we go? Are you in the same place you were then ( head up your @$$)?
Picture the following:
No background noise or music, fade in from black, a clip of McCain saying "I voted with the president 90% of the time..."
Fade into screen text which says "That was in 2003." Crossfade to clip of O'Really saying "We're in a different place now.". Frame gradually vibrates and shrinks to middle of screen, revealing Bush and McCain in White House Rose Garden when Bush endorsed McCain's nomination.
Crossfade to screen text saying "Congressional quarterly reports that in 2007, John McCain voted with the president 95% of the time.". crossfade to text "Obama in '08".
Would that make O'Really happier? No doubt he would feature the ad on his show and - with the nodding agreement of his guest, Ollie North - congratulate Obama for clarifying the previous ad which caused Billdo so much angst.
And hey, if his head truly does explode, at least Billdo can spend the time he'd normally be in makeup telling racy stories of falafels and loofahs to the interns at Fox.
Mary, we are not alone.
Beneath the calm, pliant surface of a society which bends like a field of wheat in the ever-changing wind of cultural zombieism, there is a rumbling. It is a massive beast stretching its muscles and flexing its joints after too long retiring quietly beneath the roots and among the soil of the historically ignorant contemporary culture. It is made up of those like you and me, who know the seeds from whence legends grow. And it will soon break through the surface, straighten its back, rise to its hind legs and, shaking the dirt of adulterated legend off its massive shoulders, rattle heaven and earth with it's booming voice proclaiming
It could happen.
4 years is like a week to McThusela
Unless McCain is willing to come out and say "I was wrong for blindly siding with the president so much in 2003," then O'Reilly's point is not valid. This isn't like the Robert-Byrd-in-the-KKK thing that neocons like to dredge up. This is 2003, which we all remember, and resulted in McCain taking many public stances which have been proven disastrously wrong. Unless he renounces his former position, like Byrd has repeatedly done, then the charges still stick.
By the way, I love the "McThusela." Did you know that he was born in the Pangea Canal Zone?
"Did you know that he was born in the Pangea Canal Zone?"
And didn't I hear a couple weeks ago that someone has filed suit claiming he's not eligible to run for President because of that? It's a faint memory...maybe it's just wishful thinking!
Many past stories about that...
It is probably the Cons trying to sue since they know it is a lost cause. Their best bet is to get McCain off the ticket.
Actually, "Pangea" was another joke about McCain's age (heard another one where he killed his brother, McAbel).
Frankly, I don't really mind about McCain's vintage, provided he has modeled the old proverb about "age is accompanied by wisdom." The pertinent question is, Has it? It's a relevant question about whether McCain has the energy for the office, but it's even more relevant whether he has the intelligence for it. And frankly, most of what he's shown us indicates the opposite.
O'REILLY: Now, you may have noticed the McCain statement about Bush was made more than five years ago, when the country was a far different place. Of course, it wasn't exactly fair for Obama to use that cold clip, but that's politics in America.
Sorry Bill, this "cold clip" has nothing to do with where the country was and everything to do with John McCain and the lie that's he's a independent thinker.
The clip shows is McCain wants to win and if he has to bend down and kiss Bush's a** to win, he's more than willing.
O'Reilly asserted that the "country was in a far different place" when McCain made those comments.
Yeah, the country didn't hate Republicans so much.
Well Bill you are right...it was an old clip...McCain voted with Bush 90% of the time in 2002...now it is 95%!!!!
When you put some of the same Bush/Rove political hacks in your campaign this is what you get.
Like Maverick...McCain is just an old, old TV show....same tired plot just a different set of actors.
This would be hilarious if it weren't so pathetic.
Let me see if I have things straight here, Obama has to answer for every word he's ever written, every speech he's ever made, every friend he's ever had and every hand he's ever shaken since he was born, but McCain can't be held to task for what he said just 5 years ago?
Yeah, that seems reasonable.
I couldn't agree more.
My favorite factoid from the above article:
"However, O'Reilly did not note that, according to a 2008 study by Congressional Quarterly, a nonpartisan publication that tracks legislators' votes, McCain voted with the president 95 percent of the time in 2007."
So Billo's bluster against comparing Bush to McCain rings even more hollow. Idiot.
My favorite factoid from the above article:
"However, O'Reilly did not note that, according to a 2008 study by Congressional Quarterly, a nonpartisan publication that tracks legislators' votes, McCain voted with the president 95 percent of the time in 2007."
So Billo's bluster against comparing Bush to McCain rings even more hollow. Idiot.
So in other words, that brown spot that Gramps McCain had removed a while back was NOT a mole - he was following Bush too closely and Bush stopped short.
I learn so much from you, Bill...
"Now, Obama's, you know, tax cuts for millionaires -- that's just bunk. All right, it's just bunk.".
...probably because of the way that you reiterate complex concepts in ways that everyone can understand...
"Tax cuts for millionaires -- it's just bull."
...and then provide supporting facts.
"So everybody knows that's bull."
You provide a valuable service for your viewers, applying your vast knowledge of the intricacies of government...
"I don't know what he's talking about -- billions in new oil company giveaways? I don't know what that is."
...leading to logical conclusions, and summing up into a comprehensive package by showing how it affects you personally.
"So, again, Barack Obama is a generalist. I'd like to know what that is 'cause, as you know, I'm not a big oil company guy."
I, along with millions of Americans, think it's high time you got the recognition you deserve.
Thank you, Mr. O'Malley.
Snoopy, Usually don't take issue with you but let's be real. this election happened when, the other day? It was a different world way back then. And only to lose by 500 votes when it could be only 499. Please get your time periods straight and quit living in the past.
And quit picking on O'Reilly for his stupidity..that was also a long time ago. Or should I say it is continuous so you cannot accurately judge him until it stops. We must consider his entire stupid, award winning career before we pound the gavel. (One of those faces should be here)
Oops Bill.
Wrong again... If I were as wrong as O'Reilly is at my workplace, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have a job.
Now, Obama's, you know, tax cuts for millionaires -- that's just bunk. All right, it's just bunk. Tax cuts for millionaires -- it's just bull. So everybody knows that's bull. I don't know what he's talking about -- billions in new oil company giveaways? I don't know what that is. So, again, Barack Obama is a generalist. I'd like to know what that is 'cause, as you know, I'm not a big oil company guy.
Is he joking or what?MY memory may not be perfect but I remember an interview McCain did just before Bush's reelection. McCain said he disagreed with Bush on eight or nine issues as i recall but nevertheless would back him all the way with his support and votes. Maverick (sheesh).
BTW i kind of liked Jack Kelly as brother bart.