O'Reilly falsely claimed that on CNN "only Anderson Cooper" covered army recruiter's murder
SUMMARY: Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed that on CNN, "[o]nly Anderson Cooper at 10 o'clock covered the story" of the slaying of Army recruiter Pvt. William Long. In fact, in addition to the coverage on Anderson Cooper 360, CNN covered Long's shooting on 15 shows from June 1 through June 3.
On the June 3 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed that on CNN, "[o]nly Anderson Cooper at 10 o'clock covered the story" of the slaying of Army recruiter Pvt. William Long. O'Reilly made the comments while comparing the coverage of Long's killing and the slaying of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller.
In fact, in addition to the coverage on Anderson Cooper 360, the following CNN shows covered Long's shooting on June 1 through June 3:
- The 1 p.m. ET hour of the June 1 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The 2 p.m. hour of the June 1 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The 3 p.m. hour of the June 1 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The June 1 edition of Lou Dobbs Tonight
- The June 1 edition of Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull.
- The 6 a.m. hour of the June 2 edition of American Morning.
- The 9 a.m. hour of the June 2 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The 10 a.m. hour of the June 2 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The 11 a.m. hour of the June 2 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The 1 p.m. hour of the June 2 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The 2 p.m. hour of the June 2 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The 6 p.m. hour of the June 2 edition of The Situation Room.
- The June 2 edition of Lou Dobbs Tonight.
- The 10 a.m. hour of the June 3 edition of CNN Newsroom.
- The 1 p.m. hour of the June 3 edition of CNN Newsroom.
When O'Reilly stated, "CNN says look, we don't do opinion. We do news. Only Anderson Cooper at 10 o'clock covered the story. Nobody else," his guest, Joe Strupp of Editor & Publisher magazine, replied, "You're right."
From the June 3 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
STRUPP: And also, the cable channels as well. They're over-covering things like this one all the time.
O'REILLY: Not this one. Not Sergeant Long.
STRUPP: Things get over-covered all the time.
O'REILLY: No way. Look --
STRUPP: It doesn't mean it's right. I agree.
O'REILLY: On CNN, only Anderson Cooper --
STRUPP: But you can point to a lot of issues where that happens.
O'REILLY: CNN is supposed to be the news channel, all right.
STRUPP: Isn't Fox and MSNBC supposed to be news?
O'REILLY: No, no, no, but CNN says look, we don't do opinion. We do news. Only Anderson Cooper at 10 o'clock covered the story.
STRUPP: Right. No, I --
O'REILLY: Nobody else.
STRUPP: You're right.
O'REILLY: So, all day long, it wasn't news to cover an Army recruiter gunned down in Arkansas.
Now, there is something else in play here, Doctor [Jeff McCall, DePaul University journalism professor]. What's in play is the zealotry on the part of the editors in the newspapers and the producers on television to promote abortion rights. That's what this is all about.
Because, you know, and I'm sure, you know, Joe, if you read the coverage, the late-term abortion was diminished. It was, "He was an abortion doctor. He was a mainstream guy" -- when he wasn't. He was an extreme guy. One of only three in the country. That's what I think drove this Tiller story. And again, the hook on the poor private murdered. There was no hook. What are going to do, bash Muslims? As you said, that's not in the narrative. But let's deal with the intensity of the Tiller situation. It was driven by the abortion rights crew, was it not?
I remember a reporter, a sports reporter, mind you who escaped from Rupert "The Hitler Diaries" Murdoch's NY Post and landed at the Times. Said his mission at the Post had been to "search and distort." Some things never change.
In an attempt to minimize his culpability in Dr. Tiller's murder he's flailing out by suggesting that it's the MSM's hidden agenda to destroy him by focusing on the Tiller story. It's pure irrational panic played out on TV for all to see.
I wonder how Bill is sleeping these days?
My guess---not very well. This time even Bill knows the real truth.
Compare that to the everyday killing of average soldiers at a recruiting location, and you are comparing apples and bookcases.
The "everyday killing of average soldiers", doesn't happen on posts in the US especially recruiting stations. Will YOU pleases show us, reputable links only please, where recruiting stations are attacked in the US everyday? Not to mention the killing of the "average" soldier was POLITICALLY motivated, bordering on a terrorist attack.
Getting the picture now?
So you think Tiller and Long are BOTH deathmongerers?! That's one I had not heard yet. I understand your apparent approval of Tiller's murder - as despicable as that is, but why do you hate the troops?
BLITZER: All right, I just want to clarify, also, Private William Long, he's the victim of this shooting. Abdulhakim Muhammad is the suspect in the shooting. I just want to be precise with that, David.
What, did he think that Pvt. Long shot A. Muhammad? Again I ask, why did Blizter askt his question?
He allegedly killed a soldier at an Arkansas recruiting station, and court documents show Abdul Hakim (ph) Bledsoe may have been planning more. David Mattingly tells us Bledsoe was on the FBI's radar before all of this happened.
Here's what we know. Twenty three-year-old Abdul Hakim Bledsoe, formally of Tennessee, stands accused of killing an American soldier on American soil. He told police he would've killed more if he had the chance, according to court documents.
Back in Memphis where he grew up as Carlos Bledsoe, a former neighborhood remembers an easygoing, all-American type.
This is two days after the shooting, I love how CNN is avoiding using the shooters NEW last name, instead they refer back to his none Muslim name, why is that?
I wonder where Pvt Long grew up, I would like to know more about him, why does CNN not talk about the American Solider? Whay not talk about the other American Solider that lays in the hospital?
Yes, I see CNN really cares about this story, each time it is either 30 to 45 mins into the news.
So to get you back in track, they used have of his Muslim name but not the last name, and they concentrate on the murders background not the Soldiers.
So to get you back in track, they used have of his Muslim name but not the last name, and they concentrate on the murders background not the Soldiers.
That is just an opinion that is apparently not based on any direct evidence.
Tiller was acquitted by a jury of his peers.
Yes, but so was OJ. My opinion, however, is shared by more than just right wing wackos. "Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop has stated that no competent physician with state-of-the-art skill in the management of high-risk pregnancies needs to perform a D&X. Of course, many physicians lack this level of skill, and so need to resort to the D&X procedure." http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_pba1.htm Which leads one to believe Tiller is no more than a quack out to make a quick buck, toying with innocent women's emotions, and you fully support him and his ilk ... without question. Which is fine. You have that right in America. I aslo have the right to believe Tiller is a murderer who used emotional rape as a tool to keep a steady job.
Was there direct evidence on Tiller? Probably, or the case would not have been brought. The verdict Tiller received doesn't show innocence of criminal activity any more than the innocent verdict OJ received for the murders that happened to his wife and her freind.
O'Reilly did make a mistake in not being specific about his comments, he was speaking of prime time. And he did apologize for that .
STRUPP: Right. No, I --
O'REILLY: Nobody else.
STRUPP: You're right.
O'REILLY: So, all day long, it wasn't news to cover an Army recruiter gunned down in Arkansas.
"All day long" seems like pretty specific language to me. Besides that, isn't Lou Dobbs Tonight in prime time? His show covered it on June 2nd, the day in question.
O'Reilly should have limited his comments to the disproportionate coverage of the Long killing vs the Tiller killing, that was his primary point and it was accurate. The clips and support for the CNN coverage does show how limited their coverage was, when you investigate the prime time clips ( I looked at 2 of 3) the Long story was well into the programs and very limited in their scope. Dobbs covered the Obama's trip to NY before any mention of Long murder for instance.
On monday he will do a thorough analysis of the CNN coverage , and probably others also. You can bet that it will be accurate and I'll bet that it supports the disproportionate nature of the coverage.
And scanning all of my accessable news outlets, his assessment was correct.
Both incidents should have had the same coverage.
The WH should have ecknowledged both equally, and made statements about both, but that wasn't the case.
I guess the killing of an American Soldier on an American street corner by a Radical Jihadist who was trained in Yemen isn't as news worthy as a Radical Wacko who kills a Doctor who performs late term abortions.
The left wants to blame O'Reilly for Tillers murder and if that has any validity it is also valid to blame the NY Times and other left wing pundits for the repeated highlighting of the abuses at Abu Ghraib, which may very well have inflammed the killer of Long. It was much more predictable that those repeated stories would set someone off.
Again, you can't shelve legitimate news stories because of a potential irrational reaction. By that standard, you'd have no news at all. What you can do is to be responsible in how you frame things and avoid incendiary language. I think you are capable of recognizing the difference between the two situations in this regard, honestly.
The rightwing chatters (Beck, O'Reilly and Limbaugh are the one's I have seen. Hannity can't be too far behind) are claiming nobody is covering this for what seems to serve two utterly nefarious and false purposes:
1. To self-servingly suggest you can only trust Fox and other rightwing "news" outlets to give you the real news.(ratings and loyalty)
2. To feed the prejudice that the "liberal media" hate the troops and prefer to run the Tiller murder to push the "liberal agenda"(demonization)
Except that lo and behold it just ain't true.
Exactly, Solon. If O'Reilly puts the truth - that the story aired 15 other times on CNN into his quote, O'Reilly would seem to have no point at all.
The statement I am making in one story the cover the person that has been murdered, in the other they are talking about the person whom did the killing. Cover the stories the same, the same. I agree both are tragic stories, both of the individuals that did the killing should be held to the law of the land, and I know they will. I think each story deserves covering, talk about the truth of each, and why neither should have happen.
So you've watched every news program on every network, analyzing the balance in coverage between the two tragedies?
What about bathroom breaks?
"Not surprisingly, there has been no presidential statement, no nationwide candlelight vigils, or investigating about what "made" Muhammad murder an American soldier."
Then there's other bloggers complaining that there are vigils for William Tiller and wondering why there aren't vigils for Pvt. William Long.
So, how do you know there are vigils in honor of William Long if there's no media coverage of it and rightwing bloggers are complaining that they're not taking place?
The Media are supposed to Schedule and Promote candlelight vigils. They're supposed to drive the story, not just report on it. (Google "Fox News Teabag" for an example of how to git'er dun.)
a descriminated against minority - How do you know this? You mean that this individual did not have the opportunity to go to school, get a education?
think reporters are worried about stirring up hatred against two groups that have been persecuted in the past. - What two groups? If you are talking about the Black Community and Muslims, how have they been persecuted? The facts are the facts in this story, it is not CNN to determine what the public should or should not know about this person, just report the facts.
The man is clearly disturbed and probably has been for a long time, How do you know this? For all we know he is from a middle class family.
demonized all Black, Southern men or Muslims or converts to Islam, what about again tell the facts, do not change the names to pease your audience,
Why don't you spend a little less time trying to put "gotcha" words in the mouths of others and a little time researching and stopping the lies that you post here daily?
Mr. Pot, I have not read anything about Abdul Hakim Muhommad ever moving here from Africa and becoming a citizen there after. So again a American that coverted from one religion or not to that of Muslim belief.
Have a nice day, Mr Kettle.
Gimme a break! Why don't you listen to EVERYTHING else he talks about! Geeez!
Get a grip!