O'Reilly falsely claimed he didn't call Tiller "Dr. Killer"
SUMMARY: Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed that it is "a lie" that he "called George Tiller 'Dr. Killer' while covering his murder last week." In fact, on the June 2 edition of his Fox News program, O'Reilly did refer to Tiller as "Dr. Killer."
On the June 9 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed that it is "a lie" that he "called George Tiller 'Dr. Killer' while covering his murder last week." O'Reilly made the claim while criticizing a San Francisco Chronicle article that reported his reference to "Dr. Killer." He then added: "Transcripts prove what reporter Joe Garofoli was false." In fact, as video of the June 2 edition of his program shows, O'Reilly did refer to Tiller as "Dr. Killer." On June 2, O'Reilly stated: "[I]n order to terminate a life, that has to be catastrophic. And I think it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, in Dr. Killer's case, that wasn't what he was doing." Guest Patricia Ireland, former president of the National Organization of Women, then remarked: "You call him Dr. Killer, and he was murdered."
As Media Matters for America has documented, O'Reilly previously falsely claimed that he only "reported" anti-abortion groups referring to Tiller as "Tiller the baby killer."
From the June 2 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
O'REILLY: Well, in order to terminate a life --
IRELAND: The fact that Dr. Tiller was murdered is --
O'REILLY: In order to terminate a life, that has to be catastrophic. And I think it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, in Dr. Killer's case, that wasn't what he was doing. But Ms. Ireland, we appreciate you coming him on.
IRELAND: You call him Dr. Killer, and he was murdered. And I think that that is --
O'REILLY: He was murdered.
IRELAND: -- just outrageous.
O'REILLY: And so do I. I agree 100 percent with you. It cannot happen in America. Thank you for appearing tonight.
From the June 9 edition of The O'Reilly Factor:
O'REILLY: "Unresolved Problem" segment tonight: More bad news for liberal newspapers.
As you may know, the very liberal Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- gone. And the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, as well as the Chicago Sun-Times, have filed for bankruptcy. Also, The New York Times and Boston Globe in big financial trouble.
My analysis is that traditional and conservative Americans have walked away from these papers because they are so radically left, unfair, unbalanced.
Here's another example: On Sunday, the San Francisco Chronicle printed that I called George Tiller "Dr. Killer" while covering his murder last week. That's a lie. Transcripts prove what reporter Joe Garofoli wrote was false.
But the Chronicle will not correct the story -- we asked them to -- which is one of the big reasons it's on the verge of bankruptcy, as well. Readers cannot trust the paper to print the truth, so why buy it?
O'Reilly: "My analysis is that traditional and conservative Americans have walked away from these papers because they are so radically left, unfair, unbalanced."
This "analysis" is based on what? Has he presented actual facts to back it up? I don't read hard copy newspapers anymore because I read them online, not because of their right or left ideological bent. It would be pretty hard to believe that I'm the only one reading online instead of buying which would account for much of why newspapers are failing.
Because he knows the videos prove that he DID say "Dr. Killer"? Because the recording of his show still sitting on my DVR prove that he DID say it?
O'Reilly: "My analysis is that traditional and conservative Americans have walked away from these papers because they are so radically left, unfair, unbalanced."
This "analysis" is based on what? Has he presented actual facts to back it up? I don't read hard copy newspapers anymore because I read them online, not because of their right or left ideological bent. It would be pretty hard to believe that I'm the only one reading online instead of buying which would account for much of why newspapers are failing.
I'm sorry, I forgot, we're talking about right wing crackpots here.
I can only hope for a severe tongue lashing from Olbermann on this one, and not just a WPiTW rant either. I am talking one of those long special comment segments at the end of his show where his target is typically left a whimpering and quivering mass beneath a tirade of history lessons, fact checking, a dose of common sense, and a prepared eloquence that he delivers so well.
I'm quite sure someone will say he was taken out of context! ;)
Regardless of your position on the abortion issue, how could anyone watch that video and not come to the conclusion that O'Reilly was complicit in Dr. Tiller's murder.
How many people in this great country of ours, when they dress for church have to be sure to remember their body armor?
Your point about having to wear one to a church, however; is well made.
Besides, I am sure the thinking part of his brain was thinking "say Tiller" while the Freudian part of his brain was shouting "say Killer, Killer, Killer". Needless to say, the shouting portion overcame the thinking portion.
"I agree 100 percent with you. It cannot happen in America."
This is the line I really don't get. What exactly is it that can't happen in America? Cival discourse, debate without hyperbole, arguments based on facts, just what is he talking about?
These right wingnutz are so used to lieing they just expect people to swallow them. Sheer "Hot Air" Insannity truncates President Obama's statements - and doesn't understand that others have the native wit to actually listen to the original speeches.
As the junior senator from Minnesota would say, "Wow!"
Three days after the killing of Kansas physician George Tiller, who performed late-term abortions, Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly referred to Tiller the same way he had for years: "Dr. Killer." As in "Tiller the baby killer."
OReilly has NOT called Dr Tiller as Dr Killer "for years"
So what reporter Joe Garofoli said was false.
"One law enforcement official said James Von Brunn, a white supremacist, was under investigation in the shooting, and a second official said the elderly man's car was found near the museum and tested for explosives. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss the investigation just beginning.
Von Brunn has a racist, anti-Semitic Web site and wrote a book titled "Kill the Best Gentiles."
In 1983, he was convicted of attempting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board. He was arrested two years earlier outside the room where the board was meeting, carrying a revolver, knife and sawed-off shotgun. At the time, police said Von Brunn wanted to take the members hostage because of high interest rates and the nation's economic difficulties."
Know too that your party rarely, if ever, rebukes violent authoritarian rhetoricians like Savage and Beck. In fact, quite to the contrary, your boys elevate them to stardom giving them national distribution.
Y'all really need to kick the idiots out of your tribe.
I did find the transcript through a LexisNexis search (because everybody has a Nexis account, right?_, and there is no mention of Bill O'Reilly referring to Dr. Tiller as "Dr. Killer." They do have Ireland accusing Bill of calling Tiller Dr. Killer, but no mention of Bill actually doing so.
Then again, Fox News has edited their transcripts in the past to lie for Bill (Malmedy/Normandy, anybody?), so I'm not sure how much waters these transcripts really hold. When it comes to this situation, I'll trust the video clip over the official transcript. And I heard "Dr. Killer" pretty clearly in the video clip.
He pulled the same crap when he misquoted Senator Barbara Boxer's statement directed toward Condoleezza Rice during her SOS confirmation hearing...
Boxer: "I personally believe ... that your loyalty to the mission you were given, to sell this war, overwhelmed your respect for the truth."
O'Reilly insisted, repeatedly, for days on end, that Boxer said, "overwhelmed your respect for the troops." But anyone who sees the video or even hears the audio can clearly make out the word truth.
I even remember Al Franken playing audio of a woman calling into O'Reilly's radio show who tried to correct him and encouraged him to watch the video of the exchange, but O'Reilly wasn't having it. He shot the woman down and insisted he was right.
To my knowledge, O'Reilly never issued a correction.
MMFA mentions the misquote here.
At the same time, do you think someone could correct the reference to Patricia Ireland? She's the former president of the National Organization for Women, not "of." It's a common enough mistake, usually made by people trying to denigrate them, but we should strive for accuracy at all times.
Why they are just as bad as OReilly!
You're pretty sick.
Get therapy.
fast.
You're disgusting.
Dr. Tiller perform LEGAL services for women. Get it? LEGAL!
He did NOT deserve to be murdered, period.
Good grief! Dr. Tiller was wearing a bullet proof vest in his own d*mn Church because of crazy ant-choice folks!
YOU are trying to justify MURDER by blaming Dr. Tiller's profession. Which makes YOU no different than the nut case that committed murder!
What is appalling is that he didn't just apologize for a "slip of the tongue", rather than denying it.
He looks so pompous, like such a pompous horse's ass, with his arched eye-brows and holier-than-thou delivery, and HE'S beating Keith Olberman? Good grief! As Gresham said, "bad money [always]drives out good". Pity!
Randall Terry manages to have a public voice despite being implicated in Slepian's murder (Terry was in an Atlanta jail with the killer less than 30 days before the doctor's assassination) and yet we locked up Manson.
Where's the NSA when you need them? Would that the people incensed over the DHS report that "targeted" right wing groups would focus their attention on Operation Rescue and the like.
I watched that live and didn't hear that O'Liely said Killer instead of Tiller.
Great job for Media Matters and the likes, for clearly displaying yet another major bold face lie by Bill.
Tiller makes me sick as well but Bill went way over the line by helping to incite this murder and just keeps spitting on Tiller's grave.