In a discussion on his nationally syndicated radio show, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly claimed that The New York Times “is basically a quasi-socialistic outfit” and that Times columnist Paul Krugman “is just to the right of Fidel Castro.” O'Reilly was discussing an October 24 New York Times editorial that advocated an increase in the federal gasoline tax. After quoting the article, O'Reilly described the paper's suggestion that the added revenue could be funneled back to lower-income households as “income redistribution.”
O'Reilly's shot at Krugman also referenced their joint appearance on the August 7, 2004, edition of CNBC's Tim Russert; O'Reilly asserted that he “took [Krugman] apart.” During the debate, O'Reilly made numerous false statements and linked Media Matters for America to Castro, exclaiming: "Media Matters! Why don't you just call Fidel? Call him up in Havana. He'll tell you what's going on." O'Reilly also called Krugman “a quasi-socialist” during that program.
From the October 24 broadcast of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:
CALLER: Hey, Bill. New York Times and Senator [Charles E.] Schumer [D-NY], their solution to the oil companies' price gouging just makes the government work in collusion with the oil companies against the consumer.
O'REILLY: Well, they would say no, because if you have a $3 oil tag that fewer people will buy gasoline. That's what they would say. And I tend to agree with that. I tend to agree that if you keep oil prices at $3 a gallon that most folks are going to cut back. But I think they're going to cut back anyway. And you can get fuel efficiency by demanding efficiency out of Detroit. You know, the government has a right to protect the environment, and it is a national security issue, so they can say to Detroit, “Look, we know you have the technology to do it. And if you have [cars that get] 30 [miles per gallon] and up, we'll, you know, we encourage you. And if you don't, then we're going to tax your vehicles more because they're harming our country.” The government has a right to do that.
And -- you know, The New York Times is basically a quasi-socialistic outfit. And that's what they are. Read Paul Krugman. I mean, the guy is just to the right of Fidel Castro. It's ridiculous. Krugman is one of their columnists, a guy I took apart on CNBC; you might remember that.