During the September 26 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, Bill O'Reilly hosted Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce -- a self-described “openly gay, pro-choice, gun owning, pro-death penalty, voted-for-President Bush authentic feminist” -- to talk about what O'Reilly called "[t]he far-left Internet sites" such as Media Matters for America who “are in the business to smear any and all commentators who do not toe the liberal line.” In response, Bruce said, “I think most of us who are in the public eye have got to call attention to the real story, which is the fact that a Gestapo has emerged in America. If you'll notice, the attacks on you mirror the attacks on General [David] Petraeus. And you have a media Gestapo in Media Matters, and then you have the political Gestapo in MoveOn.org.”

Bruce continued: “And the intention is the same. The intention is to smear an individual without any basis in reality, without any fairness, in an attempt to make that person demonized so that they will not be listened to.” She added: “It is a very serious dynamic. Now, the issues involved are almost irrelevant because the truth of the matter is, no matter what is said, no matter what is done, the Gestapo will find a way to move in some kind of element of demonization.”

O'Reilly devoted a substantial portion of his September 26 program to attacking Media Matters, which documented O'Reilly's controversial September 19 comment about his visit to Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem.

Concluding his discussion with Bruce, O'Reilly mused: “Isn't it depressing in a republic as strong as America that we have now the most corrupt media in the history of our country. That's a little depressing to me, Tammy.” Bruce replied: “Well, it is, but it also then shines the light on the media that we can trust like Fox, frankly.”

From the September 26 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:

O'REILLY: “Impact” segment, tonight. The far-left Internet sites are in the business to smear any and all commentators who do not toe the liberal line. In the past year, Media Matters has personally attacked me 109 times. Glenn Beck has been smeared 92 times. Rush Limbaugh, 87 times. And Sean Hannity, 75 times. Not one liberal radio commentator has been smeared by Media Matters.

Joining us now from Los Angeles, radio talk-show star Tammy Bruce, who's also been attacked by that smear factory.

OK. Commentators are attacked by this. We know this. We ignore it most of the time until CNN or another, what they call, mainstream media outlet picks it up. But some people are saying, “Look, O'Reilly, you should just ignore this. You shouldn't do anything about it.” I'm attacking it, obviously. How do you see it?

BRUCE: Well, it is actually very serious. And the real story is -- and I think those of us who are in the public eye have got to call attention to the real story, which is the fact that a Gestapo has emerged in America. If you'll notice, the attacks on you mirror the attacks on General Petraeus. And you have a media Gestapo in Media Matters, and then you have the political Gestapo in MoveOn.org. And the intention is the same. The intention is to smear an individual without any basis in reality, without any fairness, in an attempt to make that person demonized so that they will not be listened to.

It is a very serious dynamic. Now, the issues involved are almost irrelevant because the truth of the matter is, no matter what is said, no matter what is done, the Gestapo will find a way to move in some kind of element of demonization, especially as we move into this election year. And it is -- when it comes to the military, when it comes to government, or especially with you, in this case, an individual who is independent from either party line and who is likely to be listened to more seriously than other people.

O'REILLY: OK. Now, how do you handle it then when a CBS morning news -- totally irresponsible, the correspondent didn't listen to the tape. The anchor who did the interview links it up to an Imus. You know, this Media Matters is --

BRUCE: Sure.

O'REILLY: -- the same people that got Imus. Now, they know that's dishonest. CNN from the jump knew it was dishonest because I told them.

BRUCE: Sure.

O'REILLY: And they didn't care. CNN, we know because they're getting hammered in the ratings 6 to 1 by us. So we know why they do it. But how do you handle a CBS morning news?

BRUCE: Well, you -- this is actually a gift. And I know it probably doesn't feel that way --

O'REILLY: No, it does. I agree with you.

BRUCE: -- to those of use who have been targets.

O'REILLY: It is a gift, absolutely.

BRUCE: It's a gift because what it does is it swings the curtain back. I -- when I was in the left, it's known as the network. Literally, a network of outlets that then follow the lead of who it is that's leading the charge, whether it be The New York Times or, in this instance, Media Matters or MoveOn.org. And what Americans need to realize, and I think what commentators have a duty to do, is remind people what the real story is, which is this is an opportunity to see how that network operates, how it exists, especially as Americans have to listen to establishment media for news about an election and for decisions they make. So it's a real opportunity to show who is part of the network, who is playing that role, who is a water carrier and who isn't. And I think that you, as a lightning rod, is a perfect example for most people about the agenda is of the Gestapo and how it can be stopped.

O'REILLY: Sure, and the reason it's a gift is because we have the tape. And anybody --

BRUCE: Yes.

O'REILLY: -- can go to BillOReilly.com and hear the whole thing. And there's no two sides to the story. There's no debate.

BRUCE: Well, it's context.

O'REILLY: Right.

BRUCE: No, it's context, and the other issue is always --

O'REILLY: But isn't it depressing --

BRUCE: Uh-huh.

O'REILLY: -- isn't it depressing in a republic as strong as America that we have now the most corrupt media in the history of our country. That's a little depressing to me, Tammy.

BRUCE: Well, it is, but it also then shines the light on the media that we can trust like Fox, frankly.