News slant

[Bingo]

Before the old board went down I opined that while Bill O'Reilly is clearly leaning right in his beliefs, that he is a more fair media person than some of the extremes on both sides ...

saw this interview today on FoxNews

O'Reilly Interview

I point it out because I think it's a good example of at least keeping planted on political matters. I'm fairly certain that O'Reilly will be voting for Bush, but to interview the guy that says Kerry saved his life in the Swift boat controvery isn't the best way to support your own side and thrust a blind eye to anything that shakes your side.

Other right wing media are chasing the "Kerry lied" angle with little to counterbalance these beliefs.

[troutman]

FAIR does not think O'Reilly is "fair":

http://www.fair.org/ohreally.html

But it is fair for others to say that FAIR is not "fair".

[RougeUnderoos]

Yer never going to convince me that O'Reilly isn't on the far right, but I'll give him props for conducting that interview and doing it fairly.

That Thomas Jefferson quote is interesting. Not too long ago I stumbled across a screen-shot of Bill and the graphic beside him said roughly "once the war starts the people who don't agree with it can shut up".

Anyway, it seems Bill is smart enough to get away from "Kerry's military service sucked" business. I mean come on, we know for a fact he was at least actually there, on a swift boat, firing a gun. The guy the right is backing was, at best, protecting Texas from the VC airforce.

The two candidates simply can't be compared when it comes to military service. I don't know why they would want to keep bringing it up. I even saw some fatheaded pundit on CNN after a night of the DNC and he said Kerry's military career was a political move and that the wounds he got "weren't that bad". Really reaching, in other words.

[kermitology]

When Bill Clinton was on The Daily Show, he made a comment about how Kerry should be saying something about these ads. If you can get a chance to check out the interview it's really good, Clinton hammers himself, Bush, and Cheney for not going to Vietnam. And supporting these accusations that bash Kerry's service should be fought head on, because they're sleazy.

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by RougeUnderoos@Aug 12 2004, 05:42 PM
Yer never going to convince me that O'Reilly isn't on the far right, but I'll give him props for conducting that interview and doing it fairly.

That Thomas Jefferson quote is interesting. Not too long ago I stumbled across a screen-shot of Bill and the graphic beside him said roughly "once the war starts the people who don't agree with it can shut up".

Anyway, it seems Bill is smart enough to get away from "Kerry's military service sucked" business. I mean come on, we know for a fact he was at least actually there, on a swift boat, firing a gun. The guy the right is backing was, at best, protecting Texas from the VC airforce.

The two candidates simply can't be compared when it comes to military service. I don't know why they would want to keep bringing it up. I even saw some fatheaded pundit on CNN after a night of the DNC and he said Kerry's military career was a political move and that the wounds he got "weren't that bad". Really reaching, in other words.

I agree.

I don't see where John Kerry wrote up a false report of his action and recommended himself for a medal. Other people wrote the action reports. Other people wrote the medal recommendations.

Its silly and hopefully counterproductive to even be going after him on that. Its a non-starter and looks vindictive and foolish.

O'Reilly handled it fairly but there's no doubt he's a right wing table thumper too. He's not as fanatical as I thought given he was beating up Ann Coulter a month ago.

Cowperson

[RougeUnderoos]

War hero Dick Cheney was ripping Kerry today in a speech, basically saying he doesn't know what war is like.

Kerry fired back with "Bush and Cheney went out of their way to avoid combat duty..."

Good stuff.

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by RougeUnderoos@Aug 12 2004, 06:21 PM
War hero Dick Cheney was ripping Kerry today in a speech, basically saying he doesn't know what war is like.

Kerry fired back with "Bush and Cheney went out of their way to avoid combat duty..."

Good stuff.

Remember Bill Clinton's speech at the Democratic Convention, paraphrased with a line something like: "I went out of my way to avoid Vietnam. Cheney and Bush did too. In fact there's only one candidate in this election who stood up and said "I want to go" and that's John Kerry."

Funny how Clinton included himself in that less than illustrious group.

Cowperson

[RougeUnderoos]

Clinton took his lumps about his dodging, so I guess it's no harm in admitting it now.

Cheney hasn't taken too many lumps yet, but somebody should be hammering him for his old "I had other priorities in the '60s" comment. I'm sure everyone would have rather been somewhere else, Dickie.

[Bingo]

For the record I think I said O'Reilly was right leaning twice in the original post ... so telling me so again seems somewhat a waste of time.

I'm just showing an example of him stepping away from that theme, something he's done in the past, but rarely gets credit for.

I agree on some of what he says, disagree with the rest, but find him entertaining for the most part.

I do think his ratings and his boisterous persona make him a greater target than he likely deserves.

[RougeUnderoos]

Ha ha no doubt. I just re-read it and I don't know why but I thought you were saying he was close to the center or something.

Anyway, I do get your point.

In other news... I read that book Lying Liars and the Bla Bla Bla over the last couple days and boy-o does O'Reilly get skewered. Pretty tame compared to what he has to say about Limbaugh, but Bill takes his knocks. Anne Coulter gets worked pretty good as well. Good book, lotsa laughs, but early on Franken says something about a right-wing book and "it's the kind of thing people pick up to read to re-enforce the opinions they already have" or something like that and that slightly tainted it for me the rest of the way. Come on Al, that's what you are doing.

[theikon]

Bill O'Reily is a moronic, attention seeeking, jackass crusader.

[Bingo]

Originally posted by theikon@Aug 12 2004, 02:00 PM
Bill O'Reily is a moronic, attention seeeking, jackass crusader.

Well then I guess I'm a mindless moronic dimwitt, huh?

Or ... people have differing tastes and opinions.

Who in their right mind would go on a crusade for a jackass? Do they have a team bus or do they ride mules? Are they trying to convert jackasses into regular people or convert regular people into jackasses?

Aren't all television personalities somewhat guilty of attention seeking?

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Personally, I think Bill O'Reilly is a tool. He's way too far on the right. His "No Spin Zone" is nothing but spin, HIS spin, and when he has a guest on that has the goods O'Reilly shouts him down in an attempt to discredit the person. It's kind of sad to watch.

The guy that I really like and think is extremely fair is Bill Maher. I think he absolutely buries people the good old fashioned way, using common sense and coming with an informed argument. Bill O'Reilly does neither and keeps his head firmly planted up the Repulican party's sphincter. He's no where near as far up it as someone like Ann Coulter, but he's lodged in there pretty tight. To me he's the ying to the yang of Al Franken, who's head is up the Democratic party's sphincter.

I really don't understand how people can be so biased toward a party and not focus on issues. The Repubicans are right on some issues. The Democrats are right on others. What is wrong with taking the best of both parties and coming up with a platform that works? That's what McCain was trying to do.

[theikon]

Originally posted by Lanny_MacDonald@Aug 12 2004, 08:24 PM
Personally, I think Bill O'Reilly is a tool. He's way too far on the right. His "No Spin Zone" is nothing but spin, HIS spin, and when he has a guest on that has the goods O'Reilly shouts him down in an attempt to discredit the person. It's kind of sad to watch.

[QUOTE]

Thanks Lanny.

[Bingo]

Originally posted by Lanny_MacDonald@Aug 12 2004, 02:24 PM
Personally, I think Bill O'Reilly is a tool. He's way too far on the right. His "No Spin Zone" is nothing but spin, HIS spin, and when he has a guest on that has the goods O'Reilly shouts him down in an attempt to discredit the person. It's kind of sad to watch.

The guy that I really like and think is extremely fair is Bill Maher. I think he absolutely buries people the good old fashioned way, using common sense and coming with an informed argument. Bill O'Reilly does neither and keeps his head firmly planted up the Repulican party's sphincter. He's no where near as far up it as someone like Ann Coulter, but he's lodged in there pretty tight. To me he's the ying to the yang of Al Franken, who's head is up the Democratic party's sphincter.

I really don't understand how people can be so biased toward a party and not focus on issues. The Repubicans are right on some issues. The Democrats are right on others. What is wrong with taking the best of both parties and coming up with a platform that works? That's what McCain was trying to do.

I would bet, Lanny, and believe me you're welcome to your opinion on this, but I believe if you and I set out to find examples of ...

1. O'Reilly criticizing Bush or the Republicans
2. O'Reilly giving credit to the Democrats or Kerry
3. Maher criticizing Kerry or the Democrats
4. Maher giving credit to the Republicans or Bush

...

the equation would read 1+2 > 3+4

I, of course, dont' know that, but that's what I would gather from reading both of these guys for the past several years.

Didn't you call yourself somewhat right leaning the other day? Not sure how a person could be right leaning and be a Maher fan.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Originally posted by Bingo@Aug 12 2004, 09:16 PM
I would bet, Lanny, and believe me you're welcome to your opinion on this, but I believe if you and I set out to find examples of ...

1. O'Reilly criticizing Bush or the Republicans
2. O'Reilly giving credit to the Democrats or Kerry
3. Maher criticizing Kerry or the Democrats
4. Maher giving credit to the Republicans or Bush

...

the equation would read 1+2 > 3+4

I, of course, dont' know that, but that's what I would gather from reading both of these guys for the past several years.

Didn't you call yourself somewhat right leaning the other day? Not sure how a person could be right leaning and be a Maher fan.

I doubt that, Bingo. Maher has given credit to Bush on a number of subjects, and hammered Kerry on a number of subjects as well. He is non-partisan in his bashing and likes to stick to issues, not party lines. That is one of the reasons why I like him, as he is fair because he doesn't focus on party, but focuses on issues/events. He selects an issue and hammers both sides for their mis-handling of it. And when it comes to discussing an issue he comes prepared to make an argument and is very effective at doing so. Bill O'Reilly? I've seen him go into discussions without doing more than basic research and end up going off the deep end on many occassions, screaming over top of someone who had pinned him into a corner.

I'm not hammering you for liking Bill O'Reilly. I'm just stating a fact that O'Reilly is very very right wing. Almost everyone in the political spectrum, save those wearing brown shirts, are left of Bill O'Reilly, so it makes sense that you would look at someone who thinks Bill O'Reilly was a complete ass and think that the person in question was left of center. The guy is a Republican puppet and leans so far right that he uses the passenger side door mirror as a rear view mirror. Let us not forget that this is the same Bill O'Reilly who was into tabloid TV long before Jerry Springer came onto the scene.

Now me? If you examined issues (I know, this is where the political conversation grounds to a halt as people don't bother talking about issues, they prefer to talk about personalities) you would see that I am right wing on most issues (very right wing on some) and center on the rest. Maybe we should bring up a few issues and see where we stand on them. Then we can see where people really stand in the political world.

[TheCommodoreAfro]

Here's an example of Bill O'Reilly meeting someone out of his league, or who has facts to back them.

Bill O' Reilly freaking out on MSNBC

Anyone who uses the "left wing" label as much as he does finds himself far away from that definition, in my experience. And a good illustration to back Lanny's salient point that the guy runs when presented with fact.

[Bingo]

Originally posted by Lanny_MacDonald@Aug 12 2004, 05:44 PM
I'm not hammering you for liking Bill O'Reilly. I'm just stating a fact that O'Reilly is very very right wing. Almost everyone in the political spectrum, save those wearing brown shirts, are left of Bill O'Reilly, so it makes sense that you would look at someone who thinks Bill O'Reilly was a complete ass and think that the person in question was left of center. The guy is a Republican puppet and leans so far right that he uses the passenger side door mirror as a rear view mirror. Let us not forget that this is the same Bill O'Reilly who was into tabloid TV long before Jerry Springer came onto the scene.

See I'm not so sure you have the ability to call something like that "fact". You have an opinion ... as do I.

O'Reilly is certainly right wing.
Maher is certainly left wing.

To argue either is pointless.

I tend to think that O'Reilly's style has people painting him further right than he actually is, but clearly I won't convince you of that, which is fine.

I find both men entertaining and read or listen to all I can from both and I honestly feel that Maher is further left than O'Reilly is right, but that's just my opinion I suppose.

I think part of the problem in ranking ideological polarity is that a person tends to take offence more emotionally than they agree. I think a left leaning person listening to Maher would just think "that's true" when he rips the right or favours the left but then let it pass from memory while raging every time O'Reilly steps right of center.

I certainly don't agree with every stance or angle that O'Reilly trumpets on a daily basis, but I do enjoy his style. Maybe with both of us having Irish Catholic backgrounds that tend to cut the crap in our discussion style I just schtick

[Bingo]

Originally posted by TheCommodoreAfro@Aug 13 2004, 12:19 AM
Here's an example of Bill O'Reilly meeting someone out of his league, or who has facts to back them.

Bill O' Reilly freaking out on MSNBC

Anyone who uses the "left wing" label as much as he does finds himself far away from that definition, in my experience. And a good illustration to back Lanny's salient point that the guy runs when presented with fact.

Funny ...

I read that transcript earlier this week and forwarded to Cowperson suggesting the same ... that O'Reilly didn't do very well in this one. Cow replied that he thought he mopped the floor with the little weasel.

All a matter of view I guess.

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by Bingo+Aug 13 2004, 04:09 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Bingo @ Aug 13 2004, 04:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-TheCommodoreAfro@Aug 13 2004, 12:19 AM
Here's an example of Bill O'Reilly meeting someone out of his league, or who has facts to back them.

Bill O' Reilly freaking out on MSNBC

Anyone who uses the "left wing" label as much as he does finds himself far away from that definition, in my experience. And a good illustration to back Lanny's salient point that the guy runs when presented with fact.

Funny ...

I read that transcript earlier this week and forwarded to Cowperson suggesting the same ... that O'Reilly didn't do very well in this one. Cow replied that he thought he mopped the floor with the little weasel.

All a matter of view I guess. [/b][/quote]
Might have had something to do with the fact I saw it live, a visual of an overbearing O'Reilly leaning over a smallish, bookish, professorialish Krugman who appeared to spend most of his time rolling his eyes and leaning away from O'Reilly.

Looking over the transcript after the fact didn't change my thoughts on it . . . . but I still had that visual going.

And Bingo will tell you I'm not an O'Reilly fan given I keep gonging him whenever Bingo sends me his latest rants.

Lastly, we might find our favourite commentators "fair and reasoned" only because we agree with what they say. Hence Lanny latching on to Maher and Bingo onto O'Reilly. They might be preaching to the choir.

Cowperson