Child calls O’Reilly on mistake, but he won’t admit error.
By on Jan 4th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Child calls O’Reilly on mistake, but he won’t admit error.
In chapter 3 of his book “Kids Are Americans Too,” Fox News host Bill O’Reilly wrote that “the Constitution guarantees all of us, in a famous phrase, ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’” On the Jan. 2 edition of his show, O’Reilly read a letter from Courtney Yong, a young girl from San Francisco, who pointed out that the “famous phrase” actually came from the Declaration of Independence, rather than the Constitution. Despite clearly having made an error in his book, O’Reilly refused to admit that he made any mistake. Watch it:
[flv http://video.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/OReillyConstitution.320.240.flv]
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To O’Reilly, actual facts are overrated.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:08 amGood ol’ Billo…always good for a laugh.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:09 amAnd to think this person went to Kennedy school of politics…
January 4th, 2008 at 11:12 amWhy on earth would anyone expect Bill O or any republican pundit to admit any mistake or even to know the history of the country they live in?
January 4th, 2008 at 11:13 amThat dude is mental.
∞
January 4th, 2008 at 11:13 amSo what?
January 4th, 2008 at 11:13 amAccording to our President, they’re just ‘goddamn pieces of paper’.
Keith Olbermann puts it perfectly — Bill O is the Frank Burns of TV “News”.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:15 amDoes anyone actually read BORe’s books, or does Murdoch just buy a few million of them and store them in a warehouse somewhere?
January 4th, 2008 at 11:18 amFaux won the right to lie to the public in court, of course O’Lielly won’t correct his “factual” mistake.
“Its not a bug, its a feature.”
January 4th, 2008 at 11:18 am“Does anyone actually read BORe’s books, or does Murdoch just buy a few million of them and store them in a warehouse somewhere?”
Comment by Xisithrus — January 4, 2008 @ 11:18 am
24% of Americans still support Bush
24% of Americans believe in the inerrancy of the Bible
Mike, I Don’t Believe in Evolution-Wives Be Submissive to Your Husbands, Huckabee won big in Iowa.
I have no doubt his books sell.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:22 amThe kid was from San Francisco? How very sweet.
Ps. Alan Dershowitz also ripped into Billo, pointing out numerous factual errors (and hypocrisy) in his pedo-predatory screed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/06/AR2007120602186.html
January 4th, 2008 at 11:23 amThis only points out that children are more intelligent and more honest than anyone over at Faux Noise Comedy Channel…
January 4th, 2008 at 11:30 amDoes anyone actually read BORe’s books, or does Murdoch just buy a few million of them and store them in a warehouse somewhere?
Comment by Xisithrus — January 4, 2008 @ 11:18 am
Apparently Courtney Yong read one book — otherwise she wouldn’t have found the error. Who knows how many other errors would be found if more people cracked his books open?
January 4th, 2008 at 11:30 amBillo = Bozo… Did Ailes edit the manuscript or did cheeenny??
January 4th, 2008 at 11:30 amfacts notoriously show a liberal bias
January 4th, 2008 at 11:30 amGoddamn it TP, you show more negative clips of the opposition than positive clips of the friendlies.
Let’s see some actual progress please… show us the progressives.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:31 amRepublicans have been having trouble for a while now trying to figure what to tell the kids.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:31 amBill may claim that “Kids are Americans Too” — but apparently this doesn’t mean they should be taken seriously or even listened to.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:32 amI love Bill O’Reilly
-Joe Schmow, Amalgamated Dildo Sales and Marketing
January 4th, 2008 at 11:40 amBill’s attempt at shaping young minds seems to have hit a bump.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:41 amOnce an idiot, always an idiot! Even a child can see through O’Lielly.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:41 amThe child is much smarter than the 24 percenters who support the Bush Crime Family.
Uh, I don’t like to support Falafel Boy, but he’s right. Billo doesn’t say the phrase is from the Constitution; he says the Constitution ensures those rights that are ‘a famous phrase’. Many factual horrors are committed by Billo and Faux News; maybe TP can stick to those.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:43 amOh, god…that screen capture…”Factor LITERATURE” — !!
Literature?
LITERATURE…?!?
Oh puh-lease. If that’s literature, then I’m the Pope.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:43 amThe facts are not as important as the underlying truth of the matter. It is not really relevant that “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” came from the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. It is the spirit of America. The same spirit Bill O stands for in his writings and speeches. You attack him because you hate America and the God given blessings for which it stands. You speak of trivialities while missing the broader point:
CONSERVATIVES DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES. ONLY LIBERALS MAKE MISTAKES.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:43 amKids are Americans. Bill O’Reilly on the other hand….
January 4th, 2008 at 11:43 amBill is a pervert and should not be allowed contact of any kind with children.
Bill 0 the falafel sex predator is one sick fck.
Buck Fush
January 4th, 2008 at 11:49 amI am not a big O’Reilly fan, but at least he acknowledged the letter that challenged his language.
Conversely, I do not believe The New York Times ever acknowledged their error when they made the same mistake back in August:
“It is an eminently good thing that the anti-suicide measure would require medical specialists to keep track of veterans found to be high risks for suicide. But that’s to care for them as human beings, under that other constitutional right — to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/30/opinion/30thu3.html?ex=1346212800&en=5771d1b2efbc93eb&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
January 4th, 2008 at 11:50 amI hope that most of you are smart enough to recognize #24, Comment by JMOHR — January 4, 2008 @ 11:43 am, as being a liberal troll falsely posing as a Conservative.
Comment by good_golly — January 4, 2008 @ 11:45 am
Actually, we’re even smarter. We recognize that it’s parody.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:50 amYes, good golly.
Very funny JMOHR.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:50 amliberal troll falsely posing as a Conservative.
Comment by good_golly — January 4, 2008 @ 11:45 am
Proof again conservatives do not understand the concept of sarcasm.
One of the reasons Faux’s attempt to clone the Daily Show flopped.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:51 amNoOneYouKnow — you can’t really be serious.
Here’s the sentence from Bildo’s book:
“the Constitution guarantees all of us, in a famous phrase, ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Anyone who can read that and get an understanding other than what TP suggests is either purposefully parsing to achieve a desired end, or is not all that great at reading comprehension.
I don’t think you’re either. Perhaps you’re just trying to bend over backward to ensure the integrity of TP’s standards?
January 4th, 2008 at 11:51 amI hope that most of you are smart enough to recognize #24, Comment by JMOHR — January 4, 2008 @ 11:43 am, as being a liberal troll falsely posing as a Conservative.
Comment by good_golly — January 4, 2008 @ 11:45 am
Actually, JMOHR is neither. His posts are brilliant parodies of the conservative position, but on occasion sound real enough to even get me riled up. The first time I saw one of his posts, I responded with one of my typical rants before realizing I’d been completely had.
JMOHR also makes plenty of serious posts with his true (progressive) position on issues, so I wouldn’t accuse him of falsely posing or trying to dupe us in any way.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:54 amI am not a big O’Reilly fan, but at least he acknowledged the letter that challenged his language.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 11:50 am
Yeah, he acknowledged it. Then disregarded it.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:04 pmI am not a big O’Reilly fan, but…
Comment by Exley
Why is it that big O’Reilly fans always preface a defense of their favorite Lying Liar with that transparent deception?
January 4th, 2008 at 12:07 pmComment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 11:50 am
Every single issue of the NY Times I ever read had a list of corrections. You’ll need to do better than this, Exley, to prove they never acknowledged the error. Given your propensity for dishonesty, I’m not likely to take your word for it.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:07 pmAah, the purity of youth. The Emperor has no facts!
January 4th, 2008 at 12:08 pmJMOHR also makes plenty of serious posts with his true (progressive) position on issues, so I wouldn’t accuse him of falsely posing or trying to dupe us in any way. -Comment by missmolly
I confess, as well. In fact, just yesterday JMOHR got a big WTF? out of me, not recognizing the parody. That’s on me.
But like our esteemed Presidunce, ‘I won’t get fuued again!’
January 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pmGummitch,
You are more than welcome to scour old copies of The New York Times to see if they ever corrected their error. But what is indisputable is that The Times made the same error as O’Reilly. Funny, though — I don’t recall ThinkProgress posting anything about The Times’ error back in August.
We look forward to the results of your research.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pm“Well since it was YOU who made the claim that they corrected the error”
Read posting #28 again….carefully.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:22 pm“Well since it was YOU who made the claim that they corrected the errorâ€
Read posting #28 again….carefully.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
It was a typo. Obviously.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:24 pmNo I just misread it gum. I thought Excremently was the one making the claim, so naturally I jumped in hoping to help you….. ended up not so much… lol, sorry.
Comment by BARTLEBEE — January 4, 2008 @ 12:26 pm
No, he claimed they never issued a retraction or a correction. My point is that he needs to prove that, and given the number of corrections printed in the average daily issue of the NY Times, he’ll have to do some digging.
And, of course, none of this has anything to do with O’Reilly.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:36 pmI hope that I am not seen as a troll, liberal or conservative. I do try to parody conservative thought because it often gets to the core of their beliefs. BillO and other conservatives constantly make factual errors. When they are called upon these errors, their usual response is that they are being unfairly flogged over minor or trivial matters but that they got the gist of the matter right. On the other hand, liberals either make serious mistakes. Liberals also distort and deceive. Yeah, just what I want to hear from the likes of the Republicans and conservatives. We need to take these people on for what they are and to start aggressively attacking their logic, facts and honesty. For too long, we have tried to take the high road and play nice. It is time for a change in our attitude and tactics.
1. Does it not want to make you puke to hear the conservatives now calling for bipartisanship? Who ran the Congress as a lap dog fiefdom? Who would not pass legislation unless it was passed by a majority of the majority in order to deprive the Democrats of any participation or credit from governing? Who denied the Democrats any role in conference committees while the Republicans were in the majority?
2. Do you not become enraged when you hear the President decry the amount of pork in bills from the Democratic led congress? How do we live with a hypocrisy so blatant and so false. While not perfect, the Democrats have made substantial progress in limiting earmarks. However, to hear the vile Republican propaganda machine, this president and the Republican minority are fighting the most corrupt organization in the world.
3. Do you not cry for this nation when you hear the Republican miniority leaders proclaim to their base that it is their intent and their strategy to tie up congress in order to prevent the passage of any substantial programs in order to claim that the Democrats can not govern? Do you not feel the bile rising in your throat when you hear the MSM speak of the inability of the Democrats to pass legislation without mentioning that the Republican minority has used the filibuster more than any other Senate in the history of this country? DO YOU NOT DEMAND RETRIBUTION AND JUSTICE WHEN YOU HEAR THE TIN PLATED, PETTY FASCIST BUSH THEN CRITICIZE CONGRESS FOR FAILING TO DO ITS BUSINESS?
4. Has there ever been a time when we have seen more corruption, lies, unethical conduct and out right violation of our constitution than we have with this administration and Republican party?
I could go on. However, the United States lies at a crossroad of becoming nothing more than a third world nation with the vast majority of its population living in poverty without health care, decent jobs or viable social safety net. We live in a time when we see large, faceless and immoral corporations literally buying control of this nation. It is time for liberals and progressives to fight this fight or history will look back at this time to ask why no one stood up to the subversion of democracy and the elimination of liberty. TAKE THE GLOVES OFF; THIS IS WAR AGAINST AN EVIL, DECEPTIVE AND CORRUPT REPUBLICAN/CONSERVATIVE ELITE. WE EITHER FIGHT LIKE 0UR COUNTRY AND WAY OF LIFE DEPEND UPON IT OR WE LOSE IT.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:38 pmFunny how O’Reilly, Coulter, etc., write books, but for whatever reason, DON’T HAVE PEOPLE CHECKING FACTS.
Comment by Arn Gunnutes
We do know that rush Limbaugh has a fact checker. In his book Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, Al Franken’s fact checker has discussions with “the man who has “the easiest job in America”: Rush Limbaugh’s fact-checker.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:45 pmThe president never said that.
Comment by Manslagt
Whether he said it or not isn’t as important as the obvious fact that Bush has done everything in his power to destroy the Constitution.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:52 pmThank you, JMOHR. Thank you.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:52 pmThe person making the claim is where the onus of proof lies.
And the inability to prove that claim means the claim holds no water, regardless of how ferverently you believe it.
Comment by BARTLEBEE — January 4, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
Except we can’t apply this concept to religion or we are FANATICS, right BARTLEBEE?
January 4th, 2008 at 1:00 pmWhat a tiny, insignificant person Billo is.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:04 pmI hope that most of you are smart enough to recognize #24, Comment by JMOHR — January 4, 2008 @ 11:43 am, as being a liberal troll falsely posing as a Conservative.
Comment by good_golly
Actually goon_golly, it is called sarcasm, something that is wasted on fools like you.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:05 pm“This thread isn’t about the NYT.”
This thread is about media professionals, such as O’Reilly and The New York Times, not knowing the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:06 pmThis thread isn’t about the NYT. Why are reich-wingers so incapable of logic?
Comment by Dr. Matt
It has nothing to do with logic, and everything to do with obfuscation, something the Rightards are masters of.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:07 pmExcept we can’t apply this concept to religion or we are FANATICS, right BARTLEBEE?
Comment by Bruce Gorton
You made me giggle on that one Bruce.
Buck Fush
January 4th, 2008 at 1:08 pmThis thread is about media professionals, such as O’Reilly and The New York Times, not knowing the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
and the little boy who caught him.
eh?
January 4th, 2008 at 1:09 pmThis thread is about media professionals, such as O’Reilly and The New York Times, not knowing the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
No, it’s about a moronic blowhard named Bill O’Reilly, who doesn’t know the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and who is such a dick that when called on his mistake by a child, he will not be the bigger person and admit it.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:12 pmNo, this thread is about O’reilly. Are you really that obtuse?
Comment by Dr. Matt — January 4, 2008 @ 1:11 pm
more like shell shock.
huck huckabee won last night.
get use to it, ex.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:12 pmI predict that one day, Bill O’Reilly will say something which is factually correct. Now that will be big news.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:13 pmThe president never said that. There is only one left wing, Bush-hating web site that is a source for that quote.
Comment by Manslagt
And you know this how? Were you there? Bush has never denied saying this, and there were at least three witnesses who said they heard him say it. So, unless you were there and know for certain, you can’t say “the president never said that”. You can say “I believe the President never said that”, though.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:14 pmNo, it’s about a moronic blowhard named Bill O’Reilly, who doesn’t know the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and who is such a dick that when called on his mistake by a child, he will not be the bigger person and admit it.
Comment by Zooey — January 4, 2008 @ 1:12 pm
poor ex. he just can’t seem to come to grips with the coming revolution in the republican party. so his mind is preoccupied and his thoughts are jumbled. and he can’t admit it to himself. poor bastard. poor, dumb bastard.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:15 pmYou need to do research to PROVE your claim.
Comment by BARTLEBEE
This is so typical of Republiscum trolls. They say something and then we are supposed to prove them wrong, rather than them proving they are right. Don’t fall for it, just ignore the cretins.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:18 pmHmmm, Gummitch seems to have fallen down on the job and failed to do his research.
Here, Gum, I’ll help you out. Here are the results of a search of The New York Times over the past year. You will note that the while the editorial that contains the error confusing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution does comes up in the search results, no correction of that error appears.
http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?frow=0&n=10&srcht=s&query=%22life+liberty%22&srchst=nyt&hdlquery=&bylquery=&daterange=past365days&mon1=01&day1=01&year1=1981&mon2=01&day2=04&year2=2008&submit.x=37&submit.y=16
Thus, as we see, while The New York Times made the same exact error as O’Reilly, The Times, unlike O’Reilly, did not even address their error or attempt to clarify their statement.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:22 pm#71
“They say something and then we are supposed to prove them wrong, rather than them proving they are right. ”
Actually, Bilbo, I did prove myself right. I presented the link to the editorial that shows that The New York Times confused the Declaration of Independence and the Consititution.
It is right there in black-and-white. Here is the quote again, since you apparently missed it in posting 28:
“It is an eminently good thing that the anti-suicide measure would require medical specialists to keep track of veterans found to be high risks for suicide. But that’s to care for them as human beings, under that other constitutional right — to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.â€
January 4th, 2008 at 1:27 pmExley
And in what way, shape or form does that pertain to the current argument?
January 4th, 2008 at 1:28 pmJMOHR, we love you just the way you are. Don’t ever change.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:29 pmExley
Or is this yet another rightwing “Two wrongs make a right” argument?
January 4th, 2008 at 1:30 pmThis thread is about media professionals, such as O’Reilly and The New York Times, not knowing the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
Actually, Exley, I took the thread to be about Bildo’s inability to admit his mistake.
It’s an easy error to make, but when confronted with the facts, Bildo tried to spin his way out of it.
THAT is what makes him so ridiculous.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:34 pmOh, and Exley?
The “article” you noted in which the NYT made the same error? The link you provided clearly shows that it was an opinion piece.
I’m not sure how the verification protocols differ between news reporting and editorials, but I’m pretty sure the responsibility for the latter generally rests with the author.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:37 pmHere, Gum, I’ll help you out.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:22 pm
Hey Exlax I’d love to help you OUT. How’d you get IN?
January 4th, 2008 at 1:37 pm#79 Bruce,
Not at all. As I said in my very first posting, I am not an O’Reilly fan. And I have said quite clearly in posting #41 that O’Reilly made an error. I simply pointed out that The New York Times made the same exact error back in August, but (i) unlike O’Reilly apparently never addressed their error or tried to clarify the statement; and (ii) that ThinkProgress didn’t seem fit to point out when The Times made the same mistake (and failed to correct).
January 4th, 2008 at 1:39 pmPlus Exley the New York Time just hired Bill Krystol, even though the difference between what they wrote and O’Reilly wrote was explained to you it is too complicated for you to understand, this publication has lost all credibility to most of us anyway.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:41 pmExley didn’t used to seem this thick. Are the trolls suffering fatigue or do they just share names and this name was assigned to a dumber troll?
January 4th, 2008 at 1:44 pmJust flag Exley, he’s become a full-fledged troll.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:45 pmReally Exley a book trying to teach something to children should try to be accurate don’t you think?
And have you written to the New York Times explaining their perceived error to them. Because until they ignore your letter and refuse to post a retraction then they aren’t not fixing a “problem” they just don’t know about it.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:46 pm#82 Ralph,
The New York Times piece I sent is a Times editorial, written and endorsed by the editorial board. It is not a column or op-ed written by an outside contributor. The factual error in that editorial is The Times’.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:46 pmHey manslag where’d you go. We could always use a clown around here.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:47 pmOne more time Exley,
January 4th, 2008 at 1:48 pmNYT = Bill Krystol
obviously they are clueless.
#90
Shayne, I agree. As I have said numerous times on this thread, O’Reilly made an error — and really an inexcusable one at that. The difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is fundamental, elementary U.S. history.
O’Reilly and The New York Times editorial board should know better.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:49 pmralph the wonder llama — January 4, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
Speaking from work experience:
Normally a sub will try to catch that sort of thing before it goes into the paper, and it will get corrected because it really makes the writer look stupid and newspapers don’t like that.
If it is libelous or people are complaining a correction will get issued, generally in as small and as hard to find a spot as possible. Editors are kind of vain and while I think a prominent correction shows integrity, I am in a bit of a minority on that regard.
But if it slips through and is basically minor like that, it gets ignored – and the writer gets reminded of it whenever they say they are right about anything. Ever. A sense of humour is important in a news office.
The worst thing you can do with a correction is try to spin it into “I never made a mistake.” This shows that you recognise the error, you feel it is major enough to reply to it, but that you are too gutless to actually admit you were wrong.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:49 pmO’Reilly and The New York Times editorial board should know better.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
Then you think maybe you could stop your whining because we are discussing O’Reilly’s stupidity here not the NYT. Why don’t you go to some neocon site and complain about the NYT. Or don’t your handlers pay you to go to those sites?
January 4th, 2008 at 1:51 pm“Become� She was one from the beginning.
Comment by Dr. Matt — January 4, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
He just used to be able to maintain a bit better. ;)
BTW, Exley is a dude — we women will not accept him into our ranks for any reason.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:52 pmManslag was spanked so bad yesterday his butt must be too sore to sit and type. He ran off pretty quickly.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:56 pmUmm…how is this important, isn’t there more bigger fish to fry…like oh, I dunno…the economy tanking into recession!??
And all you can talk about is Bill O’Reilly making a minor historical error in his book??
January 4th, 2008 at 1:56 pmYep, Exley is all “boy”, sorry fellas.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:56 pm#98 “It clearly reads “Opinion†at the top of th page.”
*sigh* Dr. Matt, I don’t know in what you have a doctorate, but it certainly isn’t journalism.
The New York Times ‘Opinion’ page encompassed The Times’s editorials, columns, and op-eds. As your can see from the page, the “Locked, Loaded and Looney” piece is clearly marked as an “editorial.”
It is an editorial by The Time’s board of editors.
You are mistaken.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:57 pmAnd all you can talk about is Bill O’Reilly making a minor historical error in his book??
Comment by gitrdone — January 4, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
Sure and some guy who uses a name paying homage to Larry the Cable Guy is going to give editorial expertise to TP.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:57 pmYou are mistaken.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
And you are a jerk, and while whoever you are referring to will be right most of the time you will always be a jerk. Buh, bye.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:59 pmIt is an editorial by The Time’s board of editors.
You are mistaken.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
Exley, if you want a thread about the NYT, submit it to TP. I’m sure they’ll be anxious to publish it.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:59 pmO’Reilly and The New York Times editorial board should know better.
Comment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
You do understand that The New York’s time error doesn’t excuse O’Reilly’s inability to admit (let alone correct) his own, right?
Nor does it make O’Reilly any more credible.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:06 pmComment by Exley — January 4, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
All of those are genres of opinion pieces.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:07 pmI am not a big O’Reilly fan, but…
Comment by Exley
Why is it that big O’Reilly fans always preface a defense of their favorite Lying Liar with that transparent deception?
Comment by shoeless
As I said in my very first posting, I am not an O’Reilly fan.
Comment by Exley
There it is again!
Seems you can tell just how big an O’Reilly fan is by how many times he asserts that he is not an O’Reilly fan, just before flying into yet another knee jerk defense of O’Reilly.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:09 pmExley is reading from his Conservative Manual of Lame Excuses. It goes like this:
“[insert your boogeyman here] did it too!”.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:09 pmBill cannot admit to be wrong to a letter from anyone who lives in San Francisco, even if it is a 9 year old girld clearly smarter than him.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:13 pm#108, Gregor Samsa … Agreed. For someone who prides himself on having a “no-spin zone,” there was an awful lot of spin (and not very convincing spin at that) in his response to the questioner.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:14 pmThose words are in the Declaration of Independence. However, the rights to life, libery and the pursuit of happiness are clearly part of the Constitution and its amendments. Must be a slow day at TP.
Comment by Manslagt — January 4, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
Which brings up another issue which the O’Reillys of the world demagogue, i. e., the false claim that the Constitution is based on Mosaic Law. “Life, liberty, and property”, Locke’s “natural rights” was altered by Jefferson to the “life, liberty, and . . . pursuit of happiness” appearing in the Declaration. And while the Constitution was figured to be the best means of insuring these “natural rights”, clearly the ideology is Enlightenment-based and not biblical. Where in the Bible are these values mentioned?
It’s never a slow day with so much misinformation to keep track of. And while parsing could produce the two predominant interpretations, clearly O’Reilly is conflating the two separate documents by suggesting the phrase is from the Constitution. He later clarifies his position vis a vis the statement/instrument distinction.
Either way, what’s biblical about it?
January 4th, 2008 at 2:26 pmI guess we won’t be seeing O’Reilly on Fox TV quiz show Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader anytime soon.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:28 pmI guess we won’t be seeing O’Reilly on Fox TV quiz show Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader anytime soon.
Comment by shoeless — January 4, 2008 @ 2:28 pm
Better tune in from that start if he is on; he probably won’t still be going after the first commercial break.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:34 pm…..in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty…..do ordain and establish this consitution……
(There’s a catchy Schoolhouse Rock song that goes with this.)
While the Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness may underly some of these, Billo’s argument stretches things to the limit. I wonder what Billo realizes that the pursuit of happiness goes back to some dead greek guy.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:53 pm114 – Angry Mcangus,
To make a falacious argument (as I don’t agree with the “life is a veil of tears” that permeates some religious groups, and one could also argue that we exchange temporary duty for eternal happiness) -
Wouldn’t the pursuit of happiness argue against the “veil of tears” ?
January 4th, 2008 at 2:56 pmI have viewed this long discussion concerning O’Reilly and the NYT editorial on suicidal soldiers. You people are falling for a typical right wing tactic to derail the discussion:
1. Both O’Reilly and the NYT editorial writer made a mistake concerning the wording of the Bill Of Rights and the Constitution of the United States.
2. The thrust to the TP article was not that a mistake had been made, and it is not all that much of mistake, but Bill O’Reilly’s reaction to being called on the mistake.
3. The NYT editorial made the same mistake. However, I am not aware of anyone questioning the NYT on the error. If the mistake had been drawn to the NYT’s attention, then it should have been corrected. I do know that the NYT consistently prints corrections for the errors that it has made and that have been called to their attention.
4. Bill O’Reilly could not admit his error. Indeed, he still has not corrected his error, drawn to his attention several times by other news media, that US soldiers did not massacre German Soldiers after D Day. The TP article validly points out the inability of O’Reilly to own up to his mistakes.
5. The even broader issue is the inability of Bush and the conservatives to admit to their mistakes. It is the identifier of weak personalities with rigid thinking and lacking in self confidence to review decisions and exhibit flexibility.
Do not let Exley and his ilk to derail the discussion. Keep it on the right track. Everyone makes mistakes, Republicans and conservatives simply lack the backbone to admit theirs.
January 4th, 2008 at 3:13 pmCount 81 of the complaint for sexual harrassment filed by Fox producer Andrea Mackris against Fox News and Bill O’Reilly:
“During the course of defendant Bill O’Reilly’s sexual rant, it became clear that he was using a vibrator on himself and that he ejaculated. Plaintiff was repulsed.”
January 4th, 2008 at 3:54 pmUmm…how is this important, isn’t there more bigger fish to fry…like oh, I dunno…the economy tanking into recession!??
And all you can talk about is Bill O’Reilly making a minor historical error in his book??
Comment by gitrdone — January 4, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
You are correct that a recession is more important than a blowhard’s book.
However, it’s not the “minor historical error” in his book that’s the issue (although you’d THINK his editor would have caught that).
It’s his inability to own up to the error when it’s pointed out. I suspect that O’Reilly truly sees himself as omnipotent, and is afraid of imploding if he ever admitted making even the smallest error about anything.
January 4th, 2008 at 4:01 pmWhat the heck, we all make mistakes. I know I would be apologizing all the time.
January 4th, 2008 at 5:05 pmAnd what in the sam-hell does it matter what Bill O’Reilly says or does?
January 4th, 2008 at 6:57 pmHe’s an absolute fool.
Why does TP waste time and space in this pursuit of nothingness?
There are more important problems in the U.S. and the world.
Spend your energy on what matters!!!
What the heck, we all make mistakes. I know I would be apologizing all the time.
Comment by bob84108 — January 4, 2008 @ 5:05 pm
O’Lielly apologized?
January 4th, 2008 at 7:56 pmHere are some edited lines that got cut from Billo’s book at the last second….
In 1776, that’s the year we fought back…and Will Smith led the charge.
The Boston Tea Party would have worked wonders if biscuits were served at dawn.
When I wake up in the morning, the truth is the first thing that goes down the toilet in my house.
Remember kids…sellouts are always the first ones to win!
January 5th, 2008 at 2:45 amBART
Just like the onus is on you to prove that fire breathing dragons don’t exist, right BART?
Or how about those fairies at the bottom of your garden?
But, oh, we can’t treat religion just like any other argument, because, well, we can’t. That would be fanatical wouldn’t BARTLEBEE?
January 5th, 2008 at 3:11 amBARTLEBEE
My belief system doesn’t make claims – it simply dismisses the claims of religion.
When the religious can come up with some real scientific evidence, then I will convert.
I can gladly say the same about fire breathing dragons and fairies at the bottom of the garden, present evidence and my opinion will change.
And while you try to dismiss my statements as hypocrisy because I am not able to prove a negative, I will continue to dismiss you as an idiot because you expect me to.
January 6th, 2008 at 4:36 amI find the word “Literature” used in any connection to Bill Orally, completely utterly insulting.
January 7th, 2008 at 11:26 am