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FLASHBACK: O’Reilly Said That Not Disclosing Pundits’ Political Ties Was A ‘Collapse Of Ethical Standards’

Yesterday, Karl Rove appeared on Fox News’s O’Reilly Factor where he was greeted by host Bill O’Reilly as the network’s “political guy.” O’Reilly asked Rove to help him come up with questions for his interview with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), which airs tonight. The weak brainstorming session eventually devolved into an unabashed love fest of McCain:

ROVE: I think you ought to ask McCain why he is so reticent to talk about himself personally. … He’s the most private person I’ve ever seen in my life.

O’REILLY: And he — but he’s wrote books on it. See, that’s the inconsistency. … He writes it in a book, but he won’t go out and talk. I think he may be shy about it.

ROVE: Well, and it’s something – there’s an admirable reticence in him. But yes, he may be comfortable having Mark Salter pry it out of him and put it in a book.

O’Reilly ended the segment by saying McCain should take his lead and “bloviate all over the place about how great you are.” Watch it:

[flv http://video.thinkprogress.org/2008/05/roveguy1.320.240.flv]

It’s not surprising that Rove wants McCain to talk about his background more, since he allegedly helped orchestrate the senator’s biography tour. Of course though, Rove’s ties as an informal adviser, avid supporter, and maxed out donor to the McCain campaign were once again never identified.

O’Reilly’s refusal to disclose Rove’s ties is hypocritical. In 2004, he criticized CNN for keeping on Paul Begala and James Carville as commentators, even though they had ties to Sen. John Kerry’s (D-PA) presidential campaign. MSNBC’s Dan Abrams reported in September 2004:

Fox commentator Bill O’Reilly writes that this is evidence of the “collapse of CNN’s ethical standards.” That if he, O’Reilly, “signed on with Bush/Cheney 2004 the media mob would have stormed the Fox castle.”

The Obama Watch may be over, but unfortunately, the Rove Watch continues…

rove93.jpg

Transcript:

O’REILLY: By the way, Senator McCain will be here tomorrow night for a major policy discussion. So summing up, Senator Barack Obama has the nomination locked, an amazing achievement. And that’s the Memo.

Now for the best analysis anywhere, we begin with FOX News political guy Karl Rove, who is in Washington, D.C. So am I right?

KARLROVE: You’re right. Absolutely on target. [...]

O’REILLY: Now real quick, I got McCain tomorrow. What should I ask? Give me two tough ones.

ROVE: Oh, come on, look, you did such a great job. I gave you some goofy questions for Senator…

O’REILLY: Yes, and I rejected them out of hand, but I’ll do the same thing tonight. But maybe I can come up with some I can use.

ROVE: Yes, well – well, they’ll be just as goofy as the other ones. Hey, you know what you ought to do? I think you ought to ask McCain why he is so reticent to talk about himself personally.

O’REILLY: His background, yes.

ROVE: He’s the most private person I’ve ever seen in my life.

O’REILLY: And he — but he’s wrote books on it. See, that’s the inconsistency.

ROVE: Yes.

O’REILLY: He writes it in a book, but he won’t go out and talk. I think he may be shy about it.

ROVE: Well, and it’s something – there’s an admirable reticence in him. But yes, he may be comfortable having Mark Salter pry it out of him and put it in a book.

O’REILLY: No, no, he should take –

ROVE: But he’s uncomfortable talking about it.

O’REILLY: He should take it from me. He should do what I do.

ROVE: Yes —

O’REILLY: Just kind of bloviate all over the place about how great you are. All right, Mr. Rove, thanks very much as always.



34 Responses to “FLASHBACK: O’Reilly Said That Not Disclosing Pundits’ Political Ties Was A ‘Collapse Of Ethical Standards’”

  1. Ms_Joanne says:

    How rich! And so many people are clueless. Our system is broken and propaganda reigns supreme.


  2. tom says:

    Of course, the reason that McNumbNuts doesn’t talk about himself is that he’s afraid of contradicting what his ghost-writer put in the books that he supposedly wrote himself. Kinda like Hillary’s “Bosnia moment”.


  3. ralph the wonder llama says:

    O’Reilly ended the segment by saying McCain should take his lead and “bloviate all over the place about how great you are.”

    After all, it worked for O’Lielly.


  4. Zooey says:

    Bloviate — that’s what he was doing on the phone with Mackris.

    How much was BO’s loofah settlement?


  5. robbez_92107 says:

    Billdo has no ethical standards left to collapse – his ethical double wide was in the trailer park that got flattened by Hurricane Andrea (Macris).
    THAT’S why he bloviates.


  6. robbez_92107 says:

    Zooey Says:
    Damn. I guess the brain bleach left us “two people of the same mind” – halfwits!


  7. Zooey says:

    robbez_92107 Says:

    Zooey Says:
    Damn. I guess the brain bleach left us “two people of the same mind” – halfwits!
    May 8th, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    Then I shall hand over the reins to you, my friend. I must go out among the people and sin. ;)


  8. misshusseinmolly says:

    Ah yes — the omnipresent IOKIYAR double standard. When Bill O’Reilly says that CNN is being unethical for keeping on Paul Begala and James Carville as commentators without disclaimers that they were tied to John Kerry’s campaign, he’s really saying that such behavior is only unethical if you’re a Democrat.

    Or he’s just following Rove’s advice and putting his trust in the short memories of Americans.


  9. Buckie Boy says:

    IOKIARDI

    Why is Grampy so secretive about his private life? Let’s ask him.

    Gramps McSame – My friends, I have many secrets, back in the day we all had secrets, lots and lots of secrets, we would store them in little boxes all over the yard, and when we mowed the lawn those secrets would turn into oranges, I love orange juice cubes, I sat in an apple pie, I hope. Good night.


  10. RUCerious says:

    It’s a damn good thing that FauxSnooze has no ethical standards to collapse.


  11. Who Misspoke Today? says:

    Just a little nit TP, but John Kerry is a D-MA, not D-PA.


  12. L. Hussein Annie says:

    Bill Orally sez: “THAT’S DIFFERENT, DAMMIT, YA STOOPID LIBERAL PINHEADS!!”


  13. katy says:

    i can’t find it at this time, but i’ve heard on sam seder’s show, a clip of an interview, 60minutes i think, 90s, where mcTORTURE is talking about his own
    caving in under torture… so the question to ask would be:

    why, after knowing firsthand the false information gained from torture, did you change your views about torture and now allow it to be policy?

    asking that after playing the audio clip, of course…


  14. shoeless says:

    That if he, O’Reilly, “signed on with Bush/Cheney 2004 the media mob would have stormed the Fox castle.”

    When did he sign off with Bush/Cheney?


  15. shoeless says:

    Republicans don’t seem to understand the concept that videotape can be stored and replayed at a later date. Here is a perfect example:

    “If the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it’s clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush Administration again, all right?”-Bill O’Reilly


  16. wwew says:

    why didnt karl suggest, “senator mccain, your campaign has the momentum of a runaway frieght train, why are you so popular?”


  17. wwew says:

    “freight” train.


  18. misshusseinmolly says:

    katy Says
    May 8th, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    …so the question to ask would be:

    why, after knowing firsthand the false information gained from torture, did you change your views about torture and now allow it to be policy?
    _________________________________________________

    Here’s a scenario nobody’s considered yet. Perhaps Mcflippetyflop is being tortured by the neocon machine right now, and coerced to abandon everything he has ever stood for in order to spout the neocon line. This could explain the torrent of gaffes lately — it may not be that he’s having trouble remembering his lines, it may be that he’s deliberately giving out false information but doing it in a way that won’t arouse the suspicion of his captors.

    Has anybody checked footage of him to see if he’s blinking in morse code? He may be crying for help.


  19. RUCerious says:

    O’Biley has made a career out of pandering to nursing home day rooms, a perfect venue for KarlyStink’s brand of math & ethical vacuum.


  20. Peter C says:

    wwew @ 16,

    “why didnt karl suggest, “senator mccain, your campaign has the momentum of a runaway frieght train, why are you so popular?””

    Karl didn’t suggest that because that’s Jeff Gannon’s question and he didn’t want to upset him.


  21. Mark @ News Corpse says:

    If O’Reilly thinks that having an undisclosed political partisan on the air demonstrates the “collapse of ethical standards,” then what must he think about having hundreds of undisclosed war partisans on the air misleading the country into a disastrous invasion and occupation?

    SPINCOM: The Pentagon’s Propaganda Assault On America


  22. A Patriot Acting says:

    Other questions considered by Loofa Boy and Turd Blossom:
    “Senator, when did you become soooo dreamy?”
    “Senator, some in the liberal media say that you represent a father figure to many of your constituents who quiver in fear at the very thought of some brown men coming here and stealing our women. My question to you sir, would you be my Daddy?”
    “Some in the liberal media claim you’ve gotten a free ride from the press so far. My question to you Senator, are you a charcoal man or do you use propane?”
    “…and finally Senator, this is probably more of a statement than a question, when you say, “my friend” I feel like you’re talking directly to me and I’ve got to admit it sir, on more than one occasion…well sir…it moved!”


  23. Wayne says:

    ROVE: I think you ought to ask McCain why he is so reticent to talk about himself personally.

    After seeing McCain and his wife, the way she acts like a scared puppy around him, my question would be: “Senator, have you stopped beating your wife yet?”


  24. trollsbwild says:

    Nice touch. Billo lobbing a softball to Mycane’s “secret” campaign manager. Fair and balanced, huh?


  25. Zimzone says:

    What does Billdo use to clean a Turdblossom; Loofah or Falafel?


  26. barfly says:

    hahahaha. It worked!! katy actually beleives the b.s. that McCain is “for torture.” See what happens if we repeat a lie often enough? It works!!

    Actually, McCain is for torture, since he refuses to vote against it. You’re the only liar here.


  27. thisphotocouldbeyourlife says:

    Sounds like someone has ‘reticent’ on his word-a-day calendar.


  28. Zimzone says:

    Unfortunately, McCain is torturing all of us daily…


  29. Exit Stage Left says:

    O’REILLY: And he — but he’s wrote books on it.

    He’s wrote? Is this guy shi**ing me?


  30. Exit Stage Left says:

    misshusseinmolly Says:
    Has anybody checked footage of him to see if he’s blinking in morse code? He may be crying for help.

    Wayne Says:
    After seeing McCain and his wife, the way she acts like a scared puppy around him, my question would be: “Senator, have you stopped beating your wife yet?”

    A Patriot Acting Says:
    “…and finally Senator, this is probably more of a statement than a question, when you say, “my friend” I feel like you’re talking directly to me and I’ve got to admit it sir, on more than one occasion…well sir…it moved!”

    Buckie Boy Says:
    Gramps McSame – My friends, I have many secrets, back in the day we all had secrets, lots and lots of secrets, we would store them in little boxes all over the yard, and when we mowed the lawn those secrets would turn into oranges, I love orange juice cubes, I sat in an apple pie, I hope. Good night.

    Stop it…you guys are killing me today :)~


  31. katy says:

    SAM SEDER TALKS TO PROFESSOR PHILIPPE SANDS
    ABOUT AMERICA’S TORTURE POLICY

    One day before his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee Phillipe Sands reports that he has proof that Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld made a policy of torture. This includes a clip of John McCain admitting torture caused him to write false confessions- so moved was Sands he testified to the Judiciary Committee of hearing this clip on AAR!

    Listen Here
    http://airamerica.com/content/sam-talks-professor-philippe-sands-about-america’s-torture-policy-link


  32. Max-1 says:

    .

    This is rich except…

    O’LIEly DOESN’T HAVE ANY STANDARDS.

    .


  33. kathy says:

    Clinton takes Indiana by a ‘razor’ and Obama wins North Carolina by a huge margin. Nevertheless, Kentucky, Montana and West Virginia are still to come.

    The Democratic race for nomination is still very much alive – and most likely to be decided by superdelegates

    If you’re tired of waiting around for those super delegates to make a decision already, go to LobbyDelegates.com and push them to support Clinton or Obama

    If you haven’t done so yet, please write a message to each of your state’s superdelegates at http://www.lobbydelegates.com

    Obama Supporters:

    Sending a note to current Obama supporters lets them know it’s appreciated, sending a note to current Clinton supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Obama, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Obama. It’s that easy…

    Clinton Supporters too …. !

    It takes a moment, but what’s a few minutes now worth to get Clinton in office?! Those are really worth !

    Sending a note to current Clinton supporters lets them know it’s appreciated, sending a note to current Obama supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Clinton, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Clinton. It’s that easy…


  34. judyinnm says:

    There is no more reason for Fox News to have to mention Rove’s ties to the McCain campaign than there is for them to mention the rest of their corporation’s ties to the far right faction of this country. It’s a given – anyone employed by Fox News is a shill for the Republicans.



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