O’Reilly: ‘Fox News Is Not A Far-Right Operation’
O’Reilly: ‘Fox News Is Not A Far-Right Operation’
In an interview with CNN founder Ted Turner last night, Bill O’Reilly claimed that those who believe that Fox News is a conservative outlet are sorely mistaken:
O’REILLY: Right and I’m a nice guy. Well, maybe that’s overstating. I’m an honest guy, who’s just trying to do the best I can. But, you know, I think that you underestimate Fox News and its appeal to traditional Americans.
TURNER: That’s true. And I also said in there that I knew that that was our most vulnerable spot before I even went on the air with CNN that a right wing network would pose a threat because not only was CNN pretty much in the middle but so were CBS, NBC, and ABC. And you’re right. The far right did not have a voice.
O’REILLY: You can’t possibly think that Fox News is a far right operation? I mean, because it’s not.
TURNER: I do.
O’REILLY: Oh, come on. I mean, maybe coming from a Jane Fonda point of view it is, but come on.
TURNER: Well, I was married to Jane Fonda.
O’REILLY: I know. I mean, but how can – I’m a far right guy? I mean, the far right hates me. You either don’t watch or you’re so far left.
Watch it:
O’Reilly wants you to believe that Dick Cheney’s preferred station — which promotes Sean Hannity’s partisan mud-slinging, Newt Gingrich’s hate speech, Karl Rove’s propaganda, Glenn Beck’s racist rants, John Bolton and Bill Kristol’s war mongering, and Mike Huckabee’s variety hour — is not at all indicative of Fox’s right-wing bent.
In a Nov. 2003 interview with Jonah Goldberg, Bill O’Reilly explained his view:
O’REILLY: They complain about the right-wing media? I don’t even buy the fact that the Fox News Channel is a right-wing media. I just think we give access to people like you and other conservatives…
GOLDBERG: Right. And I’m not right-wing either.
Right.
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O’Really has officially lost it.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:11 pmBill O needs to return the love…the far right is IN LOVE with him. How dare the poster boy for their movement turn his back on his most ardent fans.
I travel around this country quite a bit, and have relatives and friends in some of the reddest states we have, and the far right wing all have major wood for Bill O’Reilly.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:11 pmNot much to say about this.
Reason won’t work; delusion is a defense against reason and reality.
And even if it had a prayer of making an impact, reason requires intellectual honesty, of which Bildo clearly has none.
So the only thing left to do is laugh at the dude.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:13 pmHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!
Oh, Billo, you *slay* me.
Your fan (well, not really),
~Annie
December 10th, 2008 at 1:13 pmThey won’t be mad at Bildo. They all know how this game is played. (Wink)
December 10th, 2008 at 1:17 pmLeftside Annie . . . you beat me to it. =)
December 10th, 2008 at 1:20 pmY’know, seems to me that the next logical step for Bildo to take is to claim that he is actually “center-left”, which would be an attempt to paint centrist news organizations and even public officials as “far-left”, And Barney Frank would look positively communist.
Of course, that depends on anyone buying the absurd proposition that Bildo is “center-left”. I suppose if anyone buys the absurd proposition that Faux News is NOT “Far-right” then anything is possible.
There are all kinds of mental derangements out there.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:20 pmso far Right, so far Wrong
December 10th, 2008 at 1:22 pmWho cares what label you put on these clown. That again is a fight they want to have.
They can be where ever they’d like on the political spectrum. What can’t be denied is the mud-slinging, hate speech, racial intolerance, propagandizing, war mongering, etc.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:24 pmI think someone’s been slipping a bit of delusion into Papa Bear’s porridge lately.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:26 pmBillo is not a right winger and he does not have an SS uniform in his closet.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:27 pmRight. And the moon landing was a hoax, and Milosevic was not a murderous maniac. Right.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:28 pmFox News is NOT a far right station! Fox news is a FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR RIGHT WING STATION!!!
December 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pmToo bad Ted didn’t ask Bildo who he’d consider to be far right if he’s not.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:33 pmI don’t even buy the fact that the Fox News Channel is a right-wing media. I just think we give access to people like you and other conservatives…
Well, duh, Bill…that’s exactly what makes you a reichwinger. That, and the fact that you’ve been (in your mind at least) battling that mythical “liberal media” you and other conservatives babble so much about.
Like Dom Quixote and his windmills, you are every bit as delusional -only a lot less likable.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:33 pmBut, you know, I think that you underestimate Fox News and its appeal to traditional Americans.
_______
Ahh, yes. Traditional Americans. What a lovely, innocent-sounding code for “white straight male conservative intolerant Christian.”
December 10th, 2008 at 1:36 pmThere is no right or left when you’re down and out.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:37 pmLoofa Bear is just concerned that he may be called in as a future witness in war crimes hearings. Guess what Billdo, if you aid in propaganda for a corrupt fascist Administration, you are complicite in aiding, abetting and general @ss-kissing of sai criminals. And by the way Bill where my effing iced tea mother effer?
December 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pmKeith’s gonna have a ball with this one. :D
What a maroon!
December 10th, 2008 at 1:44 pmDenial is nice
December 10th, 2008 at 1:44 pmWhen a mirror doesn’t show
Your own reflection
Late in the night of the election, a Fox broadcaster transitioned out of the election results by saying, “On a happier note…” What more do you need.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:47 pmI have found Fox News to seldom be right about anything, so far.
December 10th, 2008 at 1:48 pmSo… was Goldberg being sarcastic when he said this? Y’know, like… “yeah, and I’m not right-wing either. As if.”
December 10th, 2008 at 2:03 pmWhy is it BillO or anyone at FOX can’t admit their far right extreme leanings that they propagate every day?
Like its some sort of well kept secret that if it gets out, people will know?
FOX would like me to believe BillO is center and Hannity is a South wing winger.
FOX counts on people that they insult to return for more abuse. As Karl Rove is their fair and Balanced left winger after Colmes leaves Hannity.
Its one thing being right wing biased. It is another to have to fabricate, propagate, insinuate negatives because, as the Conservatives have shown. They have no ideas. They have no reason to say in a campaign, ” vote for me and this is why”. They continue trying the denegrate the opposition so they do not have to speak of themselves”. They don’t do so well discussing their party’s platform and confidence in following it. Let alone these ideas actually possible in reality and only in theory.
Hello, I’m Conrad Conservative running for office. Did you know my liberal opponnent is a muslin terrorist pedaphile? Could you vote for that. Well I have a theory that I would like to try on America and first we must toss the Constitution out. It has never been tried before nor has there ever been any place it has worked. But if you elect me, I will experiment on you as guinea pigs. The worst that can happen is that I get rich from stealing from the treasurey. So, ** Vote for Conrad Conservative **
December 10th, 2008 at 2:11 pmI doubt it. You have to remember that Jonah wrote a book which contended that socialists are fascists, proving that he has no concept whatsoever about political ideology.
December 10th, 2008 at 2:14 pmNotice how Orally snuck in a cheap jab:
Oh, come on. I mean, maybe coming from a Jane Fonda point of view it is, but come on.
Nice to bring up someones past relationship, which had nothing to do with the interview.
Okay Mr. nice and honest guy trying to do the best you can.
December 10th, 2008 at 2:17 pmAnd I’ve developed quantum physics and mastered molecular fusion.
AND I’LL DO IT FCKIN LIVE!
Hell, they had to retire their war drums and now face being irrelivant……it’s just fear…..I love the smell of it.
December 10th, 2008 at 2:17 pmWell at least this post did make the FACTUAL mistakes that were made in: Hannity: ‘If You Don’t Listen To Talk Radio, If You Don’t Watch Fox News,’ You’re Misinformed By Ali Frick on Dec 3rd, 2008
“Studies have consistently shown Fox viewers to be among the most misinformed Americans. A 2008 Pew study ranked Fox News dead last in the number of “high knowledge” viewers, with only 19 percent of Fox viewers able to correctly identify the majority party in Congress (Democrats), the name of the U.S. Secretary of State (Condoleezza Rice), and name of British Prime Minister (Gordon Brown).”
That statement was GROSSLY overstated the case & and FLAT OUT WRONG! Using the qualifier of ‘among’ while accurate is misleading. Three studies over five years do not indicated to me “consistently.”
The 2007 Pew study linked showed network morning show viewers scored lowered.
The 2008 Pew Study linked DID NOT show any to be accurate: It showed that ELEVEN other categories, including CNBC, Local & Network news (17%) & CBS (10%) scored lower!
December 10th, 2008 at 2:36 pmDRxJ Says:
Notice how Orally snuck in a cheap jab:
Oh, come on. I mean, maybe coming from a Jane Fonda point of view it is, but come on.
Nice to bring up someones past relationship, which had nothing to do with the interview.
Bill’s just jealous. If I could say that sleeping with Jane Fonda was something I used to do, I’d be a happy boy.
December 10th, 2008 at 2:57 pmThis is an amusing reaction on BillO’s part. Either he recognizes that most people think of “far right” as something negative and wants to avoid the label, or he thinks of “far right” as being someone like the Grand Dragon of the KKK.
December 10th, 2008 at 2:57 pmThen why does Hannity have not one, but two shows on Faux News? We know the far right loves him, even if they don’t love BillO. BillO doesn’t have two shows.
And “I’m an honest guy?” I wish Turner said, “Whatever you say, Bill.”
December 10th, 2008 at 3:31 pmthe only reason faux gets any viewers is the old farts in the 80 and above set have to pass it on their way to QVC. otherwise, they’d get no viewers at all
December 10th, 2008 at 3:32 pmHmmm . . . Well it is far too simplistic to call Bill O’Reilly and crew just “far right”. However, they do represent fascism in a Mussolini kind of way. In fact, sometimes I picture Mussolini then substitute O’Reilly’s face. Try it, see if that doesn’t work for you too.
December 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pmPlacitasRoy Says:
The 2007 study was devestating. On THREE of the most important and topical issues about the war. Fox viewers werent UNINFORMED they were MISINFORMED. They believed three myths that were undeniably WRONG. It aint what you dont know that hurts ya its what ya know that just aint so. Fox LIES to its viewers. It IS rightwing, it is a propaganda organ and any attempt to deny either of those propositions is a foray into denial and delusion.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:01 pm– Dorothy Parker
For some reason this sprang to mind…
December 10th, 2008 at 4:01 pmNope. It’s not far right, it’s FASCIST!
December 10th, 2008 at 4:06 pmHate to say it…but FNC isn’t far right. At least, not while NewsMax, WorldnetDaily, and Stormfront are still in operation.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:30 pmTo say BillO has lost it is to imply he once had it.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:56 pm“Far-right” doesn’t cut it. They’re a fascist media organization.
December 10th, 2008 at 6:43 pmI watch it NONE, I do watch it NONE.
December 10th, 2008 at 6:56 pmFaux News is Fair and Balanced…to the Far, Far Right of the Thought Spectrum.
People like Billo and Jonah deny who they are, because they are hardcore closet fascists. They need religion and the fear of the spread of sodomy because they love the thought of fear being in the lives of everyone else.
Fear is their best friend, lover and companion. Which explains why they have never found any happiness in their own.
December 10th, 2008 at 6:58 pmWell, we knew it was finally bound to happen.
The right-wingers have been claiming for decades now that ALL the news media are “liberal,” even during the years of Faux News and right-wing owned newspapers like the Washington “Moonie” Times, and now apparently Bill O’Reilly has brain-washed his own self into believing there is no such thing as a right-wing news media, including at Faux News…even with all the evidence to the contrary and after all the lies spread through the “liberal” news media in support of Bush’s, Cheney’s and the neo-con Republicans’ mad desire to start an unprovoked, preemptive war against Iraq.
So,
a) O’Reilly really, really believes he’s part of an all encompassing “liberal” news media, thus making him and everyone else at Faux News somehow “liberal,” or…
b) O’Reilly, being somewhat delusional, has his own definition of what “liberal” and “conservative” are, which doesn’t exactly match reality.
BTW, I’m not at all surprised that newspaper readership continues to plummet around the country, especially after so many “liberal” newspapers whole-heartedly backed BushCo back in 2002/2003 in the lead-up to the start of hostilities in Iraq.
I knew BushCo war propagandists were lying about the supposed national security threat posed by Saddam Hussein and far away Iraq, as well as the blatant lie that Hussein was somehow behind the 9/11 attacks…but as far as the “liberal” news media were concerned, finding a dissenting voice among their “coverage” was a waste of my time and effort.
This is when I started looking to the internet and blogs for fact-based, reality-based-community information…and stopped getting my local newspaper and the NY Times daily at my local newsstand. I occasionally get my local newspaper, maybe once or twice a week, but after the Judith Miller debacle, I completely stopped buying the NY Times. Why would I waste money to read such blatantly lying right-wing propaganda pieces?
My local newspaper is a prime example, the Austin American-Statesman. In the year before Molly Ivins died, it stopped running her column as frequently as it once had, instead opting to run columns from fact-challenged right-wing “columnists.” And Ben Sargent, the great political cartoonist, is under constant attack from right-wingers posting comments on the A A-S website and in letters-to-the-editor, with whatever right-winger is running the op-ed page printing these smears. (On the other hand, after a Scott Stantis cartoon ran on the A A-S editorial page prior to the Iraq War beginning in March 2003, in which Stantis drew Normandy Beach, showing only Republicans storming it in face of withering Nazi fire, with Democrats cowering in the LSTs, the A A-S didn’t run one letter to the editor pointing out what an evil lie this was, including my own letter).
So, I understand why a large segment of our nation’s reading public are a bit disillusioned with O’Reilly’s “liberal” news media and “liberal” newspapers, with an increasingly large portion turning to fact-friendly, reality-friendly websites like Think Progress.
It’s all a matter of trust, and after what many members of our nation’s new media pulled before the Iraq War, buying into the lies and spreading the lies of the Bush administration and corrupt neo-con Republicans, I know I lost a lot of trust in the reporting ethics and journalism standards of the entire Fourth Estate, even though a few rotten apples across the media spectrum, like Faux News and a whole slew of right-wing columnists, are to blame.
December 10th, 2008 at 11:10 pmTed Turner debates Pinhead. Film at eleven.
December 10th, 2008 at 11:49 pmI’m a far right guy? I mean, the far right hates me.
Amazing.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:24 amBill has been playing this game for a long time. And that’s exactly what it is to him. A Game. He’s not dumb or delusional. Bill is a real life troll with a ready-made audience of morons. This is strictly entertainment for him. Show business. Playing to an audience dumb enough to think he is actually reporting news. He’s KNOWS his audience are knuckle-draggers and he has enough basic knowledge of propaganda and psychology to exploit it.
Bill knows that if it weren’t for the rock hard stupid people that make up his “base”, he wouldn’t have a job.
December 11th, 2008 at 11:57 am