O’Reilly: ‘Jesse Watters Is Responsible For Bill Moyers Leaving’ PBS
O’Reilly: ‘Jesse Watters Is Responsible For Bill Moyers Leaving’ PBS
On Friday, distinguished veteran PBS journalist Bill Moyers announced that he was retiring from weekly television. “I am 75 years old,” he explained, noting that “Bill Moyers Journal” had been having a “good run of it,” so he felt “it’s time.”
Last night on his Fox News show, Bill O’Reilly used the news to attack Moyers and his journalistic ethics. He also claimed that his producer, Jesse Watters, was solely responsible for Moyers resigning. “Now I think we — Jesse Watters drove him out of PBS,” said O’Reilly. “I think Jesse Watters is responsible for Bill Moyers leaving.” Watch it:
In 2007, Watters ambushed Moyers on the street outside his home. O’Reilly had Watters harass Moyers after the PBS journalist ran a program about impeaching President Bush. O’Reilly claimed that Moyers symbolized “Americans who want their country to lose in Iraq, based upon hatred of all things Bush,” which he determined was a good reason to send his henchman to Moyers’ house. According to O’Reilly, this one interview was what drove Moyers out of his job two years later.
Of course, what O’Reilly didn’t show was a 2008 confrontation between Moyers and Fox News producer Porter Berry, which didn’t go as O’Reilly had planned. This time, Moyers turned the tables on Berry and called O’Reilly a coward for sending out producers to do his dirty work and for refusing to appear on his PBS show. Watch it:
Last night was a prime example of O’Reilly’s inflated ego. He has also taken sole credit for saving Christmas, lowering gas prices, John McCain being behind in the polls in October 2008 (because the senator refused to appear on The O’Reilly Factor), and Spanish prosecutors deciding to drop an investigation into the Bush administration’s torture regime (because O’Reilly threatened a Spanish boycott).
Later in the segment, O’Reilly added that another reason that Moyers is retiring is because PBS was mad at him for not being tough enough on Rev. Jeremiah Wright in a 2008 interview.
Transcript:
GOLDBERG: Avuncular, right. But you know what? I knew Bill Moyers at CBS. I worked with him. He’s a very serious guy. And in that sense I give him — I give him credit. When a lot of people were going for fluff, Bill Moyers wanted to do serious journalism.
Some place along the line, Bill, he stopped being a journalist, and he started of being an advocate. He stopped being a journalist, and he started being an evangelist. And the religion he was preaching for was liberalism.
O’REILLY: Far left.
GOLDBERG: Far left. And when you’re — when you’re that kind of person, there are no shades of gray.
O’REILLY: Now I think we — Jesse Watters drove him out of PBS. I think Jesse Watters is responsible for Bill Moyers leaving. Now Bill Moyers is hammering Bush and Cheney, wanted them impeached, this and that, and you know, taking shots at The Factor. So we sent Jesse out to talk with him. Roll the tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSE WATTERS, FACTOR PRODUCER: Mr. Moyers, what do you think about t hat? I mean, come on, do you think…
BILL MOYERS, PBS: Come on my show. I’ll ask you. Bill won’t do it. He doesn’t have the courage. But I’ll ask you.
WATTERS: Bill would have been here today but he’ interviewing Lindsay Lohan.
MOYERS: Oh, of course. Bill’s got his priorities in line.
WATTERS: That’s right. He would have loved to be here, but he can’t make it tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.
GOLDBERG: I’m amazed he knew who Lindsay Lohan was.
O’REILLY: Look, and that was a joke, by the way. There was no Lindsay Lohan interview.
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Bill Moyers has more journalistic integrity in the nail on his little toe than O’Lielly has in his entire body.
What a pompous ass Billdo is.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:48 amSomeday, and I hope it’s soon, Fox talking heads are going to pay a price for thier behavior.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:50 amAnd, as usual, O’Reilly is expanding precious time and energy crafting his own alternate reality. You know, the one where his stalker producers force a journalistic legend to retire, where the Secular Progressives have waged a War on Christmas, where Andrea Mackis was askin’ for it, and where the much esteemed Paris Business Review reported massive success from a boycott of French products.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:53 amBill Moyers is a great man and his contributions will be missed.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:54 amAnd O’Reilly’s proud of this?
even if there were a grain of truth in it
November 24th, 2009 at 11:54 amBill Moyers retiring is a huge loss for the public. As an example of what great respect those who are not @sshats have for him, go watch his interview on Bill Maher’s show earlier this year. I’ve never seen Maher treat someone with that much respect. Ever.
I’m pretty positive that Bildo wouldn’t receive anything like that sort of reception, and with good reason. Where Moyers exudes integrity, O’Reilly exudes the brutish stink of ego.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:55 amBill O’Liely is the poster boy for cowardice and megalomania. He’s nothing but an angry, old white guy who thinks he actually matters beyond his audience of equally old and equally angry white people.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:55 amBill really does believe the world revolves around him.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:57 amLOL Your not even close to being that influential. LOL
November 24th, 2009 at 11:58 amTypical losers, try to make yourself look better by trying to make others look bad.
It’s like their humor, always at someones expense.
Republicans are not nice people, not the kind you want to have dinner with.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:59 amEh, if O’Reilly wants to take credit for “disposing” of BIll Moyers, he’s going to have to give us credit for “disposing” of Lou Dobbs.
Can’t have it both ways, B.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:01 pmpoor old dummy.
another few years and he’ll be wearing some kind of military garb on-air and claiming he’s Dwight Eisenhower.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:01 pmWhat a scum-bag, I knew O’Reilly was a jackass, but this is low.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:02 pmFYI – I’m personally responsible for Lou Dobbs leaving CNN and being deported. I bet not too many of you know that, but it’s true. Because I said so.
Also, I control the rain, but only over Trenton, New Jersey. That’s all me.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:02 pmIt’s funny how cons use the word ‘liberal’ like it’s somehow dirty. Personally, I don’t see how. The greatest advise I ever got on life, but especially on how to live as a Christian, came from my grandpa, who said, ‘Be conservative with yourself, but liberal with everyone else.’ Why is that such a horrible thing, to ‘preach’ for that sort of liberalism? I guess my family’s values of understanding and concern for my fellow man just don’t work for a guys like O’Reilly and Rush and Beck, who just want to denounce everyone while doing whatever the heck they want.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:03 pmBill O’Racist is responsible for an audience that is uninformed, hateful, racist, and anti-American.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:04 pmI love how after this O’Reilly guy gets verbally spanked, he walks away and the last 2 minutes are reporters following him around and asking him questions. That was 9 minutes of instant karma right there.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:05 pm“O’Reilly claimed that Moyers symbolized “Americans who want their country to lose in Iraq, based upon hatred of all things Bush,””
So Bill, about that hatred over at FOX for all things Obama…why do you want America to lose in Afghanistan?
Also Bill, you are in denial about Lou Dobbs being forced out by CNN. Are you projecting that onto Bill Moyers? No need to answer Bill, it was a rhetorical question.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:05 pmIf that’s the case, make sure it’s nice and sunny the next couple of days. Gay rights groups are protesting outside the state house to get the Legislature to take up same-sex marriage
November 24th, 2009 at 12:06 pmJesse Watters is responsible for being a dooshbag just like his idol billdo.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:07 pmHey Bill, while you are taking responsibility for your words and actions…how about accepting your part of the blame for the death of Dr. Tiller?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:07 pmAmericans hate Bush because he acted like a wannabe fuhrer.
Out his own mouth comes thy judgement.
“The Constitution is just a God damned piece of paper”
or this little gem:
“It would be easier in a dictatorship, just as long as I’m the dictator.
-signing statements telling which laws he will/won’t obey
-abolishing habeus corpus
-spying on citizens without warrants
-starting 2 wars based on lies
These are just a few reasons we hate Bush.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:13 pmOSTL says:
Bite me!
November 24th, 2009 at 12:16 pmO’Reilly: ‘Jesse Watters Is Responsible For Bill Moyers Leaving’ PBS
I guess Waters must now work for the company responsible for moving Moyer’s personal belongings out of the NY PBS headquarters.
Congratulations on the job promotion, Jesse!
November 24th, 2009 at 12:18 pmFu(k you olbysucks. A troll representing a tiny minority of slack-jawed fools thinks it’s opinion matters.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:18 pmOSTL says:
As a Christian culture warrior I join Jesse and Bill in defending Christmas from you “kwanza” loving liberals.
LOL>>>> you are really one picnic basket short of reality, and why i sit bad for those who happen to believe in Kwanzaa or any other religion a bad thing and is a attack on Christmas? can you answer me that?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:22 pmHell you people has the cropration of christmas so tightly control no one else will be able to break tht amoney hold on it.
As a Christian culture warrior
Now what was it they called that Jeebus guy? Oh yeah, the Prince of Peace.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:22 pmYeah Bill, having a second rate, pissant producer ambush a jouranlistic legend TWO YEARS AGO must have really been responsible for something. Me thinks it is your continued delusions and exit from reality.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:24 pmAnother thing O’Reilly just happened to forget to mention:
- Bill Moyers has won 10 Peabody Awards and 30 Emmys -
- O’Reilly has won zero, zip, squat, bupkiss -
He is so jealous that Moyers has a sterling reputation and the respect of his peers. O’Reilly has only bile and Tea Baggers.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:24 pmOSTL says:
A Patriot Acting says:
Fu(k you olbysucks. A troll representing a tiny minority of slack-jawed fools thinks it’s opinion matters.
Watch the dirty, curse language. It’s beneath you and it offends Our Heavenly
1st prove theres a Heavenly Father?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:25 pm2nd if he the way you want him then i have no use for him.
3rd what makes you think its a he?
Bill O’lielly is a legend in his own mind, and is out standing in his field.
It must be sad for Billo to have fallen from power at Faux Newsy when the even more deranged Glenn Bleck stole the “crazy” spotlight from Billo. Poor Billo has fallen to third place among the WingNUTS which leaves him an also ran in the deranged WingNUT race.
Poor Billo, desprerately trying to regain lost ground by puffing himself up, something he is still good at.
Anyone have a pin?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:27 pmAs a Christian culture warrior I join Jesse and Bill in defending Christmas from you “kwanza” loving liberals.
You do know many people who actually celebrate Kwanzaa are Christians, right?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:27 pmHappy Thanksgiving, Bill O’Reilly.
We just want you to know that you’re a complete turkey, you should be roasted until your giblets shrink up to pea sized and we’re all very thankful we have the likes of Jon Stewart, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow to straighten your tail feathers out & help you fly right.
You gobble lies like a fat Tom and run from courage like a scared Hen. Your chin resembles that of a ‘gobbler wobbler’ and your brain is much smaller than these proud American birds possess.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:28 pmThe American Turkey is a special & unique bird. You, however, chose to be a dirty bird and will no reap the consequences.
Olby Sucks Long Time was a lot more fun when he took his trolling seriously.
Nowadays he’s just wanking, and it shows.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:29 pmPapirini says:
You do know many people who actually celebrate Kwanzaa are Christians, right?
smiles i am betting this perverted dipcrap has no idea about any thing religious.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:29 pmIt appears that OSTL has moved to the cubicle next to Daryll at Troll Central. He has seen the divine light and is now blind to reality.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:32 pmManufacturing another ‘Controversy’ Billo? Dear Lord, with all these conspricy theories, you would think the Repugs are mentally ill. Oh, that right. THEY are.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:33 pmLet me guess, in 2017 O’Reilly will be taking credit for Obama leaving the White House.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:33 pmhi again olby, sucks.
came back for seconds at the pool?
notice there’s no “r” in it.
let’s keep it that way.
:P
November 24th, 2009 at 12:34 pmRight you drove Moyers out of PBS Billo, but you had nothing whatsoever to do with driving Scott Roeder to kill Dr. Tiller?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:37 pmralph the wonder llama says:
Olby Sucks Long Time was a lot more fun when he took his trolling seriously.
Nowadays he’s just wanking, and it shows.
I’m inclined to agree with the real OSTL troll that the suddenly religious OSTL is a namejacker. On the other hand, I really don’t care because the troll is such a useless tool that I have no sympathy.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:38 pmWishing Moyers would for his last show turn the table on billo and the rest of the i am to much of a coward to do my own job group of white wing racist wrong side tea bagging neo-con-poops
November 24th, 2009 at 12:39 pmB.O. vs. B.O.
When Bill Moyers walks through a room, a single particle in the odor he leaves behind contains many times more journalistic integrity than in all the cells that have ever been a part of the steaming heap of O’Reilly.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:39 pmI’ve been criticizing teabaggers and reich-wingers for the last 10 years, I’m responsible for their permanent minority status. You’re welcome, America.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:40 pmOlby Sucks Long Time: in your opinion is there something wrong with name-calling?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:41 pmDedecus in vos quod vestri liberi
Quare operor vos contemno nostrum terra quod suus liberi?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:42 pmSo how dose one namejack there own name? is that some kinda alternate universe thing?
I mean ostl if you have come to your senses and know you are wrong and want to come and be part of the real WE THE PEOPLE you dont have to come up with a lame excuse of namejacking.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:43 pmAll you have to do is say i have seen the light of the real truth and we all will help you out.
O’Reilly added that another reason that Moyers is retiring is because PBS was mad at him for not being tough enough on Rev. Jeremiah Wright in a 2008 interview.
Let me guess O’Liely just pulled that one out of his ass without any evidence to back it up?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:45 pmYes. Bill O’Reilly is a coward and a bully.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:47 pmPurple State says:
hi again, olby sucks
came back for seconds at the cesspool?
Fixed it for you.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:48 pmNo charge.
(:-D)
Noli habere bovis, vir!
November 24th, 2009 at 12:49 pmOSTL says:
Name calling Ralph? Dedecus in vos quod vestri liberi.
–
speak english, man.
or else lose your republican card.
:*
November 24th, 2009 at 12:54 pmOSTL:
November 24th, 2009 at 12:56 pmTell the truth, you would be mortified if your family knew how you spend you time crying out for attention here wouldn’t you?
鬄 觔 鋐 罈 飼 霜 色 稴
November 24th, 2009 at 12:59 pmO’Reilly’s powers take a really really long time to germinate…what a maroon…
November 24th, 2009 at 12:59 pmAnother thing O’Reilly just happened to forget to mention:
- Bill Moyers has won 10 Peabody Awards and 30 Emmys -
- O’Reilly has won zero, zip, squat, bupkiss -
He is so jealous that Moyers has a sterling reputation and the respect of his peers. O’Reilly has only bile and Tea Baggers.
Apparently, Billo also has Jesse Watters…
I don’t think Bill Moyers ever had to have an out of court settlement with a female intern, either… But Billo does.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:04 pmWatch the dirty, curse language. It’s beneath you and it offends Our Heavenly Father.
My Father would kick your pansy ass Father any day. Na Na Na.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:04 pmThe media has a highly overinflated view of their power. And they virtually all lean Republican, or else are susceptible to Republican sources. Apparently many stories about the problems with the job count for the stimulus are Republican plants, swallowed whole by newspapers; also the ‘debt’ panic that front paged the NYT, and was poo-poohed in the same issue by Krugman.
Just remember, when the Democrats took all three branches, the Republicans said ‘we’re not worried. They’ll win the votes, but we’ll win the message war.” and that is how they’ve played it from day one.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:05 pmBillo and his henchmen hate the Rev. Moyers because he’s everything they aren’t.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:07 pmORielly also personally pounded the nails into the hands of that dirty hippie and erected the cross by himself. And when billo came back to get another piece of him, after he’d tried to hide in a cave for three days, well that coward jesus was so scared he ran off and hid behind his daddy.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:11 pmBillo is confused, PBS is the heart and soul of the evil liberal media empire, so why are they mad at Moyers for not being mean to reverend angryblackman? It’s the conservatives that PBS is supposed to be mean to, while they coddle the islamofacommunisterribleviliberals? who hate Christmas, also…
November 24th, 2009 at 1:20 pmAnyone seen Olby Sucks? I wanted to get his take on name-calling.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:20 pmI think he might be storming the Island of Misfit Toys….
November 24th, 2009 at 1:21 pmWe dirty libs had just better watch out – or Billo will sic his stalker producer on us all!!
OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOEEEESSSSSS!!!!! I’m a’skeert.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:37 pmAnd we’ll all jump in fright 2 years from now!!!
Egad!!
November 24th, 2009 at 1:47 pmI’m gonna go right out and buy plastic wrap and duct tape! It’ll protect me from that Conservative Culture Warrior!!!!!! Billo, I ain’t askeert o’you!
November 24th, 2009 at 1:49 pmThis is how you get stuck in Iraq six years after “Mission Accomplished” or in Afghanistan 8 years after the ouster of the Taliban.
The moment you try to leave, the wild-eyed Right starts calling you a “surrender monkey” and that our departure is a “victory” for the other side.
If Moyers announced his retirement within days or weeks of being targeted by Bill-O, MAYBE he could make a credible argument for having something to do with it. But more than a year later? I don’t think so. Nice try, Billy.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:50 pmBWAAAAAAAAAAAAAa, too funny!!
Falafel Man, POMPOUS DIRTBAG . .
Your Stoooopid ambushed Mr. Moyers in 2007 . .
O’LIElly’s Fantasyland: Moyers has been seething ever since the ambush and decides ‘I better get outta here before Bildo continues to expose my INexperience’
PERVERT . .
November 24th, 2009 at 2:06 pmWhen are people going to get it:
BILL O’REILLY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE.
I hope that settles it forever… Whew!
November 24th, 2009 at 2:09 pmFor those of you here that give this insanely jealous POS Bildo a thumbs up for occasionally making a bipartisan humane comment, remember this thread . .
It’s a keeper!!
November 24th, 2009 at 2:14 pmBillo-the-clown once again PROVES he the IDIOT’S IDIOT….
November 24th, 2009 at 2:19 pmBill O’Reilly will take support for the sun setting in the evening if he thought he could get away with it.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:20 pmBy the way Billo. How did your stalker attack on Amanda Terkel go? Did that creep Watters harass her enough to make her go away or is she still over at TP writing bad things about you?
November 24th, 2009 at 2:23 pmThe only people who take O’Reilly serious is his audience. You would hard pressed to find any well educated people who agree with O’Reilly’s simplistic ideas. He is an opportunist in every sense of the word. To claim credit for Moyer’s departure is just more of the same.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:29 pmOh, I disagree. Bildo would see the sunlight as a good thing, and so he would take credit for teh sun rising.
The sunset he would blame on the “S-Ps”
November 24th, 2009 at 2:34 pm56 – speak english, man.
or else lose your republican card.
Don’t you mean “speak ammurican”?
And Bill, being attacked by Jesse Waters would be like being savaged by a sheep!
November 24th, 2009 at 2:40 pmBill O’rally, can you take the vibrator out of your *ss and put down the falafel long enough to maybe comprehend for 1 friggin’ second that the reason Mr. Moyers is retiring is because he is 75 YEARS OLD! You know, the age of which most who have lived that long wish to retire?
(FCK IT! WE’LL DO IT LIVE!!!)
OH, and Jeffy boy, speaking as a Christian peacemaker, I wish you and yours a very merry Kwanza!!!
November 24th, 2009 at 2:41 pmAwwww, the Pharisee is offended by us sinners…
November 24th, 2009 at 3:08 pmBill0 does produce some high grade delusions of grandeur.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:26 pm“Christian peacemaker”
That’s a term that may be applied to the Rev. Moyer but I doubt will ever be applied to Bill “Do it live!” OReilly.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:31 pmO’Reilly is full of it. I believe Moyers is quitting for the simple reason he is 75. It is time for someone else to step in with journalistic integrity, and let Moyers relax and reflect on the great public service he has provided to this country.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:40 pmjesse watters ought to be thrown in jail on a stalking/assault/harrassment rap.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:48 pmI had a disagreement with Bill Moyers after he said to bring back the draft. But aside from that I thought he was one of the most thoughtful, clear thinking voices in politics. A direct opposite of loud-mouth, deluded O’Reilly. Now it doesn’t surprise me that he takes credit for Moyers leaving. O’Reilly would take credit for creating the world in 7 days if he could.
November 24th, 2009 at 7:28 pmO’Reilly is a comedian. A political pornographer. I laugh at him and the comedy network that pays him millions to utter nonsense on a daily basis.
Bill Moyers’s departure is a devastating loss for journalism and America.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:55 pmWhat a D-bag..
November 24th, 2009 at 11:29 pmPoor Billo,now he`s attacking one of our nations finest journalist we have ever had, to bad Billo,Bill Moyers has more integrity and courage in his little finger than you`ll ever get from the rest of your miserable little life.Billo you are a sad little man working for a sad liitle man named Rupert.
November 25th, 2009 at 12:08 amBill O’Reilly. The Frank Burns of, choke, “journalism.”
My apologies to both Robert Duvall and Larry Linville.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:52 pmhhh
November 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pmttt
November 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pmsdfsz
November 27th, 2009 at 2:45 pmgdx
November 27th, 2009 at 2:46 pmcx
November 27th, 2009 at 2:47 pm;piuy
November 27th, 2009 at 2:51 pm⌙
November 27th, 2009 at 3:41 pm⌘
November 27th, 2009 at 3:42 pm⌘
55
November 27th, 2009 at 3:46 pmThanks Amada for this article;
You must be familiar with this kind of Journalist approach to reporting a story.
Vindictive.
Have mailed letters to Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Maria Cantwell asking for their support for a program that Sen. John Kerry was announcing earlier. A Government sponsored program for Journalist that would be independent and based on PBS funding that would bring some responsibility to the media.
We are in a crisis and this is dangerous as the people are not confident of the information that they receive.
Wrote to Sen. John Kerry asking if there was a way for a program to Honor Bill Moyers.
Economic crisis and the most trusted “Wall Street Journal” was sold to the same organization that Supports the “Jerry Springer Show” and the “Fox News Network”
Observing Murdoch over the years can explain that each time a purchase of a Media organization has a distinct difference in the quality of the product that is produced. The pattern is the same with the “Wall Street Journal” as some of the best and most trusted Journalist leave. This came as the nation was facing an Economic Crisis. We were ill-informed as a result.
November 28th, 2009 at 4:51 pmThe thought that “Bill O” was ever credited for investigative Journalism would be a joke.