Bill O'Reilly -- Don't Mess With the Folks

The Broward Sun Sentinel ^ | November 6, 2003 | Bill O'Reilly

[Luis Gonzalez]

It is simply astounding that some people are spinning this Reagan movie controversy as a censorship issue. The usual left-wing suspects are screaming the "conservatives" forced CBS to abandon the project. The New York Times editorialized, "It should have come as no surprise that conservatives, protective of Mr. Reagan's image at all times, would launch on the fierce assaults that have become so familiar whenever the right wants to scare the media ... "

And Barbra Streisand, an increasingly amusing presence, says "this is censorship pure and simple." One wonders if The Times and La Streisand would react the same way if Bill Clinton, on his deathbed, was mocked in a network docu-drama starring Pamela Anderson as Monica Lewinsky.

The truth is that the Reagan movie demeans a dying President and the wife who is caring for him. Ten years from now, this Reagan film could run all day long, and most of the public wouldn't really care.

Certainly, the Kennedy family has been worked over by the TV movie czars. But Americans are not big on cruelty when it can be associated with current tragedy. Nancy Reagan, herself, called the movie cruel and many Americans see it that way.

CBS, wisely, does not want to be in the "cruelty business," as they say in the bistros of Beverly Hills. But there are two questions in play here. First, how could a hokey, over-the-top film like this get greenlighted in the first place, and second, what about Dr. Laura?

Let's take Laura Schlessinger first. You'll remember the radio advice-giver tried to launch a syndicated TV program but was picketed by gay rights activists. They objected to her biblical take on the morality of homosexuality. They threatened to boycott sponsors and implored Paramount to cancel Laura. Her show went down in flames.

Maybe I missed the New York Times editorial deploring "politically correct" censorship in this case. As for Babs, well, the silence was deafening.

So could this be a case of selective outrage over perceived right-wing "censorship?" Or are we dealing with outright hypocrisy here? You make the call.

I have often stated that the media is not looking out for you, because it doesn't understand you, nor does it care about you. The "folks" are seen as ratings points--dollar signs.

You might think that a movie about the Reagans written by a liberal, produced by two liberals, directed by a left-winger, and starring the husband of Barbra Streisand might have raised a red flag or two. But not in the hallways of CBS Entertainment. That kind of roster is common in show business, so why would anyone question it?

And even when the film was screened, few at CBS understood the brewing perfect storm. They simply don't know how much of the country thinks.

But there's something else. Do you think CBS would have financed a movie about the Gores written by Rush Limbaugh? Of course not. Anyone pitching that would have been mocked and scorned. But it's okay to carve up the Reagans? More hypocrisy?

In the end, this is another victory for the folks, not for the political ideologues. CBS could not care less if a few million conservative zealots object to a program.

But when the wind shifts and the fire of indignation starts taking hold in the minds of everyday Americans who value fairness, then CBS and every other media outfit must care.

For if they ignore those alarms, they will surely go down in flames.

[Radix]

The usual left-wing suspects are screaming the "conservatives" forced CBS to abandon the project

I am sure that they would be saying the "Extreme Right Wing Conservatives" in this context.

Lets get it right!

[SkyPilot]

Thanks Luis. Sometimes I am not a Bill O fan----but I am with this article. The Dr. Laura point has been raised time and again here on FR and is such a truism that the left cannot argue with it. Bill was smart to mention it. When the Left did that to Dr. Laura, many predicted there would be future ramifications.

The pain and humiliation Dr. Laura endured was not in vain. They handed us a whip with which to beat them with of their own selective outrage and hypocrisy.

[MEG33]

There's a thread where the script is discussed.It is on Salon's website.I read enough quotes from the script to see what a dreadful hit piece it is.

[WackyKat]

I agree; I can't stand O'Reilly or Dr Laura, but he's right about the double standard on media boycotts.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

They will never forgive Ronald Reagan for bringing down
the Country they most admired "the USSR".

[Iris7]

Ann Coulter said something about the automatic assumption the Left makes that they are being censored by the Right. She said that they shouldn't wonder about whether they are being censored by the Right, because when they are, they will know it!!!

Ann Coulter for President in 2008!!! Doctor Rice for Vice President!!! Or reversed, now that's the ticket!!!

[eggman]

But when the wind shifts and the fire of indignation starts taking hold in the minds of everyday Americans who value fairness, then CBS and every other media outfit must care.

The plain and simple truth that CBS finally realized: millions of Americans voted for Reagan (over 53 million in 1984). He pummeled 2 icons of the left (Carter and Mondale). The vast majority of Americans may not love Reagan but they certainly respect him. The film was not only an insult to the Reagans but to the people who voted for him.

The problem at CBS is that none of them could remember voting for Reagan.

[Southack]

First of all, one thing worth remembering from this whole sordid affair is that the Left has been caught lying again.

The Left is claiming that they've been "censored."

That's simply untrue. Being "censored" is when a government *forces* you to not publish something. In this case, CBS *chose* to not broadcast "The Reagan's" on network TV (instead, airing it on a cable system with millions of subscribers).

So everytime you hear the Left scream "censorship" about the Reagan's mini-series, just remember that they are lying. The government forbade no one from broadcasting that trash.

Another thing to consider is that this hit piece got $9 Million worth of funding for B actors and a C script. O'Reilly touched on this point when he used the little Gedanken mind experiment of suggesting that one substitute "Limbaugh" writing a script about the "Gore's" to see how one would think that CBS would respond.

In this case, the script deliberately ommitted Reagan's negotiation to finally get residuals for actors (something that the Left praised him for at the time), omitted Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" ultimate moment, and refused to show *why* Americans were so excited about electing him to get rid of Carter back in 1980. Then the script invented quotes (all negative) out of whole cloth, as if the real Reagan didn't say anything worthy enough of warranting an actual quote on a fading network TV mini-series.

In a nutshell, this whole episode is typical of current Democratic Party politics. They lie, smear, and ommit the positive whenever talking about Republicans, and they have no clue how Joe Sixpack and Jane Average will respond when they see such nonsense.

[mylife]

You nailed it Southack!

[Ajnin]

Certainly, the Kennedy family has been worked over by the TV movie czars

The media and Hollywood has forever lionized the Kennedy administration as another Camelot. The lefties consider the Kennedys America's royalty. I don't recall any instance in which JFK hasn't been portrayed as a hero rather than the indecisive lecher that he really was.

[b9]

Thanks for posting this, Luis.

I especially like the comparison O'Reilly made of the nix job they did on Dr. Laura.

[Salvation]

BTTT for the truth!

We are looking out for ourselves.

[risk]

Great post.

[ch53gunner]

What most people seem to be missing in this whole fiasco is that this is an attempt by the way-left-wing to redefine the meaning of "censorship" just like they did "racism". If you say anything negative about anyone of color you are labeled a "racist" - read Rush Limbaugh. Now, if you say anything negative about media (excepting FOX) you will be labeled a "censorship promoter".

[Highest Authority]

The left was not out to show this piece to today's generation. It was to be an "instructional" film for the next generation who would not be as familiar (due to today's educational system) with Reagan's great works, and would take the movie as being historical FACT. The left has proven time and time again that they subscribe to one of Hitler's axioms ... "Give me your children and I'll give you a new world!"

[jazzlite]

Edie Hill commented the other day on FOX AND FRIENDS that she thought American has truly changed and I think that is true. 9/11 caused the "folks" to start paying attention before disaster hits their own doorstep. They have begun to pay attention to the major media..Is it fair, is it accurate? And what are the politicans saying and doing..What does it mean for the FUTURE? People are looking for honesty and traditional values..They see where political correctness and the "anything goes" values promoted by the ACLU types are taking us. The Reagan issue is strong evidence of just how much things have changed. Thanks, Bill O'Riley..You are a man for our time.

[BooksForTheRight.com]

Amen!
And when Showtime shows this smear movie, we'll start the boycott again.

[HHFi]

This is the first piece that comes close to stating what I said when Barbra Streisand started screaming censorship and claiming that CBS was infringing on the movie makers' creativity and artistic freedom. I wrote that I wondered if she'd still be as gung-ho about defending creative freedom if Fox announced that it was producing "The Barbra Streisand Story," with a script by Ann Coulter and Pat Buchanan. Now, THAT would be worth seeing!

[Brian Allen]

<< And Barbra Streisand, an increasingly amusing presence, says "this is censorship pure and simple." One wonders if The Times and La Streisand would react the same way if Bill Clinton, on his deathbed, "was mocked" in a network docu-drama starring Pamela Anderson as Monica Lewinsky. >>

All of which goes to show that the populist-liberal, O'Rielly, just doesn't get it, either.

A truck load of Pamela Andersons or come to that Linda Deep Throat Lovelaces -- and a other few dogs and some goats -- as any of the predatory bent one's serial sexual victims would at least be playing to the truth.

The libelous and slanderous CBStreisand piece of rubbish on former president Ronald Reagan, on the other hand, was and is maliciously intended only to defame one of this Nation's greatest-ever presidents -- and one of the best remembered and best loved.