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Fraud Factor
WorldNet Daily ^ | 07-26-2004 | Vox Day

Posted on 07/26/2004 11:04:43 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus

No one can deny that Bill O'Reilly is a massive media success. However, contrary to the beliefs of some, he is neither conservative nor crazy. He is, instead, a complete fraud – a blowhard as devoid of principle as the iconic strawmen he sets up and knocks down with mind-numbing regularity. In other words, he is just another media whore, selling not ideas, but himself.

Mr. O'Reilly has mastered a confrontational style, which works as long as he is in control of his opponent's microphone. His usual tactic is to ask a question, cut off his opponent halfway through the answer, then feign an emotional overreaction to an exaggerated and often inaccurate extension of their position. The fact that he has taken on many leftist lightweights and exposed their essential silliness has led many to conclude that Mr. O'Reilly is a conservative and a genuine lover of American liberty, but this is not the case.

Television is an inherently deceptive medium. It is much harder to deceive in text, where the reader has the opportunity to easily review something that might have been passed over in a casual first read. After reading Mr. Reilly's first book, it was readily apparent this was not the product of a logical, intellectual or conservative mind, but rather a haphazard collection of muddled opinions which reflected a strong government moderate's typically hazy grasp of political reality.

For example, Mr. O'Reilly once attacked the president of the Gun Owners of America as a nutcase on the fringe due to the GOA's opposition to the assault weapons ban. This demonstrated three things:

1. "The Factor" does not understand the purpose of the Second Amendment, which is to ensure that the people are able to militarily resist their government. Of all people, a New England man should know that Lexington and Concord were fought by those resisting the attempt of the then-legitimate government to confiscate private weapon stores.

2. "The Factor" does not understand the Assault Weapons Ban, which does not concern itself with bazookas and machine guns, but pistol grips and magazine clips.

3. "The Factor" has no intention of allowing open debate on his program. It's his program, so that's his right, but it puts the lie to his "No-Spin" claim. Mr. O'Reilly is every bit the agitprop artist that Michael Moore is, the primary difference being that Moore lies and seeks the destruction of his targets in order to destroy them, while O'Reilly lies and seeks the destruction of his targets in order to sell himself.

Lately, Mr. O'Reilly has taken to apish chest-thumping in proclaiming that various individuals are "ducking" and "backing down" from him. This is rather ironic in the face of the following transcript from Fox News:

The ACLU held its annual convention, but The Factor was not invited. However, The Factor said, "Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a Republican, was, and he debated our pal Howard Dean, who remains too frightened to appear on [this show]. The debate dealt with the Patriot Act. Dean claimed it robs us of individual rights." The Factor reminded, "If anybody has been abused by the Patriot Act, call us, please. We want to put them on the air."

Upon hearing this, Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian Party's candidate for president, was quick to respond to Mr. O'Reilly's challenge, apprising "The Factor" personnel of his victimized status. But like bold Sir Robin, O'Reilly bravely ran away. When danger – in the form of a political candidate, who, unlike Bill's pal, is not primary toast, but will instead be on the ballot in all 50 states this November – reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled. One of brave Sir William's minions sent the following e-mail:

According to producers, the "challenge" has apparently been misunderstood in terms of what Bill actually said on the air. There is no interest in having Mr. Badnarik on the show at this time.

Oh, it was a misunderstanding! Did "The Factor" mean to say that he does not want to put someone abused by the Patriot Act on the air? Did he deny Badnarik's victim status? No to both counts. As you see, brave Sir Bill, he turned about and gallantly he chickened out. Bravely taking to his feet, he beat a very swift retreat. Bravest of the brave, O'Reilly!

The cowardly "Factor" should change the name of his show. As "Fear Factor" is taken, "The Fraud Factor" would appear to be apropos.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: billoreilly; mediawhore; nospinzone; opportunist; oreilly; windbag
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Nailed him. I quit watching O'Reilly when I noticed he never allows guests a fair chance to present their cases.
1 posted on 07/26/2004 11:04:43 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus
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To: NewRomeTacitus

How was Badnarik personally abused by the Patriot Act?


2 posted on 07/26/2004 11:09:19 PM PDT by Tamzee (Tell me honestly, Honey... do these classified documents make me look fat?)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

Mr. Day needs a new barber. That's the most ridiculous haircut I've ever seen.

O'Reilly might be a blowhard, but at least he's not a liberal blowhard. I think attacking him is a disservice to conservatives and to Fox News. Let's go after Michael Moore instead - it's much more fun.


3 posted on 07/26/2004 11:12:49 PM PDT by Tarantulas
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To: NewRomeTacitus

"Nailed him. I quit watching O'Reilly when I noticed he never allows guests a fair chance to present their cases"

Oreilly gives plenty of opportunity to respond. Sometimes he interrupts, but most of the time they get their point across. Geez, I have seen Oreilly nailed by some of his liberal guests. He defnintely loses from time to time.

I'll take oreilly over vox day any day.


4 posted on 07/26/2004 11:18:52 PM PDT by fizziwig
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To: Tamsey

I don't know. The point was that he called O'Reilly on his challenge and got the blow off.

Seriously, do you get anything out of the show? I feel it's a waste of lifetime. Lou Dobbs, now, has real guts and treats people in a civil manner. He also gets my respect for going totally against the grain of CNN.


5 posted on 07/26/2004 11:23:59 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (Just writing it all down before they come for me.)
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To: NewRomeTacitus
I agree with your comment that "The Factor" has become a waste of time. I stopped watching Hannity and O'Reilly about 6 months ago. I taped both shows for a while so that I could speed watch them and bypass the commercials and time-kill segments (celebrity trial du-jour segments for example). I don't even bother to tape the shows any more and maybe see a little of each show every 2 or 3 weeks. Both shows are intended for entertainment and they no longer hold my interest.
6 posted on 07/26/2004 11:38:50 PM PDT by Sunnyvale CA Eng.
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To: NewRomeTacitus

No, O'Reilly's challenge was to find someone who has ACTUALLY been abused by the Patriot Act... not just yet another guest who wanted to complain about it in theory.

It was disingenous of Badnarik to pretend otherwise... and disingenous of Vox Day to take a cheap shot at O'Reilly and pretend it, also.

And no, I'm not a regular watcher of O'Reilly but his talk show is better than most on TV.


7 posted on 07/26/2004 11:41:50 PM PDT by Tamzee (Tell me honestly, Honey... do these classified documents make me look fat?)
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To: Tarantulas
"I think attacking him is a disservice to conservatives and to Fox News."

We must agree to disagree. O'Reilly is a showman whom I seriously doubt has deep political convictions. Watch how he constantly preens in false modesty and fawns over some of the vilest humans who grace his show. Strange traits for a supposed conservative role model.

To each their own.

8 posted on 07/26/2004 11:44:37 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (Just writing it all down before they come for me.)
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To: Tamsey

Tell us all about Badnarak's case. I stopped paying attention to the Libertarians years ago.


9 posted on 07/26/2004 11:47:19 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (Just writing it all down before they come for me.)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

O'Reilly is almost as worthless as WorldNet Daily.


10 posted on 07/26/2004 11:51:15 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day (There are but two parties now, Traitors and Patriots. -- Ulysses S. Grant)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

Yeah I have not watched watched or listened to Bill since his first week at Fox...But hey what is badnarik griping about? What's the looney libertarian up to now?


11 posted on 07/26/2004 11:55:45 PM PDT by jnarcus
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To: NewRomeTacitus

I've never heard anything about Badnarik claiming to be harmed by the Patriot Act... that's why I asked you about it first in case there was something I missed.

This challenge in nothing new, BTW, I've heard several folks on the right use this challenge as a rebuttal to someone complaining about the Patriot Act. They say produce an American who personally had their civil rights infringed upon... I've yet to see one with a case.


12 posted on 07/27/2004 12:00:02 AM PDT by Tamzee (Tell me honestly, Honey... do these classified documents make me look fat?)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

Vox is right. Bill O'Reilly is an effeminate, dishones, left/liberal dweeb. Bill promotes feminism to the detriment of families, and he waffles toward homosexual activism. ...remember his interview with Rosie O'Donnell? ...his screetching at Dr. Stephen Baskerville?



13 posted on 07/27/2004 3:54:31 AM PDT by familyop (Essayons)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

...dishonest, even.


14 posted on 07/27/2004 3:55:02 AM PDT by familyop (Essayons)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

"Lou Dobbs, now, has real guts and treats people in a civil manner. He also gets my respect for going totally against the grain of CNN"

Doh!!....you just blew it by this remark. You just lost all credibility in this discussion.


15 posted on 07/27/2004 5:05:03 AM PDT by Getsmart64 (LANTIRN - Designed to kill, maim, and destroy ....America's enemies...)
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To: Tarantulas
I'm not a huge O'Reilly fan (too much of a blowhard), but Day is off base. No one is completely one thing or another. The suggestion that people with large egos, like O'Reilly's, constitute a substantial percentage of tv personalities is hardly news. And some of Day's objections to O'Reilly are true.

But O'Reilly has confronted numerous left-wing nuts and and hammered them including the international leftist community. So when people criticize other people for their views, they should be careful to try to at least be as fair-minded as both O'Reilly and Day claim to be...but often are not. And yes, Day should shave off that nutty hair whatever.

16 posted on 07/27/2004 6:47:02 AM PDT by driftless ( For life-long happiness, learn how to play the accordion.)
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To: driftless
But O'Reilly has confronted numerous left-wing nuts and and hammered them including the international leftist community.

He reduced Molly Ivins to a blithering idiot the other day. Not that doing such was all that difficult, but at least he is willing to confront the Dem weasels.

17 posted on 07/27/2004 6:51:43 AM PDT by dirtboy (Forget Berger's socks - has ANYONE searched his skin folds for classified documents?)
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To: Tamsey
Okay, I looked it up. O'Reilly asked for anyone hurt by the Patriot Act. The Libertarians stated on their website:

On July 13, Bill O'Reilly offered a challenge to debate anyone on the Patriot Act.

You were correct as they were not being totally honest. I have no disagreement with the rest of Vox's assessment. I also do not feel the need to backresearch every aspect of articles I may post for writer errors. They're all supposed to have editors for that.

18 posted on 07/27/2004 9:43:20 AM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (Just writing it all down before they come for me.)
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To: Getsmart64

Blew what? I'm not here to impress you and didn't ask for smart*ass remarks. My credibility is just fine. You, on the other hand, call yourself a lurker and hide behind the U.S. flag. Do tell; are you one of the open-borders free trade crowd who think the trend toward globalism is just nifty? If so you are no conservative and are a Republican by party affiliation only.


19 posted on 07/27/2004 9:47:25 AM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (Just writing it all down before they come for me.)
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To: NewRomeTacitus

What's your rant have to do with you fawning over Lou Dobbs? Lou Dobbs plays both sides........IMHO


20 posted on 07/28/2004 1:02:24 AM PDT by Getsmart64 (LANTIRN - Designed to kill, maim, and destroy ....America's enemies...)
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