It was Inside Edition, and it was the late 80s, early 90s. Not 70s/80s. He was with CBS in the early 80s.
Yes, I guess you're right. Interesting how the decades back then run together in my memory. Ah well.
I don't really feel that strongly about O'Reilly. I don't think he's a conservative, at least not in an ideological way. I don't think he's ideological at all.
I think he's a broadcast professional who has a finely-honed set of survival skills, and that's what drives how he sees the world. His world is all about the process of getting to the top of the broadcasting slippery pole, and staying there. He's kind of full of himself, but not to the toxic extent that Dan Rather, or Keith Olbermann, or Brian Williams is (or was). He doesn't strike me as a "crazy," like Juan Williams, who can and will spout obvious nonsense if it falls to him to do so as he works to promote The Narrative.
Conservatives like us tend to look at anyone who takes up our cause as "one of us." Then, at some point, that person takes a position that deviates from what we see as "pure" Conservatism, and we immediately turn on them. I saw this happen with Ann Coulter, with Megyn Kelly, and with Fox News in general. Tony Snow was an exception, but unfortunately he was taken from us. How good it would be to have the benefit of his voice today.