Why the Left is So Afraid of Bill O’Reilly

IntellectualConservative.com ^ | November 18, 2002 | Rachel Alexander

[SamAdams76]

O'Reilly denies that he is a conservative and considers himself an Independent. But he's no liberal and so he's okay with me.

[mombonn]

Rachel Alexander must be O'Blowhard's pen name.

I can't bear to listen to him for more than 20 seconds once a week.

[Cicero]

I've heard a lot of complaints from Freepers about O'Reilly. But if this article is accurate, it sounds pretty good to me. We don't need all conservative all the time. We also need someone letting in a little air so ordinary viewers will begin to see the network news spokesmen like Jennings and Rather for what they are.

[Jean S]

He is perhaps the first conservative TV pundit to attract as many viewers as some of the dominant liberal pundits and news hosts.

What in the world makes this author think O'Reilly is conservative? I don't see it.

[Nitro]

What in the world makes this author think O'Reilly is conservative? I don't see it.

Re-think the sentence, cause if you think about Bill you'll know!!

[cricket]

No question as O'Reilly's popularity has grown so has there been a corresponding rise in his 'blowhardiness' so to speak.

But despite that, he addresses issues and topics in a way that no one else can or will; and that 'wind' he blows, knock many right off their complacent behinds. . .

. . .and that is good!

[Chi-townChief]

O'Reilly always reminds me of Jack Paar on the old Tonight Show.

[ottersnot]

O'Reilly is a step in the right direction.
PBS for example probably is consistently a 3 on the scale of one being liberal to 10 being conservative.
O'Reilly is probably a solid 6 in my opinion.
Anyone who flames Jessie Jackson on a regular basis
is ok with me.

[lawdude]

"O'Reilly denies that he is a conservative and considers himself an Independent. But he's no liberal and
so he's okay with me."

O'Really = Rootcanal!

[FreeKnight]

drivers would rather listen to drawling, encouraging, empathetic talk than ponder the weighty and frequently contrarian views that O'Reilly presents

O'Reilly's views are fluff. Give me Rush, Hugh Hewitt, Ken Hamblin, Walter Williams, or Tony Snow anyday. Our radio station replaced Hugh with the Radio Factor. What a letdown. There's no meat to the show, no intelligence, not even any entertainment. I quit listening to O'Reilly the bore and the liberal witch he has with him. Now, I crank up good CD instead.

[Common Tator]

But consider this O'Reilly reaches 1.9 million viewers.

Hannity and his radio show reaches 10.5 million listeners. Rush Limbaugh and his show reaches 14.5 million listeners. In most areas you can get 10 or 20 radio stations. Now in most markets there are 70 TV stations. A national radio show reaching 1.9 million listeners would not make the top ten. For example Imus reaches 4.5 million. There are a bunch of shows at 3 to 4 million. Rush is number one with 14.5 million.

Conservative talk radio is a huge force. It is a much bigger force than news talk TV. But the media elites don't see it. They see Donahue with 390 thousand and think O'Reilly is a huge force at 1.9 million. Bigger names will go on Imus than go on O'Reilly. Imus has at least twice the impact with 4.5 million people. Rush rarely does guests. But Hannity does. Look for the Hannity influence to really grow in the coming months. He is still new and his audience is not yet common knowledge.

Rush is distributed by Clear Channel. They own 1200 radio stations. Rush is on about half of them.

Hannity is distributed by ABC and is on the ABC owned an operated stations, but not hardly any clear Channel Stations. So Hannity is reduced to lesser stations in most markets below the top 10. It blows my mind that Hannity has 2/3 the audience of Rush with a much weaker station line up. think talk radio is changing America in a way that Rather, Brokaw or Jennings never could.

Donahue is toast. I look for GE to sell MSNBC if it does not do better and soon. I can't imagine worse management than MSNBC unless it is ABC. Stephy is bombing on This Week. How anyone could fail to anticipate that is beyond me. It would be very interesting if Clear Channel bought MSNBC. They would likely take a typical Clear Channel radio station approach and Fox would be number 2 before you could say Roger Ailes.

[Exit148]

I like O'Reilly when I agree with him, and dislike him when I don't ----BUT I absolutely LOVE him when he gives it to the other side and shoves facts in their face. He's always a gentleman, but he gives no quarter, and I love it when he shuts them up.

The left loves their feely-goody ways and can't take the direct facts that O'Reilly dishes out. IMMHO.

[Jonathon Spectre]

O'Reilly is a closet statist and believes almost every problem has a solution via government.

That said, I enjoy watching him because it is quite obvious that even when he is blatantly wrong, he is giving voice to his own opinion, and he is not afraid to invite even the most radical, controversial guests on his show to spar with.

[Burkeman1]

This analysis may have been true a year ago but it isn't any longer. The funny thing is that his first early most ardent admirerers were many on this site who now cannot bear to watch him any longer (myself included.) The longer one watched O'Reilly the more they saw him make an ass out of himself. And he has only got more arogant and sloppy as his popularity soared. His refusal to settle for idiotic spin in answer to straightforward questions was refreshing. However this is more than overshadowed by his constant displays of sloppy thinking, outright ignorance on many issues, and illogical arguments that make him look a buffoon- all delivered in a smug know it all style that I simply find infuriating.

I may be wrong on this but if people watch him nightly they soon begin to see him for the phoney he is.

[jraven]

Definitely CORRECT. Too many times we think that because people agree with US if we have someone on our side taking what is a purely party-line position, with absolutely no straying from it, that it impresses those who want to be won over. WRONG. Simply calling names, accusing, demonizing is what the Demmies have done for years and too many conservatives have fallen into the same trap. The DIFFERENCE with O'Reilly is that he seems to listen (for a while at least), and carefully lays out through questions and then a firm statement what he believes. In other words, rather than just proclaim a stand the truth he shows WHY on its merits, not just attacking the other side. If anything he undermines those with whom he doesn't agree by his questions. In a sense, it should be NO SURPRISE he is doing on the right and center right what the left has done from years...without ever admitting it and constantly denying it. He makes no bones about the fact he is a commentator...but he uses journalistic questioning to lay out the evidence, versus just a "Democrats and liberals are bad and dangerous" tone...which turns off anyone who is not a party-liner. I suspect several years from now he will be seen as the most influential television personality of the late 20th early 21st century, in political terms. Rush converts NO ONE who isn't already inclined to his view or in agreement with him. O'Reilly lays a case out...then takes a position supported by his interview.

[mississippi red-neck]

I believe O'Riley is just what he says he is ,an independent. Though I diasagree with some of his views I respect him. A couple of my close friends in life have held veiws that you or I would think are fairly liberal . The difference between them and the liberal I can't stomach, and some conservitives also, is.

1. That they are basicly honest and good people. 2. They really honestly believe in their position on the subject. 3. They really do care about people.4. They really are your friend and you really can count on them. 5. They'll respectfully confront you to your face and defend you behind your back.

These are the people you can have real good discussions with and when you get through, they are still your friend and your are still their's. When people like this get together it can be a learning experience for both especially over along period of years. I've lived long enough and have experienced enough to know, that 1. I can be wrong and 2. No matter how much I know there is a whole lot I don't know.

[realpatriot71]

Bill's a load, arrogant, statist, but, as long as he's not in public office I've got no problem with that. I watch his show about every night, because I sincerely believe he's honest and cares and that makes all the world of a difference between him an the "other" shows. He brings on different opinions and will debate anyone. I like that - tenacity

[ctnoell]

How is O'Reilly conservative? He is anti-death penalty, accepting of homosexuality, admires Robert Kennedy and John Edwards, yet detests Jesse Helms. Moderate, yes. Conservative, no!