The Meanest Man on Television [Boston Globe/ Bill O'Reilly Take Out Piece]

Boston Globe ^ | Dec. 1, 2002 | Neil Swidey

[ewing]

In the late 1980's Bill O'Reilly was a second-tier correspondent for ABC News, scrapping to get airtime.

He walked with the same swagger he has today, but back then no one took it seriously.

A good day was when Peter Jennings handed him the trifling task of doing the 30 second afternoon news breaks.

So, on October 16 when anchorman Peter Jennings wrapped up his evening newscast and headed over to the FOX News Channel studios outside New York's Times Square to be interviewed by his former underling, it was another sign of how far O' Reilly has come.

Like so many of his guests on The Factor Jennings was there to pump a new book.

[Maceman]

I can't stand O'Reilly. An arrogant moderate who is sometimes right on issues, but never lets his guests get a word in edgewise.

I cringe for them sometimes, even when I don't like them.

Judging by his ratings, I guess I'm in the distinct minority of those who would like to see him replaced.

He makes me use my mute button almost as often as Bill Clinton.

[p. henry]

You are not alone.

[LurkedLongEnough]

"Jennings was there to pump a new book."

Algore, take note.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Pretty good piece. I expected more of a hit job from The Glob. (spelling intentional.)

They are right. O'reilly is quite full of himself. That always comes through on his broadcasts and I think that's what irritates his detractors the most.

[ewing]

LOL! I don't even think 'The Factor' could help Algore now..

[ServesURight]

Unfortunately, O'Reilly does have an authoritarian streak in him, which he will then propose yet another brain-dead government solution to a non-existant problem.

Anyone who thinks O'Reilly is conservative also believes that Al Gore is an intellectual.

[billbears]

I guess I'm in the minority there too. I used to like watching O'Reilly, but his agenda is moderate at best.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

You may be in the majority since even the most popular TV shows only receive a minority of the minority that happens to be watching TV at that time.

[Media Insurgent]

I'm not a big fan of O'Reilly's but its fun to see how much he rankles liberals.

I just loved how this article tries to present Peter Jennings as some sort of amiable, thoughtful, and fair-minded saint who gets railroaded by Big Bad Bill. O'Reilly is certainly an opinionated blowhard, but his show is open & honest about the fact that it is a vehicle for an opinionated blowhard to hold forth. Meanwhile Jennings is probably the most blatant example of how hardcore leftists spew forth propaganda under the guise of objective, unbiased journalism. The author of this article betrays his sympathies with and membership in the latter camp.

[Publius6961]

Judging by his ratings, I guess I'm in the distinct minority of those who would like to see him replaced.

You certainly are, thank God.

Although I could never personally do it, I admire the ability to do so.

You have to consider the circumstances. He allows actual left wingers to speak on his show.

Unfortunately most liberals assume this to mean an offer to take over the show; to substitute volume and quantity for thought; a release of verbal diarrhea...

That he can effectively cut them off is satisfying beyond words. They just can't deal with that. But it is their tactic of choice, honed to a fine art.

[Cincinatus]

I agree with you about the arrogance, but O'Reilly's not a "moderate." He's an opportunist, kook-populist (Big Oil conspiracy, anyone?), who seems to think that his last unbearable airline trip is of burning interest to the viewing public.

That said, I get quite a laugh out of the fact that he's kicking the collective ratings butts of CNN and MSNBC. They're so "serious" and he's so "trivial"! ROFL!!

[ewing]

I thought O'Reilly was a libertarian..

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

An arrogant moderate who is sometimes right on issues, but never lets his guests get a word in edgewise.

O'Reilly must have gone to the Dr. Laura school of interruption. I listened to part of her show once. She would launch into her 'advice' before the person had gotten through 20% of his/her story.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Perhaps you and other myopic FReepers are yearning for the quaint days of Walter Cronkite and other socialist newscasters?

Who was virtually the only voice in journalism talking about Clinton's treasonous Chinagate? Who actually went to Capitol Hill and demanded that something be done? Hint: It wasn't Brokaw, Jennings, or Rather.

Maybe conservatives are being spoiled now, with the success of the FOX News Channel, Limbaugh, and conservative Internet news sites such as FR and NewsMax, that someone such as O'Reilly, while not a conservative but is still more objective than the other clowns, is treated like a whiny liberal.

[Coop]

I find the guy refreshing.

[taxed2death]

I like O'Reilly. He's a blabber mouth, but he also brings to light glaring problems that the other networks won't touch with a ten foot pole, like the issue of our insecure borders. He also isn't afraid to go after scam-meisters like Jessie Jackson and United Way. Once again, Brokow, Jennings and company don't have the balls to take people or organizations like this on.
That's why I'll continue to watch O'Reilly. By my count, he's right about 70% of the time, which is about 50% more than the three other networks put together.

[Cicero]

Maybe I'm one of the few around here who has never seen O'Reilly. I don't watch TV, except in glimpses, and I don't think I've ever set eyes on him when I pass by the set.

He is not popular among Freepers, from what I've seen. About the only positive thing I've read about him is that he often gives liberals a good pasting by attacking their sacred cows. If that's true, he can't be all bad. You don't need to be a conservative or a genius to see that a lot of liberal notions these days are truly stupid, just a normal guy with a little common sense. Maybe that's what appeals to his audience.

[BlkConserv]

O'Reilly came from nowhere (he used to be the anchor for Inside Edition for crying out loud) to become one of the most influential journalists today.

The criticism leveled at him from his detractors only speaks volumes about his success. Playa-haters, all of them!!!