Megyn Kelly Hits Back at Bill O’Reilly’s Critics Amid ‘Thump the Bible’ Gay Marriage Controversy: ‘I’m Not Kissing Your Butt’
Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly continued to discuss his “thump the Bible” controversy on Thursday night, bringing on Megyn Kelly to share her views about the outrage that has ensued since his comments about conservatives and gay marriage last week.
During the segment, Kelly strongly defended O’Reilly, claiming that his controversial statement about conservative Americans and their same-sex marriage arguments shouldn’t be taken so contentiously.
The decision to bring Kelly on makes sense, considering that she was on the show with the host last week when O’Reilly said that conservatives who are opposed to gay marriage don’t necessarily have the strongest arguments.
At the beginning of last night’s segment, O’Reilly first differentiated between how conservatives have argued against abortion versus how they’ve tackled gay marriage. While on the former, the host says that theology has been overwhelmingly left out of the right’s talking points (i.e. opponents have relied upon DNA, science and other more compelling points), the latter issue is a very different story.
On the same-sex marriage front, O’Reilly said, “Anti-gay marriage forces — not individuals — have not seized upon one central persuasive argument like the human DNA component.” The host, noting that he believes secular courts are hostile to religion, also said, once again, that conservatives need more compelling arguments (he also highlighted some points that could or should be used in the gay marriage debate).
After discussing the issue, Kelly appeared on the show to speak further about the debate — and the attacks on O’Reilly. In addition to noting that she didn’t find his comment about thumping the Bible particularly problematic when he first said it, Kelly defended the host against detractors.
“At no point did I think that you were being pejorative of the religious right or people who believe in their religious ideals in terms of opposing gay marriage,” she said. “Now the haters are always going to hate on you and they’re going to perceive everything you say in a way that’s least favorable to you and most controversial.”
Kelly also noted that O’Reilly has been among the staunchest defenders of religious liberty — something conservative opponents haven’t considered in their latest attacks on the host.
“And I’m not kissing your butt. This is fact,” she added.
Watch the segment, below:
“This country has a long history of discrimination against certain groups. Eventually we wind up getting it right. Right? Against women, against blacks, the civil rights movement and so on. And in justifying that discrimination when it was in place, some folks turn to the Bible and turn to their religious beliefs and said we have to have slavery because it’s in the Bible. Women have to be second-class citizens because that’s in the Bible. Blacks and whites can’t get married because that’s in the Bible. That wound up in a case. A judge wrote that in an opinion, which the Supreme Court ultimately struck that down, saying that’s not right, judge—the Equal Protection clause says you can’t do that. Why is gay marriage any different?”
— FOX News Anchor Megyn Kelly,
The video to the interview has been scrubbed and furthermore the WND article and a Joe Miller post were scrubbed over misrepresenting the clip. Supposedly Mrs. Kelly was stating opinions of those in favor of Gay marriage at least on whatever Joe Miller and WND posted out of the same interview.