WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG...

BILL O'REILLY


Today, I join an esteemed group of web entities: The next time Bill O'Reilly mentions one of those "far left attack sites" that ruthlessly attempt to bring down Pappa Bear (thanks, Colbert), I shall proudly stand as one of them, because today, I attack you, Bill O'Reilly!
The source of my ire: the August 21st edition of The O'Reilly Factor. On that episode, he decided to load up his patented Baseless Attack Machine of Much Sound and Fury (Signifying Nothing). His target: Judge Anna Diggs Taylor's ruling that struck down the Bush Administration's warrantless wiretapping program.
His bullets (or bullet points): Taylor is an "activist, far left jurist" who "would oppose every anti-terror measure the Bush administration has put in just because they are the Bush administration." Does he have any actual evidence that Judge Taylor would rule in this fashion? Of course not, you silly, silly reader. Bill O'Reilly needs no evidence, he's got a No-Spin Zone, which means what he says doesn't need to be backed up with such quaint concepts like facts and stuff. But wait, there's more. Sadly, there is much, much more.
O'Reilly goes on to suggest that Judge Taylor "wants Americans to die" (and says so more than once, so that means that it's probably fact; he is in that no-spin zone after all) He further opines about Judge Taylor: "Does she want people to die?" and "Does she want dead people in the street here in America?" [Jeez, are we even the same species?]
O'Reilly also refers to the outlawed NSA program as "very effective." However, the New York Times reported that "law enforcement and counterterrorism officials said the program had uncovered no active Qaeda networks inside the United States planning attacks" and that "current and former officials" insisted the program almost always "led to dead ends or innocent Americans."
Not wanting to be left out of the Taylor-bashing, O'Reilly's guest, Investor's Business Daily senior writer Tom McArdle, makes note that Taylor helped set up the Mississippi office of the National Lawyers Guild, which apparently has connections with the Communist Party, as well as "on the side of every enemy of America you can think of, over the years, wheterh you're talking about the Sandinistas in Nicaragua or Fidel Castro in Cuba." [It's also my understanding that they have a put a hit out for the Easter Bunny.] Concluding, McArdle declared: "Anna Diggs Taylor is not just trying to shut down the NSA's program, she is dropping a nuclear bomb on the program." (Footnote: I borrowed judiciously from the original Media Matters for America article chronicling this program as they compiled all the quotes. The original article can be found here. They've also got video of these two stooges there as well, so if you can stomach it, give it a shot. The Media Matters for America site kicks all kind of ass, so spend a little time there. Also, go check out Media Matters' founder's book, David Brock's Blinded by the Right - excellent read.)
I knew that it was only a matter of time before Pappa Bear would show up on my radar screen for me to hold up to ridicule, but I really think he went above and beyond the call of duty with this particular entry.
I'd like to close with wise words from a fellow broadcaster of O'Reilly's, Mr. Edward R. Murrow: "Have you no shame, sir?" Unfortunately, in the case of Mr. Bill O'Reilly, I think we all know the answer to that question.