# Any proof of this Bill O'Reilly claim? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294 "2003-12-27T19:49:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![665\_aka\_The\_Semi-Christ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/2bfe46/32.png) [@665\_aka\_The\_Semi-Christ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/665_aka_The_Semi-Christ)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/1 "2003-12-27T19:49:49Z")
He claims that “a good amount” of the million plus copies of Hillary Clinton’s memoir that have sold in the past year were purchased by the Democratic Committee and therefore don’t count in the “contest” that he is having. [Link to quote here.](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,106233,,00.html) I haven’t found any evidence to back up his claim, unless he has decided that anyone who is a registered Democrat is somehow a member of the Democratic Committee, which is just slightly on the crazy side of the sidewalk. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/2 "2003-12-27T20:05:31Z")
Welcome to the Boards, **665**. But shouldn’t you be the penultimate Anti-Christ? I thought 333 would be the Semi-Christ? Anyway, what proof does O’Reilly offer for his latest slur? ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/3 "2003-12-27T20:29:29Z")
I thought 665 was across-the-street from the antichrist ---
**Author:** ![cheesepickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@cheesepickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheesepickles)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/4 "2003-12-27T21:04:57Z")
“665-Neighbor of the Beast” Bumper sticker i saw once… ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/5 "2003-12-27T21:12:12Z")
Well, getting back to the OP, my experience with Mr. O’Reilly is limited to having read Al Franken’s _Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them_ and watching _The O’Reilly Factor_ exactly once (I couldn’t take any more). But on that basis, and based my observation of other liars, demagogues, and bullies (of all political stripes), I’d wager money that he’s guilty of whatever he’s accusing her of doing, and that if she’s done it at all, he’s done more. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/6 "2003-12-27T21:18:44Z")
665 aka The Semi-Christ: Your link results in; “Not Found The requested object does not exist on this server. The link you followed is either outdated, inaccurate, or the server has been instructed not to let you have it. Please inform the site administrator of the referring page.” Ask O’Reilly for substatiating cites. * * * “Bewarepf the Cog” ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/7 "2003-12-27T21:18:58Z")
Billy boy went on a tear the other week when Drudge pointed out that his claims of outselling Hilary and Franken. Bill sees a conspiracy in all this. It’s not his first claim regarding his book sales that is patently false. Your link isn’t working for me, or I’d tell ya more. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/8 "2003-12-27T21:22:41Z")
Bill O’Reilly is a big factor (heh) in my decision to have my cable tv disconnected, so I haven’t seen any of the show in a while. I’ve heard him (and only him) make that claim too. Sounds absurd to me that the DNC would spend so much just to boost sales of Clinton’s book. They (the right) still haven’t gotten over the poor showing of Ann Coulter’s book. ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/9 "2003-12-27T21:27:49Z")
Nothing to add, sorry. I heard Bill O’reilly directly compare the POTUS to Jesus a few weeks back. That dude makes my blood curtle. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Ash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@Mr.Ash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Ash)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/10 "2003-12-27T21:41:12Z")
Looks like there’s an extra comma in the link. Here’s a fixed [link](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,106233,00.html). The quote he’s referring to is in the third from the last paragraph. As to the substance - it’s just talk show bluster. ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/11 "2003-12-27T21:47:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > **Bill O’Reilly is a big factor (heh) in my decision to have my cable tv disconnected, so I haven’t seen any of the show in a while.** Lose your remote and the TV was stuck on FNC? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/12 "2003-12-27T21:59:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flex727 \* > \*\*Lose your remote and the TV was stuck on FNC? 😕 \*\* You’ve never had a scab you just keep picking at? You shouldn’t put a question mark at the end of a rhetorical question, imo. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/13 "2003-12-27T22:12:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flex727 \* > \*\*Lose your remote and the TV was stuck on FNC? 😕 \*\* Or he was offered the free DirectTV offer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/14 "2003-12-27T23:09:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*You shouldn’t put a question mark at the end of a rhetorical question, imo. \*\* The question wasn’t rhetorical - it was snotty. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/15 "2003-12-27T23:52:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kniz \* > \*\*Or he was offered the free DirectTV offer. 😉 \*\* Or he (I) got some really fancy rabbit ears for $10.95. They even have a knob. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/16 "2003-12-28T00:10:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > really fancy rabbit ears for $10.95. Hey big spender! Those of us on a BUDGET use the economical [Twin lead antenna](http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/misc/dipole.html), which delivers rabbit ears performance, at a _fraction_ of the cost. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/17 "2003-12-28T00:20:05Z")
I just read the transcript cited by the OP, and re-linked (sans comma) by **Mr. Ash**. Boy, O’reilly shouldn’t allow them to put his stuff in _print_ like that. How embarrassing! I read _about_ both books. They have nothing in common except that they’re both books. Her’s is auto-biography (sorta) and his is political diatribe. His “contest” is comparing apples to oranges. He’s spinning the meaning of relative sale totals. Did you write him, OP, and ask what his numbers (of DNC purchases) were and where he got those numbers? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/18 "2003-12-28T00:34:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Squink \* > \*\*Hey big spender! Those of us on a BUDGET use the economical [Twin lead antenna](http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/misc/dipole.html), which delivers rabbit ears performance, at a _fraction_ of the cost. 🙂 \*\* I’ve used those dipoles before. Trouble was that we had to use 3 antennas (for 5 channels), and switch every time we changed stations. Also, they’re highly directional and the longest is about 6ft. Back in the day, when cable came into the house on twin lead and subscription channels were scrambled, we’d use parallel twin lead as a trap to filter for the naughty movies. They caught on pretty quickly, though. And yes, I know you’re kidding. 😉 I’m showing off. ---
**Author:** ![TWOTfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@TWOTfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWOTfan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/19 "2003-12-28T00:41:06Z")
At Amazon, O’Reilly’s book is #65 and HRC’s is #404. I think O’Reilly is probably right. It’s a pretty well accepted fact that Democrats aren’t big readers. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294/20 "2003-12-28T00:44:01Z")
Actually, I really do have a twin lead that I use for a problem channel. The station’s local, but hidden behind an array of steel girdered buildings or something. The directional twin lead turns ghosty static into a beautiful clear signal. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-proof-of-this-bill-oreilly-claim/221294.md?page=2)