# Obama to appear on O'Reilly tonight **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 4, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056 "2008-09-04T21:24:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/81 "2008-09-05T04:01:55Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I missed it, will it repeat? Midnight CDT. Obama’s not on until about 3/4 through though. ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/82 "2008-09-05T04:03:14Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > None of the Palin baby drama means a damn thing to me either. I wish the media would quit expressing outrage about how the media is attacking Palin, and actually start attacking her – not on the pregnant daughter, but on her ethical problems, her extreme social views, her nutbag pastor, her lying about the BTN, her history of abusing power, etc. Kinda makes you wonder if they knew the baby would cancel out the less exciting scandals and her pick was influenced by it. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/83 "2008-09-05T04:04:17Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > Well, Obama disagrees with you there, but hey. You’ll see what you want to see. Um..no…Obama said exactly the same thing on O’Reilly. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/84 "2008-09-05T04:45:11Z")
> [@JohnnieEnigma](#): > > Sure, O’Reilly is a big blowhard and he has his value system that he lives by, but he goes after both sides evenly, depending on the issue. It’s just that liberals tend to think anyone who criticizes them is a right winger. They’re not use to media going after them. Republicans are used to being attacked, so they think nothing of it. But if you really watched O’reilly, he goes after issues, not a particular party. This has got to be the most well-reasoned and articulated pile of WRONG that I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/85 "2008-09-05T05:08:35Z")
OK, so cheeseball O’Reilly is going to spread a 30 minute interview over 4 nights. Maybe that’s a good business decision, but hell if I’m going to tune in for that. I watched tonight’s portion, and this is what I like about Obama. I think he hit it out of the park in that short segment. I like the way he thinks on his feet, how he really understands the issues and isn’t intimidated. If I hadn’t been on his side before, I probably would have made the switch. Great answers to the questions, and absolutely didn’t let O’Reilly do what he likes to do best-- take control of the situation. I give a big plus to Obama now. I like him much better when he’s talking off the cuff than when he’s preaching to the choir. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/86 "2008-09-05T05:11:53Z")
> [@JohnnieEnigma](#): > > I know O’Reilly is basically non-partisan, so he’s excited about this interview. Seriously? He’s no such thing. I try to avoid watching political commentators myself, but being around my parents means I see a fair amount of him anyway since they’re loyal viewers. He’s as conservative as I am. Not as conservative as my folks, but he’s definitely a moderate conservative. ---
**Author:** ![emarkp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@emarkp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emarkp)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/87 "2008-09-05T05:21:26Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Almost no one, including Obama, ever contested that the surge would decrease violence. It’s common sense. More troops, more authority, more force will, of course, decrease violence. But that’s doesn’t mean the surge “worked”. Uh, Obama said the surge would [make things worse](http://www.wikio.com/video/334140). ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/88 "2008-09-05T05:27:08Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > OK, so cheeseball O’Reilly is going to spread a 30 minute interview over 4 nights. Maybe that’s a good business decision, but hell if I’m going to tune in for that. > > I watched tonight’s portion, and this is what I like about Obama. I think he hit it out of the park in that short segment. I like the way he thinks on his feet, how he really understands the issues and isn’t intimidated. If I hadn’t been on his side before, I probably would have made the switch. Great answers to the questions, and absolutely didn’t let O’Reilly do what he likes to do best-- take control of the situation. I give a big plus to Obama now. I like him much better when he’s talking off the cuff than when he’s preaching to the choir. There are some things O’Reilly has said from time to time that makes me think O’Reilly likes him, and maybe even wants to (privately) support him, but he was sulking a little bit because Obama hadn’t gone on his show. O’Reilly, in his grandiosity, fancies himself as some kind of a kingmaker and has said he thinks GWB’s appearance on his show in 2000 was instrumental to him getting elected. O’Reilly has said in the past that his favorite politcal hero, oddly enough, is Bobby Kennedy, and I wonder if he sees something of that in Barack Obama. I did think it was interesting when O’Reilly said in the segment after the Obama clip, that "He’s a tough guy. I looked in his eyes and he’s not a wimp. " I think O’Reilly is probably used to people being intimidated by him and Obama wasn’t. I think he might have earned a little bully’s respect. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/89 "2008-09-05T09:36:57Z")
It was interesting that O’Reilly said Iraq was the wrong war. I wonder when he made that conversion. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/90 "2008-09-05T09:41:51Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I did think it was interesting when O’Reilly said in the segment after the Obama clip, that "He’s a tough guy. I looked in his eyes and he’s not a wimp. " I think O’Reilly is probably used to people being intimidated by him and Obama wasn’t. I wonder if that’s an indicator of how he and the campaign will react to the inevitable (and present) negative campaigning from the other side. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/91 "2008-09-05T11:51:00Z")
> [@emarkp](#): > > Uh, Obama said the surge would [make things worse](http://www.wikio.com/video/334140). He said it wouldn’t “solve” the sectarian violence. He said, the surge would take the pressure off the Iraqis to reach a political solution, which is what we needed. And what he’s always said. "“I didn’t see the actual transcript of Senator Clinton’s speech, but my assessment is that if we put an additional 30,000 of our troops into Baghdad, that’s going to quell some of the violence in the short term. I don’t think there’s any doubt that as long as U.S. troops are present that they are going to be doing outstanding work.” [From here.](http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/08/21/obama_clinton_both_cite_iraq_p.html) He voted against the surge because he thought it would delay the Iraqis from reaching a political solution, not because it wouldn’t reduce violence. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/92 "2008-09-05T12:55:46Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > None of the Palin baby drama means a damn thing to me either. I wish the media would quit expressing outrage about how the media is attacking Palin, and actually start attacking her – not on the pregnant daughter, but on her ethical problems, her extreme social views, her nutbag pastor, her lying about the BTN, her history of abusing power, etc. That’s what fucking kills me about all this feigned outrage. It’s a smoke screen. It’s a way of saying, if you attack her we’ll attack you. Who gives a fuck if someone put Sex Lies and scandal on the cover to sell a rag magazine? There’s plenty of real issues with documented info to back it up. I’ve watched several people talk about the horrible sexist attacks and not one of them has mentioned a single real issue about her record. What bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/93 "2008-09-05T13:08:56Z")
> [@JohnnieEnigma](#): > > When you think of it, I doubt O’Reilly would have treated McCain the same way. So yeah, he was grandstanding. Obama didn’t really deserve the scrutiny. It’s good, though, that Obama addressed all the objections the right have of him. This should shut their mouths. Yes, a presidential candidate _does_ deserve the scrutiny. Both do. Obama was very good. I’ll look forward to the rest. I give ORielly credit for acknowledging Iraq as the wrong war. I thought his questions were challenging and direct and Obama did great. In the mini discussion afterward ORielly asked the two guests. Is Obama the terror warrior. One said we’ll see. The other said no. I’d say yes, he’ll deal with terrorism with good judgment and the right mix of diplomacy, sanctions, and military muscle. ORielly said, Obama’s a tough guy. I looked him in the eye and he’s no wimp. Fairly big props coming from O. ---
**Author:** ![emarkp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@emarkp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emarkp)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/94 "2008-09-05T16:05:56Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > He said it wouldn’t “solve” the sectarian violence. He said, the surge would take the pressure off the Iraqis to reach a political solution, which is what we needed. And what he’s always said. > "“I didn’t see the actual transcript of Senator Clinton’s speech, but my assessment is that if we put an additional 30,000 of our troops into Baghdad, that’s going to quell some of the violence in the short term. I don’t think there’s any doubt that as long as U.S. troops are present that they are going to be doing outstanding work.” > > [From here.](http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/08/21/obama_clinton_both_cite_iraq_p.html) > > He voted against the surge because he thought it would delay the Iraqis from reaching a political solution, not because it wouldn’t reduce violence. False by omission. Yes he said it would take pressure off the Iraqis to make a political solution. However, he specifically said in the video I linked: “I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse.” What is the reverse of solving sectarian violence? He also said that he couldn’t imagine the surge making “a substantial difference on the situation on the ground.” [Here’s a bunch of direct quotes from him about the surge](http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/07/020997.php). ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/95 "2008-09-05T16:16:18Z")
O’Reilly is indeed a prick. Like Rush Limbaugh he might have some good points now and then, but it gets lost in all his overreactions and holier than thou attitude. O’Reilly was on Letterman once and Dave was trying to turn the tables on him, Dave asked him “Admit it Bill, you’re basically full of shit.” That got a big laugh. It was an awkward interview, I don’t know if it was an act or not. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/96 "2008-09-05T16:19:18Z")
[O’Reilly’s blog entry](http://www.billoreilly.com/newslettercolumn;jsessionid=BA21916246878F12BEA15BF8ECF4EA38?pid=24183)on his impressions of Obama. My god, he actually sounds fair and balanced. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/97 "2008-09-05T16:22:00Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > [O’Reilly’s blog entry](http://www.billoreilly.com/newslettercolumn;jsessionid=BA21916246878F12BEA15BF8ECF4EA38?pid=24183)on his impressions of Obama. > > My god, he actually sounds fair and balanced. Wow. That does seem like pretty high praise from him. ---
**Author:** ![JohnnieEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@JohnnieEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnieEnigma)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/98 "2008-09-05T16:56:18Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Yes, a presidential candidate _does_ deserve the scrutiny. Both do. > > Obama was very good. I’ll look forward to the rest. I give ORielly credit for acknowledging Iraq as the wrong war. I thought his questions were challenging and direct and Obama did great. > > In the mini discussion afterward ORielly asked the two guests. Is Obama the terror warrior. One said we’ll see. The other said no. I’d say yes, he’ll deal with terrorism with good judgment and the right mix of diplomacy, sanctions, and military muscle. > ORielly said, Obama’s a tough guy. I looked him in the eye and he’s no wimp. Fairly big props coming from O. Maybe they were fairly big props coming from O’Reilly, but it was like a left-handed compliment. He wanted Obama to admit he was wrong in the worst way. And O’Reilly was wrong to make this surge thing into a right and wrong issue… it’s too sensitive there are too many factors. Obama explained himself perfectly… YET O’Reilly did a spin job on his response in his discussion afterward (and here’s my email to O’Reilly): O’Reilly, you’re a fraud! You’ve been begging for an interview with Senator Obama, and here was your chance to focus on issues, not party. Yet you spinned his response in your analysis. You’re a spinner! You spinned his responses into something he did not say! He carefully explained the different levels and effects of the surge and you ignored it. You wanted him to admit defeat. You wanted a black and white response. Shame on you O’Reilly. Face it, you’re biased. You would have never treated Senator McCain in the same confrontational manner. I think you’re in a Spin Zone. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/99 "2008-09-05T17:03:28Z")
> [@JohnnieEnigma](#): > > Maybe they were fairly big props coming from O’Reilly, but it was like a left-handed compliment. He wanted Obama to admit he was wrong in the worst way. And O’Reilly was wrong to make this surge thing into a right and wrong issue… it’s too sensitive there are too many factors. Obama explained himself perfectly… YET O’Reilly did a spin job on his response in his discussion afterward (and here’s my email to O’Reilly): > > O’Reilly, you’re a fraud! You’ve been begging for an interview with Senator Obama, and here was your chance to focus on issues, not party. Yet you spinned his response in your analysis. You’re a spinner! You spinned his responses into something he did not say! He carefully explained the different levels and effects of the surge and you ignored it. You wanted him to admit defeat. You wanted a black and white response. Shame on you O’Reilly. Face it, you’re biased. You would have never treated Senator McCain in the same confrontational manner. I think you’re in a Spin Zone. Not that I disagree with you, but the verb is “spun,” not “spinned.” (i.e. “you spun his response…”). On the extreme off chance that he might read your email on the air, make sure you get your spelling, grammar and punctuation perfect or you’ll just give him an easy cheap shot. ---
**Author:** ![JohnnieEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@JohnnieEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnnieEnigma)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056/100 "2008-09-05T17:07:01Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Wow. That does seem like pretty high praise from him. And after that fair and balanced analysis, he throws in a real zinger for is finale: "He can be ruthless, kind, unfair, and generous. In short, he’s a real person trying to achieve an unreal position—that of the most powerful person in the world. God help him." Trying to achieve an unreal position? What’s that suppose to mean? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-appear-on-oreilly-tonight/462056.md?page=6)