Bill O’Reilly Slams GE And Immelt – Reignites Feud?

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by Steve Krakauer | 9:30 am, August 17th, 2010

» 16 comments

In a “Factor Follow-up” segment last night on The O’Reilly Factor, Bill O’Reilly slammed GE and its Chairman Jeffrey Immelt, with the help of two guests.

But while GE and Immelt have been a favorite target of O’Reilly’s in the past, the attacks have been down over the last year. So where did this one come from?

What it could be is a response to this low blow from Keith Olbermann last week regarding O’Reilly’s past abuse at the hands of his father. It would make sense given the history of the feud – when Olbermann attacks O’Reilly particularly harshly, O’Reilly has instead set his sights far above the MSNBC host and slammed either NBCU Chairman Jeff Zucker or Immelt and GE. And considering this “Factor Follow-up” relates to a story that hasn’t been touched on during The O’Reilly Factor in more than two months (according to TV Eyes), that makes the most sense.

It was this time last year that talk of some sort of truce between GE/NBC and Fox was in the works – and also this time last year that it became clear any semblance of a truce was an impossibility (with Olbermann continuing his regular attacks). One year later, this is the sort of slam – from the most-watched cable news host – that could reignite the feud.

As for the content, Nile Gardner of the Heritage Foundation was on to talk about the Oil-for-Food scandal. “The fact that GE, a huge American company, a household name, was involved in the scandal is hugely shameful for GE, and I think a tremendous embarrassment for the corporation,” he said. (Interesting, O’Reilly played a bit of devil’s advocate, saying “it’s hard for me to basically get outraged about it” since GE was just one of thousands of companies involved.)

Tom Borelli, director of “The Free Enterprise Project” described a pattern of corruption with the company, saying it’s something “we all have to be concerned about.”

Later, O’Reilly noted GE is “very close to the Obama administration” – probably the most effective slam as far as his viewership is concerned. This segment comes on the heels of an interesting CJR profile that implies O’Reilly (and by extension, Fox News) wielded some level of control over Comcast a couple years ago. Comcast, of course, is set to take a majority stake in NBCU shortly.

Here’s the full segment:

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Bill O'Reilly, fnc, Fox NBC Feud, fox news, GE, Jeffrey Immelt, The O'Reilly Factor, Trucegate

http://apostrophejones.com Apostrophe jones

GE – We bring e – vil to life .
BatBoy

“probably the most effective slam ”

Steve…it is not a slam if it is true!

Just to the the store and buy a lightbulb…the shelves are filled with those little mercury filled curly lights that don’t light very well…! You would recognize the lights by looking only at the price tag!

Also, half of them carry the GE logo…you know “the people who bring expensive things to life!”
Azarkhan

“What it could be is a response to this low blow from Keith Olbermann last week regarding O’Reilly’s past abuse at the hands of his father” Steve Krakauer

Steve, I know you think Keith Olbermann is all that, but in the grand scheme of things, Olbermann is nothing more than a pimple on Bill O’Reillys ass.
Hugo Daun

If O’Reilly is prone to pimples on his ass, perhaps he should scrub harder with his falafel.
BlackWidow

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/rachel-maddow-to-receive_n_684434.html#comments

This is for Bill.
The Real Royal King

So, BOR, what is it? Why all the kvetching about this? One would think you’re concerned judging by the time you devote to this subject. Are you afraid the truth might come out? I understand, the truth is an utter anathema to you and to FOX.

WITH LIES & DISTORTIONS
FOX NEWS IS REPLETE
BUT BECK EARNS THE TITLE:
MASTER OF DECEIT!
notsofast

GE is just a ghost of what it was. Immelt has truly ruined that company.
The Real Royal King

notsofast said:
GE is just a ghost of what it was. Immelt has truly ruined that company.

Yet, in a tough year, GE still made US $80B, profit, on US $156B, sales. That makes it the 8th largest corporation in America. I guess GE is not going away anytime soon.

WITH LIES & DISTORTIONS
FOX NEWS IS REPLETE
BUT BECK EARNS THE TITLE:
MASTER OF DECEIT!
notsofast

The Real Royal King said:
I guess GE is not going away anytime soon.

Stock was in the 50′s before Immelt drove it down to $5. It’s not even $16 now.
The Real Royal King

GE was at US $57 during the Clinton boom. Immelt came to GE in 2000. W’s .com bust in 2003 drove the stock down to US $25. By 2007, under Immelt, values has risen again to US $41. The next year, the W depression brought stocks down once again. GE has performed reasonably well during both the Clinton Boom and the W Bust. In a healthy portfolio, GE has a well-deserved place.

Was Immelt responsible for the recent flooding in Pakistan, as well?

You really ought not believe everything O’Reilly says. In fact, you ought to believe nothing O’Reilly says.

Having said all of that, if I were on the GE Board, I would kick Immelt out the door and down the street.

WITH LIES & DISTORTIONS
FOX NEWS IS REPLETE
BUT BECK EARNS THE TITLE:
MASTER OF DECEIT!
writer

When Keith talks about those big evil corporations, he doesn’t mean GE.
notsofast

The Real Royal King said:
GE was at US $57 during the Clinton boom. I

Apple close to an all time high-

Wank, wank, wank!
RTB

Think bill was spot on when he stated last night this administration is clearly out of touch with the American people. ..says 1 thing does another, comments on a matter without knowing all the facts, gave pelosi a free reign to divide the house, doesn’t read the AZ immigration law in it’s entirety, ,all star basketball games, beer summit, stellar appearance on the view, …
RTB

Think bill was spot on when he stated last night this administration is clearly out of touch with the American people. ..says 1 thing does another, comments on a matter without knowing all the facts, gave pelosi a free reign to divide the house, doesn’t read the AZ immigration law in it’s entirety, ,all star basketball games, beer summit, stellar appearance on the view, spending money like crazy…he’s worse than I thought he would be, tragic
Everyone stop feeding the troll here on mediaite, thank you
felixw

GE is a $150 billion company that makes huge amounts of money from government contracts. The fact that it uses it TV network to boost the same politicians who award contracts is a sign of flat out corruption. There is no bigger conflict of interest in the whole world of media, and if reporters weren’t in the tank for Obama, this would be covered by all the press.
felixw

The Real Royal King said:
I understand, the truth is an utter anathema to you and to FOX.

But Goldilocks and the 3 Bears might be a perfect fit with Royal King’s hot cocoa.