Bill O’Reilly Debates Joe Klein On The Glenn Beck Phenomenon
Bill O’Reilly started the week by not only taking on Republican critics of Pres. Obama, but also Factoring in some liberal guests into the fold.
One of those, Joe Klein from Time magazine, has had a recent back-and-forth with Glenn Beck, and O’Reilly took the change to offer a defense, of sorts, of his colleague.
Klein wrote a column recently criticizing Fox News, and really, stupid Americans. That got a 15-minute epic takedown from Beck last week.
After discussing several other issues with Klein, O’Reilly brought up Klein’s FNC criticism, going back to last year as well. “You don’t like Fox News much,” said O’Reilly.
Klein said he likes and respects people like Carl Cameron and Major Garrett…and even O’Reilly. “Those are good guys, I think you’re a good guy, we come from the same neck of the woods,” said Klein. But surprise, surprise: “Your pal Glenn Beck is peddling a lot of hateful crap.”
Klein said sarcastically: “The stuff about Obama not being an American citizen that was hysterical.”
O’Reilly’s defense basically revolved around “he’s funny,” and “he is every man sitting on a bar stool, why shouldn’t every man have a show?” As TheRightScoop.com points out, O’Reilly really dropped the ball here.
First of all, Beck is so far from a birther it’s absurd for Klein to even cite in his argument, and proves he doesn’t actually watch or listen to the FNC host (see: Glenn Beck Thinks Birthers Are “Dumb”). Glenn Beck is a lot of things – he thinks a large portion of the Obama administration are Mao-loving progressive radicals intent on forcing a socialist regime change – but he’s not that. Also, O’Reilly’s defense that Beck is the “every man” is disingenuous as well. If you watch Glenn Beck, his appeal is that he’s doing things no one else can do. Maybe the “every man” can identify with what Beck is saying, but Beck is the guy leading the charge (quite literally in some cases), and that’s what makes him so uniquely loved and hated.
Besides Klein (who led the show as guest #1), San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom made his Factor debut last night.
Here’s the full video, and below, the part where Klein and O’Reilly talk about Beck:
—–
» Follow Steve Krakauer on Twitter
48 comments
The Real Royal King says: While I am not a Bill O’Reilly fan, I do find him generally far less objectionable than Hannity and Beck. In fact, from time-to-time, O’Reilly does a good piece. Hannity and Beck have never done anything worthy of a moment of my time. I am not a Joe Klein fan, either. I don’t think I’ve ever met a Joe Klein fan. I’m certainly not one, albeit my own political and philosophical beliefs are more attuned with Klein’s than with any of the rightists at FOX. While Beck may be a certified lunatic and an extreme right winger, he is not a Birther. I am sure a substantial portion of his fan base are Birthers and (White) Tea Partiers. Klein was mistaken. O’Reilly didn’t seem to realize this, or, if he did, he was not anxious to defend Beck substantively. Self-interest?
RazorsEdge says: TRRK,
My curiosity takes hold, do you actually watch Fox News or do you just do the Internet version? Or balanced with both? Internet version meaning from “sources” such as Mediaite or think progress etc? Be honest. Question goes toward do you watch “live” coming to your Fox conclusions naturally, by yourself or do your Fox conclusions come with someone’s elses interpretations of Fox before you reach your own.
You comment on Fox frequently, the question comes to mind.
For me, I thought O’Reilly only took a half-hearted defense of Beck to Klein. Maybe by design. Other than that I thought Klein did not look as smart as his loft in calling”Americans are stupid” piece. He fumbled about. Klein also seem to throw Holder under the political bus. I believe Klein also stated Pres. Obama “wrong” for not putting trt reform into hcare reform.
Impressed with Gavin Newsom and how he presented and held his own.
@RazorsEdge: As I said in the other thread, a lot of the exchange with Goldberg seemed to be about Beck, so I’m of the mind that a “half-hearted defense” and a chance to distinguish between Beck and the rest of the network is a backchannel way to continue the narrative.
RazorsEdge says: @Magister
I would agree. O’Reilly’s main line of defense was “he’s doing it in a funny way” and man in th bar theory. What came to mind during the segment was that’s all O’Reilly came up with? That’s what O’Reilly prepared for Klein?
Came to mind because late October, Klein made it directly on O’Reilly’s bullseye radar in his talking points memo. O’Reilly called out Klein for making the same Fox “sedition” statement then proceeded to call Klein scared for not coming on the factor to defend statement.
So continue with the narrative yes, but with 3 months to think about it, it seemed weird method to state that Beck is just doing a clown sctick. No harm, no foul.
MichelleF says: TRRK, can you provide some reasons why Beck is so “objectionable”? And if you are going to say he lies, please provide specific instances, which no one that calls him a liar EVER does. Thanks!
Michelle
Ted says: Well, Michelle, let’s try this for starters. He claimed he never used the term “slaughter” to describe what the Obama Admin is doing to the public. The Huffington Post has a video of GB using exactly that language. There are many examples and if you were seriously interested it would take very little effort to find them. So, sure, Glenn Beck lies about a lot of things but some really don’t want to know that.
timzank says: Ted, you, along with the other hysterical bed-wetting leftist loons really don’t help your cause at all by taking things out of context, and embellishing them to fit your agenda. Quit being so frickin’ extreme already. Beck never implied Obama was going to physically “slaughter’ anyone. Jesus, grow up will ya. Try winning an argument about the serious implications Beck (or anybody) brings up, not the mickey mouse semantics you invent and inflate.
You claim he lowers the quality discourse, yet you do nothing but gutter-snipe like a petulant 13 year old.
Grow the fu%k up already.
MarkBoabaca says: Maybe we can call you “wet the bed ted”?
When you fall for Zsa Zsa Huffington’s words hook, line, and sinker, you’re dooming yourself to be called out for the zombie that you are, Ted.
If you’re able read the full context of Beck’s show from today without your head exploding I recommend you educate yourself rather than spout off the HuffPo talking points tells you to say.
Here is the link, Ted: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/35826/
Will you have enough integrity that you made a mistake, Ted?
The Real Royal King says: Dearest Michelle, I find Beck objectionable not for what he believes, or even for the most part for what he says. I find petty demagogues objectionable. I have no doubt Father Coughlin seldom lied outright. He simply took “facts” and used them in a calculated, flawed syllogism to appeal to the base instincts and fears of his listeners. It seems to me the classic example was the FEMA Re-education Camps. That is my objection to the hideous Beck.
The Real Royal King says: You rightists seem obsessed with urine. Could it be fond recollections of those salad days in which fear-mongering seemed to be the primary US manufactured good? Those days in which so many so enjoyed W, Dick, Donnie and Connie tell us to be scared, to revel with knocking knees, standing in pools of our own urine. I found those days ghastly, and most Americans rejected them rather soundly. As a personal opinion, I think it’s high time for you guys to get out of that putrid pool. At least, use a new metaphor.
Fidoohki says: The Real Royal King says:
February 2, 2010 at 3:00 pm
That’s a liberal talking point King and it is wrong. Beck debunks those camps on his show. He hired
the popular mechancs guy that debunked the 9/11 truthers to investigate and he debunked them.
MarkBoabaca says: @The Real Royal King: The left loves to hang the “Father Coughlin” moniker around Glenn Beck’s neck, don’t they?
The only ones that know this reference are the people at MSNBC and the Huffington Post and Media Matters. They are the only ones, and they get it wrong every time. The guy was a socialist. He believed in redistribution of wealth. Beck believes in capitalism. Father Coughlin, by the end of WWII, supported the Germans against the Jews. Benjamin Netanyahu personally told Beck that he will be remembered as a friend to humanity for what he has done and said on behalf of Israel.
As if the Father Coughlin talking point wasn’t enough, you had to mention the FEMA camps that Beck debunked.
You are utterly discredited, “King” – not that you were ever a credit to anyone or anything.
buh-bye
Its so obvious to me that Glen Beck has it correct about this President and this foolish administration,anyone that listens to Glenn nightly couldnt dispute that. But there will always be those that for some reason jump off the cliff no matter what you show them, no matter how true it is.
MichelleF says: Thanks Fidoohki, you beat me to it!
Michelle
@Fidoohki: I realize this is waaay off-topic for the post, but are you (and your link) saying that Beck hired someone from Popular Mechanics to debunk something that before Beck started talking about it, nobody had ever heard?
The “every guy” thing just means Beck is proud of the fact that he’s not one of these Harvard elitist types. He’s a self-educated recovering alcoholic who’s letting people know what the progressive asshats are up to. I thought Bill did a piss poor job of defending Glenn — a man he calls his friend.
Having said that, I also thought Joe Klein looked pretty pathetic. He huffs and puffs from his blog, calls people names, demands Obama be more radical, and routinely smears Fox News. But once inside the “No Spin Zone” he sounded like a moderate Democrat — instead of the raging Commie Pinko leftist we all know him to be.
Joe Klein is all bark and no bite — and an asshole to boot.
sarainitaly says: LOL!!
The Real Royal King says:
February 2, 2010 at 3:00 pm
“It seems to me the classic example was the FEMA Re-education Camps. That is my objection to the hideous Beck.”
Yes, that is the PERFECT example of people who don’t watch Beck, but just believe and think what the liberal media tells them.
You despise Beck because of the FEMA camps… that just cracks me up!
Try watching the video, and quit spreading misinformation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5RN-LlFvgI
Magister says:
February 2, 2010 at 3:37 pm
You need to watch the video too. Beck says at the get go that he is debunking the rumor because he received zillions of emails about it. I had heard about them long before Beck did this show. My brother in law in Italy asked me about them.
Quit believing what msnbc et al tell you. You fell for that lie hook line and sinker.
sarainitaly says: Just like people in this thread bought the lie that Beck was a Camp-er (just made that up.. haha) Klein believed and spread the lie that Beck is a birther.
The Real Royal King says: MarkBoabaca says:
February 2, 2010 at 3:14 pm
@The Real Royal King: The left loves to hang the “Father Coughlin” moniker around Glenn Beck’s neck, don’t they?
—
Sore spot, huh, Mark?
Well, I never said that they had the same views. I merely said Beck and Coughlin are both demagogues. And they are.
The Real Royal King says: No time for your misrepresentations or drivel today, Sara(h) N. Italy. Forgot Beck also has a radio show, where he really becomes Beck? Hah! Hah! Now, go talk in that vulgar manner. Hah! Hah!
Ted says: timzank – Do rent space in Glenn Becks ass? Your buddy lies over and over again. Deal with it like a good teabagger and whine.
Ted says: MarkBoabaca – You are just upset that your buddy and fellow moron Glenn was caught in a lie. I understand that this type of thing sets your feeble teabag mind into a spin. Pull the covers over your head…everything will be okay.
The Real Royal King says: Ted says:
February 2, 2010 at 5:31 pm
timzank – Do rent space in Glenn Becks ass? Your buddy lies over and over again. Deal with it like a good teabagger and whine.
—
I hear FOX is going to be carrying the (White) Tea Partier Conclave. Maybe, Tim Z. Ank will be there! I’m sure Glen(n) Beck will be promoting the grand and glorious cause in his usual teary manner. Greta is probably going to be following Sarah [Palin, not Sara(h) N. Italy] all over. Maybe Sean can sing “Hillbilly Hoedown”. Greta programming.
sarainitaly says: The Real Royal Kong says:
February 2, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Oh, gee! Can’t admit you were wrong, so when all else fails, attack. Oh wait, you attack all the time….
Ted says: sarainitaly – I understand you Glenn Beck sycophants believe up is down and black is white so I understand how you might think that Glenn Beck could not possibly lie. I mean, seriously, nobody wants to get their panties in a bunch. My advice…fight the urge. Yes, I know, it’s an uphill battle.
MichelleF says: What else you got, Ted?! Seriously, is that the best you have on Beck! You people are hysterical!
Fidoohki says: Magister says:
February 2, 2010 at 3:37 pm
The FEMA death camps story has been around for a few years in the fringes of Conspirasy theories.Beck brought it to the mainstream, investigated it, and had it debunked but with a level of respect that
most other ‘journalists’ wouldn’t have ever considered. Which in part won me over to being a fan. Because
you can call those that believe it crazy but to them they aren’t. The fact that he tried to put those fears to rest
is something I’ve never seen in a commetator. *Shrugs*
@Chris Jones….”
I thought Bill did a piss poor job of defending Glenn — a man he calls his friend. ”
It’s obvious that Bill O’Reilly is both appalled and amazed at the celebrity of Beck. O’Reilly has always showed a tin ear in regards to American Pop culture, and hasn’t quite got his mind around Becks attraction to his fan base. Bill O’Reilly doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and eventually he will see GB for the “Fool’s Prophet” that he is.
sarainitaly says: Ted says:
February 2, 2010 at 6:10 pm
“blah blah blah….I have nothing of substance to say, so i will just make stupid attacks…blah blah blah…i just can’t handle the truth….blah blah blah” ~ ted
Ted says: Michelle – any simpleton can find out the many many lies that Glenn Beck has made. Perhaps you and timzank rent the same space…maybe you like the view.
sarainitally – that it your most coherent post yet. But keep tryoing.
Fidoohki says: Ted says:
February 2, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Show us please?
Most liberals just keep loudly and angrily spouting the BIG LIE which boils down to “everyone who disagrees with us is a despicable racist”. They never let actual facts interfere with their agenda. This by the way is right out of Hitler’s propaganda playbook.
Ted says: Fidoohki – go to media matters. Tons of stuff on GB’s BS.
Fidoohki says: Ted says:
February 2, 2010 at 8:03 pm
Been there. Most of what they say doesn’t pass basic factchecking. I will give them
half credit on the Anita Dunn admiration and worship of Mao though. “Worship’ is unproven.
Ted says: Your wrong, it does. You just don’t want to believe it. End of story.
Joe Klein is another spoiled infant who will never confront facts.
Ted says: Long – That’s deep, no seriously.
rsanchez1 says: Oh yeah, Beck is full of it. He is so full of it. I mean, what the **** could he have been thinking going after ACORN? What could possibly have gone through his mind when he started investigating ACORN? Does he just hate all the poor that ACORN loves to exploit, err, help? Underage prostitutes need community advocates too, BECK. If ACORN must waste millions in tax payer dollars, so be it. I mean, the President did some work for ACORN, and he won the Nobel Prize. He must have been involved with good people throughout his entire life, including the good folks at ACORN. The folks at ACORN made it possible to extend universal suffrage even to Mickey Mouse. What’s so bad about that, BECK? What do you have against Mickey Mouse? Why do you have to do what no other sane news organization would do and investigate ACORN, BECK? I’d go and post more of your lies, BECK, but there’s not enough space on this page.
felixw says: Ted, your comments never rise above the insults of an 8-year-old. If you have some ideas or insights to share, please post them. But if you are just going to tell people to “rent space in Glenn Beck’s ass,” please go down to the local bar to share those words of wisdom, and spare the rest of us.
same2u says: Hey Felix,
Did you hear that Mediaite used the phrase “alleged wiretapping” instead of something like “alleged felonies including phone tampering”? I am outraged.
There was no evidence of wiretapping whatsoever! No equipment for anything.
Fidoohki says: Ted says:
February 2, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Show me some honest facts and not reports officially released MONTHS after
Beck was quoted that changes the evidence at the time he was quoted.
Anyone who supports the most incompetent administration in modern times must live in a delusional world of denial. The facts are so outrageous it’s not worth debating at this point. The voters will speak as they did in Mass. VA and NJ and these ridiculous progressives will go back to their Jeremiah Wright church, and the Mao Tse Tung lectures they adore and the taxpayer will be left with the bills for the biggest waste of money in history.
Jack Kennedy says: always entertaining to see the liberals ramping up the LIBERAL VITRIOL AND HATE toward the real Americans. All cuz we dare to argue the facts that do not reflect favorably on the radical/liberal position as supported by ted, trrk klein and the rest of obama’s America haters
the liberal lies, demonization and hate is always absolute proof of the effectiveness of GB. Beck’s phone has yet to ring with any rebuttal from the obama sycophants – come on, liberals, give Beck a call and talk facts. We know facts are a problem for you liberals, but America does expect you to rein in the vitriol/hate and deal with the facts as they are shown and proven by Beck and others like him – these facts are the reason liberals like klein and the liberal haters on this site are so vitriolic toward and about Beck, etal
the recent elections are facts that even you liberals cant lie about and after watching obama spin his embarrassing losses, we know that you try. So enjoy the coming electoral rejection of liberal ideology and end of damage being done to America by you radicals and your buddies such as the mooslim terrorists – you know, the terrorist that you liberals give rights over those of American citizens – the ultimate liberal’s fans
@Jack Kennedy.. < JK, you're joking right? That crap about 'real Americans' and 'mooslim terrorists' is satire, right?
pyrope says: And such is the nature of the liberal–if one of their own were caught flagrante dilicti boiling babies, they would cobble up some defense justifying the act.
brethvoice says: The Real Royal King mentioned parenthetically that he has noticed a lot of white Tea Party people out there. I sure hope that The Real Royal King is focusing more on the content of their character than the color of their skin…and no, just because a black man said that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t apply to white people.
- » This Exists: Doggie Butt Covers
- » Joe Biden At The Radio & Television Dinner: As Entertaining As You'd Hope
- » FAMU Sex Tape Link - Real Or Hoax?
- » Bret Baier Keeps Pres. Obama On Track In Combative Fox News Exclusive Interview
- » Oh It's On! Miley Cyrus Calls Out Mika For Pole-Dance Criticism
Job hunting?
Use our proprietary jobs tool to access the largest pool of jobs aggregated from around the country.
Bill O’Reilly On Glenn Beck: “It Takes The Heat Off Me”
Is Bill O'Reilly softening as others on Fox News go more partisan or attack stronger? It's a case made today by the Los Angeles Times' Matea Gold, who talked to the longtime cable news ratings leader about his role at the network - and Glenn Beck.
Truth Or Fiction: Did 30 Rock Call Comcast A Porn Company?
30 Rock is a fictional comedy whose writers consistently have Escher-esque fun with real-life influences and characters. But one has to wonder if the disparaging depiction of the fictional cable provider "Kabletown," and its revenue dependence on pay-per-view pornography isn't reflective of Comcasts' business model, and perhaps a concern in the halls of NBC HQ? Video after the jump.
More TV headlines:
»Jon Stewart’s Epic Parody Of Glenn Beck »4
»Bill O’Reilly: Warning! You Can’t Keep Kids Away From Lady Gaga (So Here’s Her Latest Video) »9
»Scott Brown On House Health Care Bill: “The Biggest Problem…Is Its Lack Of Transparency” »6
»Betty White Charms The Pants Off Of Nation, Larry King »4
»Obama Interview Brings Big Ratings For Baier »2
-
Coming soon...
© 2010 Mediaite, LLC | About Us | Advertise | Newsletter | Privacy | User Agreement | Disclaimer | Power Grid FAQ | Contact | Archives
| Dan Abrams, Founder
| Hosting by Datagram
| 
RSS
