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Bill O’Reilly Conducts Extremely Civil Interview With Janet Napolitano

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» 51 comments

Tonight on the Factor, Bill O’Reilly welcomed President Barack Obama’s homeland security chief, Janel Napolitano, on for a grilling. And though most might think “fireworks!” when hearing an Obama Cabinet member appeared on Fox News, the O’Reilly-Napolitano conversation was notable mostly for the lack thereof.

In fact, part of the interview consisted of O’Reilly praising Napolitano for “deporting people in record numbers” who are breaking the law, and wondering why that’s not being talked about more – he even threw in a, “You’re doing a lot more than the Bush administration did.” He didn’t go too easy on her, however. There were questions on how much it costs to send illegal immigrants back out of the country annually (Napolitano didn’t have any figures but called the expenditures “worth it,” and O’Reilly agreed), there were questions on the Obama administration’s lawsuit against Arizona over that state’s immigration laws.

And then, there were questions on the Meg Whitman-Nicky Diaz controversy. And here, Napolitano didn’t have an answer, and O’Reilly called her on it (“Shouldn’t you know the answer to that question?”). And while it was hard not to flash back just a bit to last night, when Michael Steele didn’t know the minimum wage, like Steele and Lawrence O’Donnell did in that case, O’Reilly and Napolitano avoided a shoutfest.

Video of the O’Reilly-Napolitano interview below. As always, a reasonable discussion between people at different points on the political spectrum is a welcome sight.

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  • musiccityvic

    That’s the norm on his show, despite what the teeth gnashers say on this site.

  • http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

    He is just sucking up again. The woman is an idiot and Bill still sucks up.

  • Big Eddie

    When Bill asked Nappy about what would happen to Nicky Diaz , she said the voters would decide . So , you can she where she’s coming from , which is Obama’s House of Toadies . Obama will do anything to get the Hispanic vote . He’ll never stop the flood coming across the border . Illegal aliens from Mexico have killed over 50,000 U.S. citizens . They drive drunk , burglarize , rape and pillage our country , but Democrats want those votes . So , the heck with the law , the heck with protecting our citizens . They will never deport the maid . They should deport Allred , as far as possible . You liberals . You know what’s right . Do something .

  • Ninja

    How funny is this. The secretary says that Arizona is wrong for allowing their voters to determine a law, but then turns around and says she will wait for the voters of California to determine what to do with Diaz? Amazing, simply amazing. No wonder why these lefties will be out of jobs in four weeks.

  • Ninja

    Also, this is why Fox News is numero uno! A fair interview that could never be seen on Olberman or Maddow.

  • felixw

    Another frank and open exchange — a real trademark of O’Reilly’s show. And something you will never see over at MSNBC, where every talking head, whether guest or interviewer, always expresses identical opinions on every issue.

  • Arkansas Steve

    Gordon & Eddie, you are two of my favorites.
    Have you ever heard the expression: SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE!

    I think Bill chose a good time to exercise restraint. Instead of harshly questioning Napolitano, he was firm. PLUS, he got a commitment from her to take action on the Nicky Diaz matter without delay. This is extremely important. Whatever Napolitano does regarding the Diaz matter will probably be exactly wrong! This will give YOU & OTHERS (me) more information to criticize the administration and possibly help Meg Whitman win the governorship.

    The people of California don’t realize how desperately they NEED Meg Whitman in the governor’s mansion!
    California’s ability to NOT go bankrupt is at stake!

  • ImJustThatDamnGood

    Bill O’ The Bigot civil? Interesting…

  • puck30

    gordonbloyershow said:
    He is just sucking up again. The woman is an idiot and Bill still sucks up.

    O’Reilly conducted a fair, but firm interview, anyone from MSNBC, CNN to Pawn Vannity can do a hit job. It’s why guys like O’Reilly have a top-rated cable show and people like Bob Grant, Lionel, Errol T. Louis, Steve Malzburg & Curtis Sliwa can’t do better than local radio.

  • http://www.karlspensen.blogspot.com Karl Spensen

    Again O’Reilly shows himself to be a RINO just like ShepTURD Smith!!!!11 Instead of holding Mr. Napalitano’s FEET to the FIRE he might as well have been watching ELLEN with her and Rachel MANdow!!!11 This interview was full of SOFTBALLS – and we ALL know how much they love SOFTBALL!!11 ROTFLFAO!!!!!!!111

  • fallenchicken

    Karl Spensen said:
    Again O’Reilly shows himself to be a RINO just like ShepTURD Smith!!!!11 Instead of holding Mr. Napalitano’s FEET to the FIRE he might as well have been watching ELLEN with her and Rachel MANdow!!!11 This interview was full of SOFTBALLS – and we ALL know how much they love SOFTBALL!!11 ROTFLFAO!!!!!!!111

    Dont talk about my Shep Smith that way, bitch.

  • http://www.libertarianism.com/ Burnnotice

    Karl Spensen said:
    Again O’Reilly shows himself to be a RINO just like ShepTURD Smith!!!!11 Instead of holding Mr. Napalitano’s FEET to the FIRE he might as well have been watching ELLEN with her and Rachel MANdow!!!11 This interview was full of SOFTBALLS – and we ALL know how much they love SOFTBALL!!11 ROTFLFAO!!!!!!!111

    O’reilly is Independent and Shepard is a Liberal. You get an F and are dismissed for the day.
    Kids,.. Give em books, teach them to read and they will still let you down….

  • Rogue-Comic

    Good stuff from O’Reilly and Napolitano.

  • Rogue-Comic

    Burnnotice said:
    O’reilly is Independent and Shepard is a Liberal. You get an F and are dismissed for the day.
    Kids,.. Give em books, teach them to read and they will still let you down….

    To be fair, O’Reilly leans conservative, but Shep is a fan of the current President. Smith is also, in my opinion, the best national news anchor on all television today.

  • gammaray

    Well it’s encouraging to know people are now praising O Reilly for not going absolutely apeshit. I’ve also just heard OJ Simpson is getting a knighthood for not killing anyone this year.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Jones/1384303476 Chris Jones

    You’re surprised it was civil? It’s an urban legend told by liberals that O’Reilly is some kind of radical. He’s far and away the tamest opinion show on FNC. There’s only fireworks on his show maybe once or twice a year. Ever since Beck got hired, O’Reilly has dialed it back even further. The liberals who still decry Bill O’Reilly obviously don’t watch his show. It’s the fairest and most informative news program on television — which is why it’s still #1.

  • Rogue-Comic

    gammaray said:
    Well it’s encouraging to know people are now praising O Reilly for not going absolutely apeshit. I’ve also just heard OJ Simpson is getting a knighthood for not killing anyone this year.

    Ugh. Way overblown out of context blind partisan derailing comment that just salivates for a Ted Kennedy smear retort.

  • gammaray

    Chris Jones said:
    He’s far and away the tamest opinion show on FNC. [...] It’s the fairest and most informative news program on television

    An opinion show is the fairest news programme? That’s sound logic.

  • gammaray

    Rogue-Comic said:
    Ugh. Way overblown out of context blind partisan derailing comment that just salivates for a Ted Kennedy smear retort.

    Well lets stick to the actual point I was making then.

    Why should any presenter be _congratulated_ for being civil while presenting their ‘news’ show?

  • Ninja

    C’mon….our resident jerkoff Karl Spenson has not been commented on. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Someone look at me and say something!!!!! He REALLY needs someone to pay attention to him!!!!!!!111

  • http://www.karlspensen.blogspot.com Karl Spensen

    Haters gonna HATE!!!1

  • Rogue-Comic

    gammaray said:
    Well lets stick to the actual point I was making then.

    Why should any presenter be _congratulated_ for being civil while presenting their ‘news’ show?

    Its not a news broadcast; its a talk show. Between all the pundit anchor shows on MSNBC and Fox News, only Olbermann’s show is billed as a news broadcast, according to the information provided to my cable outlet by both networks. Op/Ed is not news; its opinion on the news.

  • Rogue-Comic

    Karl Spensen said:
    Haters gonna HATE!!!1

    That’s GOLD Karl, GOLD!!!!!!11111!!!222222*

    * Used by permission from BANIA Inc.

  • gammaray

    Rogue-Comic said:
    Its not a news broadcast; its a talk show. Between all the pundit anchor shows on MSNBC and Fox News, only Olbermann’s show is billed as a news broadcast, according to the information provided to my cable outlet by both networks. Op/Ed is not news; its opinion on the news.

    Ok. Why should any presenter be _congratulated_ for being civil while presenting their show?

  • Ninja

    Wannabes gotta be wannabes too. At least you got that goin for ya loser. Kind of…

  • Rogue-Comic

    gammaray said:
    Ok. Why should any presenter be _congratulated_ for being civil while presenting their show?

    —–Because many a cable news show interview involving participants of differing ideologies often devolves into an unintelligible shouting match.

  • Rogue-Comic

    gammaray said:

    Also, if you have a grudge against conservative cable TV pundits, I’d think your scope would be better aimed towards the firebrands of Hannity and Beck.

  • gammaray

    Rogue-Comic said:
    —–Because many a cable news show interview involving participants of differing ideologies often devolves into an unintelligible shouting match.

    Well from what I saw in the video, there wasn’t too much “differing ideologies”. And just because there’s often shouting matches on similar shows/interviews (might I add, usually on Fox and usually involving O Reilly) doesn’t add any credibility to a presenter staying calm throughout an interview.

  • gammaray

    Rogue-Comic said:
    Also, if you have a grudge against conservative cable TV pundits, I’d think your scope would be better aimed towards the firebrands of Hannity and Beck.

    Why not at all three? And I’m not targeting anything at O Reilly or even Fox (in these comments anyway), I’m just perplexed as to how a TV presenter keeping their volume under control is newsworthy.

  • Rogue-Comic

    gammaray said:
    Why not at all three? And I’m not targeting anything at O Reilly or even Fox (in these comments anyway), I’m just perplexed as to how a TV presenter keeping their volume under control is newsworthy.

    I don’t consider a blog post and the comments posted on it “newsworthy” so I think we’re on two different wavelengths.

    gammaray said:
    Well from what I saw in the video, there wasn’t too much “differing ideologies”. And just because there’s often shouting matches on similar shows/interviews (might I add, usually on Fox and usually involving O Reilly) doesn’t add any credibility to a presenter staying calm throughout an interview.

    If Janet and Bill share the same political ideology, I’m a Times Assignment Editor slumming the comments here looking to lift material. I understand your pessimistic view, but I’m not going to let it lesson my enjoyment of a cognitive cable news segment that goes beyond the “secular” format of Morning Joe or Hannity.

  • RazorsEdge

    Aside from the civility issue. O’Reilly’s question why the historic numbers of deportations not being reported/talked about more than it is was the noteworthy topic for me.

    Surprised Admin would tout the deportations right before mid-terms chancing on the level of support of hispanic voters. Yes, it may be a political strategic move to try to pursuade the electorate Admin is addressing illegal immigration issue just before the midterms. But still some risk involved.

    However, hard to argue on the historic number of deportations (even if political or not). In a year, where even the Admin stated illegal immigration was down, they proclaim they are deporting more than ever before.

    Border security issue? Sounds like it
    Deporting more than a 1000 per day. Seems like a big number

    196,000 of those deported this fiscal year were convicted criminals. That’s 535 convicted criminals deported per day.

    The solution shouldn’t be dependent on a administration to deport or even in a historic year not keep up with the number of illegal immigrants entering the country (latest estimates state 500,000 enter illegal per year)

    Administration is even stating there is an outstanding issue here that needs more solutions

  • Bania

    Karl Spensen said:
    Napalitano’s FEET

    THAT “S GOLD kARl !!!!!!!!!222222 GOLD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 22222

    Rogue-Comic said:
    * Used by permission from BANIA Inc.

    h/t

  • Ninja

    Wow, so you have got yourself patting yourself on the back loser. How bad does it hurt to be a wanna-be conservative pundit Karl? What A L-O-S-E-R

  • http://www.libertarianism.com/ Burnnotice

    Rogue-Comic said:
    To be fair, O’Reilly leans conservative, but Shep is a fan of the current President. Smith is also, in my opinion, the best national news anchor on all television today.

    You have to be a Republican to be a RINO! By saying O’reilly is a RINO stipulates he is a Democrat pretending to be Republican. And Like I said he is Independent. and like you said, he has Conservative leanings, but he is not a Republican or a Liberal pretending to be one…… If a person is going to use a catch phrase. “First” understand what that phrase means. Then you will not foolishly misuse it as a conjunctive to impress the masses with your wit….

    I too Love Shep. He is one cool dude! : )

  • philipjames

    That’s it , Napolitano, dodge the question about going after this criminal until after the November elections…
    would cause too many headaches for Democrats with Latinos if you actually obeyed the law…. you Obama bootlicker.

  • gammaray

    Rogue-Comic said:

    I understand your pessimistic view, but I’m not going to let it lesson my enjoyment of a cognitive cable news segment that goes beyond the “secular” format of Morning Joe or Hannity.

    Hang on, news segment? If you want to just enjoy the show then fine (I have stipulations with that but I’m not going into that argument), but you were just saying how it’s “not a news broadcast, it’s a talk show”.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Johns/1681497708 Michael Johns

    It’s a shame that Janet didn’t know how to answer the Whitman-Diaz question, or as I like to call it, “The Botox Battle Royale”, but it was nice to see such a civil conversation between her and that blowhard on FOX.

  • The Real Royal King

    It is a shame when we have to comment that a discussion was civil, isn’t it?

    Last night, Ms. Maddow extended a plenary invitation to a number of conservative candidates, the Drop Out Governor and Big Dick’s family to come on her show, promising it would be fun and fair. And, it would be. Of course, not one of these gutless cowards will come near, but the invitation was sincere and it was skillfully coupled with a truism: You can’t complain about what you call the LSM, then not appear when invited. You could feel the vise begin closing.

  • CosmosDan

    Really good interview Bill.

  • Rogue-Comic

    gammaray said:
    Hang on, news segment? If you want to just enjoy the show then fine (I have stipulations with that but I’m not going into that argument), but you were just saying how it’s “not a news broadcast, it’s a talk show”.

    Semantics and turn of phrase. “Prime time cable NEWS” are a bunch of talk shows, and this is a pointless argument.

  • Mexican2

    Ninja said:
    Wannabes gotta be wannabes too. At least you got that goin for ya loser. Kind of…

    YOU JUST VALIDATED HIS WHOLE ACT – MORON

    WANNABE RACIST HARDLINE ASSES, BUT JUST DOESEN’T LIVE UP TO YOUR STANDARD, HUH?

  • Rogue-Comic

    Burnnotice said:
    You have to be a Republican to be a RINO! By saying O’reilly is a RINO stipulates he is a Democrat pretending to be Republican. And Like I said he is Independent. and like you said, he has Conservative leanings, but he is not a Republican or a Liberal pretending to be one…… If a person is going to use a catch phrase. “First” understand what that phrase means. Then you will not foolishly misuse it as a conjunctive to impress the masses with your wit….

    I too Love Shep. He is one cool dude! : )

    I see your point, but I don’t think Karl’s routine even approaches your litmus test. I think he’s here for fun, and you’re here to debate.

  • musiccityvic

    The Real Royal King said:
    It is a shame when we have to comment that a discussion was civil, isn’t it? Last night, Ms. Maddow extended a plenary invitation to a number of conservative candidates, the Drop Out Governor and Big Dick’s family to come on her show, promising it would be fun and fair. And, it would be. Of course, not one of these gutless cowards will come near, but the invitation was sincere and it was skillfully coupled with a truism: You can’t complain about what you call the LSM, then not appear when invited. You could feel the vise begin closing.

    Why would any sane individual go on MSNBC. They have limited viewers and what they do have are radically left so why would a Republican candidate or any leadership go on that network. Keep interviewing Alan Grayson and justifying his actions. They can continue to “lean forward” or better yet bend over for the progressive loons.

  • CAconservative

    How about we deport them the way the entered? Walking would do them a world of good. Even with deportation, without a secure border this is an exercise in futility!

  • nyindie

    gordonbloyershow said:
    He is just sucking up again. The woman is an idiot and Bill still sucks up.

    No gordo: you’re the idiot here. go home and suck on your thumb. and remember.. if i see another cute video of
    you trying to sing, i’m gonna get on a plane and stuff my laptop up your ass.

  • http://www.libertarianism.com/ Burnnotice

    Rogue-Comic said:
    I see your point, but I don’t think Karl’s routine even approaches your litmus test. I think he’s here for fun, and you’re here to debate.

    What ever….. From the post I read on this site I’d say the majority of comments are from kids with a poly sci degree they received at their local community collage. If he is one of those, it make sense…..

  • Rogue-Comic

    Burnnotice said:
    What ever….. From the post I read on this site I’d say the majority of comments are from kids with a poly sci degree they received at their local community collage. If he is one of those, it make sense…..

    I don’t think anybody here has a poly, but I could be wrong.

  • http://none pyrope

    musiccityvic said:
    That’s the norm on his show, despite what the teeth gnashers say on this site.

    Odd you should mention that. Before I scrolled down to the comments, I was thinking just how civilly someone like Overbite, Schultz, Madcow, and the usual gand of idiots might have been toward a member of the Bush cabinet.

  • http://none pyrope

    The Real Royal King said:
    It is a shame when we have to comment that a discussion was civil, isn’t it? Last night, Ms. Maddow extended a plenary invitation to a number of conservative candidates, the Drop Out Governor and Big Dick’s family to come on her show, promising it would be fun and fair. And, it would be. Of course, not one of these gutless cowards will come near, but the invitation was sincere and it was skillfully coupled with a truism: You can’t complain about what you call the LSM, then not appear when invited. You could feel the vise begin closing.

    Could it possibly be that they still remember the last time they granted interviews to the hatchet wielders of whom you speak? BTW, the first sentence in your post is spot on.

  • http://none pyrope

    CAconservative said:
    How about we deport them the way the entered? Walking would do them a world of good. Even with deportation, without a secure border this is an exercise in futility!

    Makes more sense that most proposals I’ve heard. But, being the humane creature I endeavor to be, I would even go for giving them rides to the border on Greyhound busses, making stops at Taco Bell Restaurants along the way, and handing them each a Quaker granola bar and a bottle of tap water as they were sent across the border. This would stimulate the economies of people who actually work for a living.

  • http://none pyrope

    gammaray said:
    Ok. Why should any presenter be _congratulated_ for being civil while presenting their show?

    Maybe not so much congratulatory as remarking on the novelty of a civil discussion on opinion shows.

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