Do you think that Bill O'Reilly is a hypocrite?
@thegreatdebater (7316)
United States
November 11, 2008 5:49pm CST
I listen to Bill almost everyday because I enjoy listening to his show. But, Mr. O'Reilly claims (like all republicans) that the "mainstream media" is bias, and that FOX news is the only fair network. This is why I was shocked to see Bill on every "mainstream media" outlet the last three weeks. Do think he is a hypocrite because the same media that he attacks everyday for being bias, he now uses to sell his book?
3 people like this
11 responses
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I think Billo is just a screamer. I don't think you want my honest opinion of him and I know mylot won't allow me to post it lol. Yes hypocrite does make that list but, so does a lot of other names.
3 people like this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
12 Nov 08
How about when he said something like I can't support McCain/Palin until she comes on my show. Or how about the many times he asks a question and the person wants to clarify what he is talking about and he cuts them off.
3 people like this
@soooobored (1184)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Hmm... I think Bill O'Reilly is a hypocrite, but not for this. If, however, there is a bias in mainstream media towards the left, it probably isn't the most effect strategy to market his book.
3 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
12 Nov 08
You may not want to admit it debater, but he appeals to republicans, independents, and even democrats. I have a friend whose mother is a left wing extremist. I mean the type that worships Al Franken. She watches Fox News more than anything else. It's her way of "learning about the enemy". She reads books written by O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and even Ann Coulter. There are people who are so intense about this "war" between the parties that they study the other party like a general studying the tactics of an opposing army.
3 people like this
@soooobored (1184)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I could see that Taskr, but what a horrific waste of time!
3 people like this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Very good point, why would left wing liberals want to know about the life of a man that attacks their favorite media outlets everyday?
3 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I listen to Bill during lunch sometimes, too, and, while he does pormote himself as being fair and balanced, I have been able to detect his personal leanings a few times during the campaign...but we're all human. He does try to be a legitimate source of accurate information. So, no, I don't find it hypocritical of him to be pushing his new book on every network he can get on although he considers them biased. He's also pushing it in every bookstore they can get him into...that is the nature of the publishing business.
@jimssaftytips (507)
•
12 Nov 08
Sorry but i think all media people get alot of things wrong and some actually destroy people s lives and do they care no cuz it makes money and ratings. I agree on somethings that bill oreilly says but there are somethings that he is way off base but nobody is perfect. HERALDO is the same way there are some people who actually care about lives.
2 people like this
@murderistic (2278)
• United States
12 Nov 08
FOX news is not fair and unbiased and everyone knows that. However, the only good thing about FOX news is that they provide a biased perspective opposite of the biases of the other mainstream media networks.
2 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
12 Nov 08
"I have no idea what the Pew Research Agency is but they sound like a bunch of conservative Christians"
That's exactly what I expected you to say. I could show you a dozen research agencies, all of which are nonpartisan like the Pew Research Agency, and you'd make the same accusation of each and every one. I only share such information now to verify people's eagerness to bury their heads in the sand and ignore any information that doesn't support what they WANT to believe.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Then everyone is wrong. "Everyone" is often wrong throughout history you know. The world is not flat. The sun doesn't revolve around the earth. The Pew Research center has shown Fox to be by far the most balanced news agency. With the whole media tilted to the left, being in the center gets redefined as being biased towards the right.
http://www.journalism.org/node/13437
@murderistic (2278)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I have no idea what the Pew Research Agency is but they sound like a bunch of conservative Christians. ;) Listen, if you want to watch unbiased news, you can't watch American news, ESPECIALLY during an election, because everyone has their own agenda. And if you honestly believe that the staff at FOX is not mostly Conservative and/or Republican I think that's funny. A balanced news channel would have an equal amount of conservative and liberal and moderate staff and give them equal airtime.
3 people like this
@sofmat (27)
• Philippines
12 Nov 08
he's more of being a conservative. just take a look at people he like, adore, and associates, even right there in fox network he likes col. olie north he adores the principles than reagan and barry goldwater fought for. he hates liberals, i remember once he had angela davis as a guest, and boy did he made mincemeat out of poor angela's book she was promoting. and its not even politics. this guy breath conservatism all the way to kingdom come.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
12 Nov 08
If you were writing a book, you would want to promote it even though you did not agree with the mainstream media. You wanted me to say that he is a hypocrite --oh I read the one that said yes and I could almost see your head nodding up and down, saying someone agreed with me. Besides there might be someone working in those biased media who wants to buy a book from someone who is not a yes man like the men he or she is working for. I mean who wants to buy a book with a title such as "The NBC right All the Time," or 'Why the ABC is your best station"
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
12 Nov 08
He not only attacks every other media outlet other than Fox but he recently atacked the Neilson Ratings for being biased and lying about his ratings dropping! I'd have to agree that he's a hypocrite in some ways but, as another poster wrote, there are other words I use to describe him, some which I wouldn't dare write here. However, I would place him just a little bit above Limbaugh and Hannity...lol!
Annie
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
14 Nov 08
OK, maybe he's a little more than just a little bit above those two. I only saw bits and pieces of his interview with Obama but I guess he was decent. However, in what way was Katie Couric "not nice" to Palin? I'm not a huge fan of Katie but I really didn't see what she did so wrong. I know we've been over this stuff before so I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree, won't we?
Annie
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I would never classify O'Reilly as I would Hannity or Limbaugh. He makes a genuine attempt to be fair in his coverage. He has liberals on his show all the time and, excluding Barney Frank, typically treats them with respect. He was perfectly respectful during his interview with Obama. He was certainly nicer to Obama than Couric was to Palin. Can you imagine Limbaugh or Hannity being even half as respectful if they had the opportunity to interview Obama?
2 people like this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
16 Nov 08
Taskr, see someone else picked up on Bill O's attack on Neilson, and he spent two weeks attacking this company. I do agree that Bill is a much better person, and commentator than Hannity and Rush, but he still has his bias moments.
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I honestly can't see anything hypocritical about using various media outlets to sell a book. He's doing it to make money. He's never told people NOT to watch other channels. The only network he's really reamed is MSNBC, and rightfully so. Either way when he appears on other networks he still brings his own beliefs with him. He never changes his tune just because he's appearing on The View or David Letterman. Frankly, I think only a left wing extremist would deny the fact that there is a liberal bias. I could show you study after study proving it and you'll just ignore anything that doesn't say what you want to believe.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/majority_say_reporters_tried_to_help_obama
http://www.journalism.org/node/13437
1 person likes this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
13 Nov 08
When did he say that the programs he's appeared on aren't worth listening too? Of course he's called other news channels biased, and he's talked about their biased election coverage, but I've never heard him say that they flat out aren't worth listening too.
If he sat there saying "The View is a horrible show and you shouldn't watch it" and then appeared on the show to sell his book, I might actually agree with you.
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
16 Nov 08
Bill has said that NBC as a network is so bias that they are not even worth watching (mind you, CNBC is full of republicans, and former Bush and Reagan administartion personal). He also attacked Charles Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin, saying on his radio show that ABC wasn't worth watching either (But, three weeks later there was Bill O'Reilly on ABC's morning show selling his book, can you say HYPOCRATE?). The only people that deny that FOX has a republican bias are the extreme right wing that feel the Rush, Hannity, and Coulter are all main stream.
1 person likes this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
12 Nov 08
So you don't find it to be hypocriical of someone attack an organization for years, saying they aren't worth listening to, or watching. Then you go on their program with your sole intent of making youself money. I am sorry, but I find that very hypocritical, why is it that you never see Rush or even Hanity go on these programs to sell their books? I can show you study after study showing that FOX is the most bias network on television, what does that prove? That you can twist numbers to say what ever you want them to say to prove your point.
1 person likes this
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
12 Nov 08
His book has nothing to do with politics. He is not a hypocrite rather a promoter. He is promoting his book in the hopes that we will buy it. If he couldn't go into enemy territory, how would he be able to introduce it to all of us? Not everyone watches his show.
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I didn't say that his book had anything to do with politics, we all know it has to do with Bill making money. I don't understand how it is that you can defend a man who attacks the "mainstream media" almost everyday, and then uses them to make money. If the "mainstream media" is so bad, then why doesn't O'Reilly stop using them to make money. What is O'Reilly introducing them to? His life? Sorry Best, I just don't buy it.
2 people like this
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
12 Nov 08
If you owned a business would you refuse to sell to someone just because he has a different view from yours? Bill wants his book to sell, therefore he goes where the people are. You must not be a capitalist.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
12 Nov 08
When he signs a contract to do a book he agrees to let the publisher establish book signings and public appearances including TV and Radio. I had a friend who wrote a book and the publisher decided what would be on the cover. He thought it gave the wrong impression but was told he had no say.
1 person likes this