So What's The Big Surprise?

The blogosphere is indignant toward Bill O'Reilly today ... Michele has a wonderful summary of why, which you may read here, and Laurence has a double dip O'Reilly/Dowd smack here.

Rightfully so. That said, I'm a bit surprised by strength of the reaction.

I mean, I'm all for conservative voices bringing balance to the media, but B.O. acting like a jerk is SOP for anyone familiar with The Factor. Let's not forget his interview with Jeremy Glick, signer of the Not In Our Name “Statement of Conscience” whose father was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Remember this snippet?

O'REILLY: Man, I hope your mom isn't watching this.

GLICK: Well, I hope she is.

O'REILLY: I hope your mother is not watching this because you -- that's it. I'm not going to say anymore.

GLICK: OK.

O'REILLY: In respect for your father...

GLICK: On September 14, do you want to know what I'm doing?

O'REILLY: Shut up. Shut up.

I’m no fan of Not In Our Name, but come on. The transcript is out there in several places, nearly all of which are left-leaning websites, like this one, and I offer the link with a disclaimer of any personal agreement in political philosophy. That said, B.O. makes hay playing the bellicose, aggressive jerk - and his comments today are perfectly in character.

These people obviously think so.

Posted by Avocare at June 18, 2003 02:22 AM