Saturday, September 18, 2004

Are You a Character in Bill O'Reilly's Night of the Living Dumb?

By Kurt Nimmo

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Posted 09/18 | Add a Comment

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  1. Peter Hart’s book, “The Oh Really? Factor,” offers some insight into O’Reilly’s schtick:

    http://www.fair.org/ohreally.html

    Posted by Mickey Z from  on  09/18  at  11:06 AM

  2. When I first saw O’Reilly, I couldn’t believe a guy like that was on television.  But there is a silver lining to him...while the newsmedia pretenses at objectivity, the FoxNews style is so clearly to the right that it created a demand for more progressive/objective reporting from the rest of the corporate media.  O’Reilly is a dumb populist with some idiosyncratic views, and thus ghettoizes his (and to his right, Savage, Limbaugh, etc.) followers into a separate category of thought.  In turn, while this audiencedemographic,etc is turned off by the “liberal media,” the media is shown for what it is.

    Some cynical people have noted that the growth of the “media reform” movement, encompassing Bill Moyers and Eric Alterman as well as Ben Bagidikian and Bob McChesney, is like Nixon pusing environmentalism (i.e. chanel progressive feeling away from the antiwar movement.) This may be the case given the foundation involvement.  Be that as it may, even if it is Alterman encouraging people to read McChessney, thus perhaps Monthly Review, it is a lateral approach to actually develop a more informed perspective.

    And it is all because of FoxNews, which has done what Noam Chomsky has been doing for forty years - showing the propaganda mechanism for what it is.  At the very least, it can be used in the same way that the left used the “Popular Front.” And everyone is antiwar...it just depends on who we allow to define the “justifiable discourse.” The discourse has stretched farther in mainstream media regarding Iraq than it did vis-a-vis Vietnam or even Iran Contra.  This is partially due to the war not only being evil, but being a bloodbath.  But it bares noting that the likes of Bill O’Reilly and thousands o Israelis marching FOR the occupation and other sundry right wing yahoos objectively serve our side.  It is when we realize our multidinous agency is already there that we can appreciate that.

    Sorry for the longwindedness.  Good piece, Kurt!

    Posted by j cummings from  on  09/18  at  11:52 AM

  3. It doesn’t matter what the subject matter is for Bill, as long as the attention is focused on him and his brilliant critical analysis.

    All that is necessary to keep him happy is for Bill to have his ‘two minutes of hate’.

    It’s been years since I have watched the guy do his shtik.

    George Bush’s destructive ‘leadership’ leaves a lot to be desired.  That’s more worrisome than Bill O’Reilly’s bellyaching about anything and everything.

    Posted by MDPB from  on  09/18  at  12:16 PM

  4. Yeah… I mean IF ONLY O’Reilly had the insight, journalistic integrity, and lack of bias of someone like Dan Rather, the world would be all puppies and sunshine.  DAMMMMNNNN YOOOOUUUU RUPERT MURDOCH!

    Posted by Hank Holmes from Charlotte, NC  on  09/18  at  01:52 PM

  5. Did anyone imply that Dan Rather is honest? The differences between he and O’Reilly mirror those between Kush and Berry. They tell different lies to protect the status quo.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from  on  09/18  at  03:05 PM

  6. Isn’t it curious how “election issues” surround a washed-up journalist, and a confused journalist at that. Not the economy, not the occupation of Iraq, not the decimation of the Bill of Rights, but a corporate shill. Is there a method to this madness? Sure there is. There is little difference between Kerry and Bush, or as Mickey said so right on, between Berry and Kush.

    On the car radio this afternoon, driving in from my favorite Greek restaurant, I heard a radio host call Kerry a “turd.” Now I don’t doubt he is a turd, but that’s not the point. Point is you’d be yanked off the radio if you called Bush a turd. You’d be hard pressed to find another job in radio.

    Fascism has taken over this country. As voters, as vassals, we will take the “president” (more appropriately, CEO of America) offered, or have nothing. Issues? We don’t need no stinkin’ issues because, for our rulers, there are no issues beyond what they deem important, namely total war.

    Who cares about Dan Rather? Dan Rather is not the issue, two vile and reprehensible “candidates” are the issue.

    Both are neoliberal turds.

    Posted by Kurt from  on  09/18  at  08:05 PM

  7. Nice phrase:  “Bush’s Manichean and Christian Zionist view of the world”

    I recently quoted you and jordy in an article I wrote about religious intolerance among the extreme left.  Your quotes about Christians and his quotes about Aish Hatorah were just beautiful!  For you, I used several, including:  “It [Israel] has exploited the mental problems of the Christian Zionists who believe Israeli murder and hegemony are key to their fanatical biblical fantasies.” I also had some quotes from some other “progressive” web pages.  It’s amazing how many “progressives” sound like bigots!

    You were quoted anonymously, as in “one writer recently stated...” No name, no citation.  So as terribly offensive as you can be (I understand that it’s intentional on your part), no one will be coming to firebomb your home.  Although jordy accused me of using Soviet style intimidation tactics when I called you crazy, I’m not out to cause trouble.  So rest at ease. 

    “Bush and the Christian Zionists, the Israel-first neocons and the Likudites in the Pentagon will probably not go gently into the good night. People who believe God is on their side are capable of doing great harm to those they perceive as ‘fucking assholes.’”

    It’s MONEY, baby!  Give me some more material!

    Posted by Andrew from  on  09/22  at  08:30 PM

  8. Dan Rather is an honourable man in the infotainment world of news guys & dolls who practise their smiles, adjust their hairspray levels, bleach their teeth and perform all the other activities that are at the heart of US TV journalism,

    These are quotes from him, two years ago, speaking on Newsnight, BBC’s nightly current affairs programme:

    It’s that fear that keeps journalists from asking the toughest of the tough questions

    It’s an obscene comparison, but there was a time in South Africa when people would put flaming tires around people’s necks if they dissented.

    In some ways, the fear is that you will be necklaced here. You will have a flaming tire of lack of patriotism put around your neck.

    No U.S. reporter who values his neck or career will bore in on the tough questions.

    What is going on, I’m sorry to say, is a belief that the public doesn’t need to know—limiting access, limiting information to cover the backsides of those who are in charge of the war.

    It’s extremely dangerous and cannot and should not be accepted, and I’m sorry to say that up to and including this moment of this interview, that overwhelmingly it has been accepted by the American people.

    And the current Administration revels in that, they relish and take refuge in that.

    However, back in the USA, he smothered his conscience and told his TV audience: “George Bush is the President. He makes the decisions. He wants me to line up, just tell me where.”

    Source: Greg Palast @ GNN

    Posted by Ed Strong from  on  09/23  at  08:33 AM

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