The O'Reilly Factor
A daily summary of segments aired on The O'Reilly Factor. A preview of the evening's rundown is posted before the show airs each weeknight.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
The Factor Rundown
Talking Points Memo
Top Story
Impact Segment
Factor Follow Up Segment
Personal Story Segment
Unresolved Problems Segment
Back of Book Segment
Factor Mail
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President Bush at a crossroads
"President Bush could go down in history as another Ronald Reagan or another Warren Harding - we'll know over the next few months. Three things are bedeviling President Bush: Chaos in Iraq, chaos on the southern border, and high gas prices. The President either deals effectively with those issues or risks going down in history as a failure, and that is the no-spin truth. The administration has accomplished much in Iraq, but if he can not break the back of terrorism, all the other good things will be forgotten. The spike in oil has angered many Americans. It costs OPEC less than four dollars a barrel to market the oil, and the cartel charges 66 dollars a barrel to sell it. President Bush must find a way to get OPEC under control. The southern border is simply out of control. The Bush administration has been passive in the face of disaster, and millions of illegal aliens continue to get into this country. Mr. Bush, in my opinion, has not done a bad job overall. But Iraq, oil, and the border threaten to derail him. The Presidency is a performance business, but he still has time to turn things around."

Fox News Video: FoxNews.com

Crime related to illegal aliens increases
Guest: Kris Kovach, University of Kansas

Illegal immigrants are straining American prisons, and it is estimated that criminal activity by illegals costs American taxpayers more than one billion dollars a year. Former Justice Department official Kris Kovach elaborated on the problem. "Illegal immigration has a huge connection with crime. It's reaching a tipping point, also because of the alien gang problem. They operate in thirty states, and they leave a trail of bloodshed wherever they go." The Factor again urged a military presence at the Mexican border. "The solution is to use the National Guard to back up the border patrol and stop it tomorrow. There are millions of Americans sitting watching us asking why President Bush doesn't do something to improve the situation? If I were President, I would stop this cold."

Sheehan controversy dying down?
Guest: Columnist Rod Dreher, Dallas Morning News

The media hype surrounding anti-war protestor Cindy Sheehan seems to have faded. Dallas columnist Rod Dreher claimed that Ms. Sheehan shot herself in the foot by denouncing the United States and calling President Bush a terrorist. "People respect her right to protest, but the more she opened her mouth the more she revealed herself to be a radical kook. The anti-war movement really did itself a disservice by having her as the face of their movement. The Factor added that Ms. Sheehan's followers apparently felt she was beyond criticism. "The anti-war movement is furious with me. I've never seen such hatred and such vitriol directed at me, but all we did was use her own words. I don't think there is any more to the Cindy Sheehan story. The USA is not going to embrace someone with such radical politics."

Jackson accuser charged with fraud
Guest: Harvey Levin, Celebrity Justice

Janet Arvizo, whose son accused Michael Jackson of molestation, has herself been charged with welfare fraud. Harvey Levin of Celebrity Justice reported that Jackson's defense team did the legwork that led to her arrest. "They're the ones who investigated this. They did it to ruin her credibility. Michael Jackson is a free man, but she could wind up behind bars. She could face five years in prison if she is convicted." Levin also predicted that Arvizo's arrest could dissuade lawyers from representing her in a civil suit against Michael Jackson, but The Factor disagreed. "In Los Angeles lawyers will be lining up around the corner to take that case. They'll take it because they want the publicity, and want to be famous."

Talk show host fired for Islam comment
Guest: Michael Graham, former radio talk host

Washington radio talk show host Michael Graham was fired after calling Islam a "terrorist organization." Graham told The Factor he lost his job for refusing to issue an on-air apology. "I can not apologize for speaking the truth. I feel so sorry for moderate Muslims, but I can not retract the charge. Islam is set up so you can not expel the bad people. If your theology feeds the killers, you have a terrorist organization." The Factor disputed Graham's accusation. "98 percent of Muslims are good people who are helping people out. So I couldn't possibly say that Islam is a 'terrorist organization.' I believe most Muslims are afraid that they are going to get hurt if they speak out against terrorism."

Winning the war in Iraq
Guests: Fox News military analysts Cols. Bill Cowan & David Hunt

Fox News military analysts Bill Cowan and David Hunt offered specific suggestions for winning the war in Iraq. Col. Cowan urged the military to place more emphasis on sending top-notch advisors. "We can train and equip Iraqis all day long. But we have to have advisors who will teach them, inspire them, and make them into effective fighting forces. We need the best and the brightest over there as advisors, and that needs to come from the highest level of the Pentagon. Col. Hunt suggested that some officials should lose their jobs. "It's time to fire some people. I'd fire someone from the CIA, someone from the State Department, and a four-star general. Our soldiers are dying and it is time to change the team. This war is winnable." The Factor portrayed the current situation as dire. "I don't think anybody can put a happy face on the military situation as it now stands. You can't go out for a cup of coffee in Baghdad, and things are dicey over there."

New revelations in Aruba?
Guests: Ruben Trapenburg, Aruban government spokesman & Jossy Mansur, journalist

According to the Aruba newspaper "Diario," three young women may testify that they were drugged by Joran Van Der Sloot, the prime suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Journalist Jossy Mansur revealed what his paper has uncovered. "One of the women has already made contact with a lawyer, and they will be going to the police to put in a complaint against Joran that he drugged and raped them." The Factor was astonished at the prospect of this damning testimony. "We want this thing resolved, and if the three women are there saying that Van Der Sloot slipped them a date-rape drug and raped them, it's enormous."

Viewers sound off
Factor Words of the Day
Some of you commended The Factor's crusade to have a version of Jessica's Law enacted in every state. Here's one example:

Ryan Wishum, Cary, NC: "Mr. O'Reilly, thanks for trying to get Jessica's Law passed in all 50 states. I wish more in the media would take up the cause."

Meanwhile, many of you continue to write about Cindy Sheehan and the war in Iraq. Some excerpts:

Scott Amos, Gresham, OR: "O'Reilly, there is no way your far-left critics can attack you for simply playing the tape of what Cindy Sheehan said. But they will anyway."

Dr. Kent Colbert, Marietta, GA: "Bill, you ridicule Ms. Sheehan with a leftwing stereotype label disgracing her as a parent."

Sgt. Darren Hubbell, Baghdad, Iraq: "Mr. O'Reilly, I am an Army medic serving my third tour in Iraq. I know that if we pull out now, all my foreign comrades, including Cindy Sheehan's son, will have died in vain."

Keri Shoemaker, Eagle Pass, TX: "Bill, I see Tom Hayden, like most on the far left, still refuse to explain their feelings about millions of Cambodians and Vietnamese being slaughtered upon America's exit from the region."