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The controversy about Harriet Miers raises a larger question about media hostility toward Christians. "I started noticing the attacks on Christians about a dozen years ago," author Janet Folger told The Factor "What we see now in sitcoms, movies and news reports is that Christians are depicted as kooks, idiots, and criminals." Journalism professor Bob Mann disagreed with Folger's contention. "As one who has worked for six newspapers, I have never encountered a single reporter or editor who would be opposed to giving both sides of this issue. I did not see either Molly Ivins or Maureen Dowd say Harriet Miers is not fit for public office because she is a Christian." The Factor pointed to statistics that indicate a vast gulf between the media and the public. "90% of Americans believe in God, while for journalists the number is 70%. The country is about 9% atheist or agnostic, but 20% of American journalists are. Atheists and agnostics are in the media far beyond the rest of society."

Former CBS News producer Mary Mapes, who pushed the fraudulent anti-Bush Texas Air National Guard story, maintains that she and Dan Rather were brought down by a right-wing conspiracy. The Factor was joined by of the alleged "conspirators," Paul Mirengoff of PowerLineBlog.com. "It's unfortunate that she can't admit that the story was mistaken and move on. A CBS investigation found the story was indefensible - they used selected quotes to distort the picture and misrepresented the findings of their own document examiner. To blame this on a right wing conspiracy is ludicrous." The Factor issued an open invitation. "Mary Mapes is absolutely welcome to come on this program any time and say whatever she wants."

Last year 23-year old Californian Estanislao Martinez discovered that the "woman" he had taken home was actually a transvestite named Joel Robles. Martinez stabbed and killed Robles, but was sentenced to just four years after blaming his violence on "gay panic." Transgender advocate Christopher Daley accused prosecutors of making a horrible plea bargain. "It's infuriating that the district attorney seems to have taken a dive on this case. The defendant and his attorney blamed the victim for what happened. Regardless of what Mr. Martinez thought was going on, it's not reasonable to stab someone twenty times." The Factor compared this to other recent episodes of crime and punishment. "We've been doing a lot of stories about sexual predators hurting children and getting off with ridiculous sentences. Now we have a guy who gets a few years for stabbing another guy to death. People get more for selling pot."

As part of a continuing effort to report on how states deal with child molesters, The Factor focused on New York, where one powerful legislator - Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver - has blocked legislation that would come down hard on predators. Senate candidate Jeanine Pirro explained the situation in the Empire State. "Right now you've got a man, Sheldon Silver, who is not doing his job. There are children being molested and women being murdered because there are sexual predators who roam freely. They live next to us and they are molesting our children and killing women." The Factor denounced Silver as a "villain," but commended Governor George Pataki for finding another way to take molesters off the streets. "Pataki is so fed up that he's assigning some child molesters to mental institutions after their sentences are up. One of them was a guy who served three-and-a-half years for raping a 3-year old boy."

One of Harriet Miers' most outspoken opponents is conservative author and columnist Ann Coulter. "I don't think she's qualified for the job," Coulter declared." "This shows stunning arrogance by the president and it is absurd. We've had a 25-year legal movement to create a farm team of incredibly talented conservative lawyers. Running the Texas Lottery Commission is not a qualification to sit on the highest court in the land." The Factor countered that perhaps President Bush and his nominee deserve the benefit of the doubt. "I hesitate to criticize her based on nothing. She may be the most brilliant woman in the world. I think she will be confirmed, and she will be a fairly conservative interpreter of the Constitution."

Twenty elderly people died when their boat capsized last weekend on Lake George, New York. Gisella Root, who rescued eight people from the lake, described the horrific scene. "There were people clinging to the side of the boat that was overturned, and some were trapped inside the boat. They were elderly and some couldn't swim. If they were younger and had better swimming abilities, perhaps they could have been saved. We just tried to retrieve as many people as we could." The Factor commended Gisella Root for her courage and efforts. "You and your husband John saved lives, and we admire you for that."

Nile Campbell, Baltimore, MD: "William Bennett's statements were reprehensible. But what is most shocking is your breezy attitude, Mr. O'Reilly. Dismissing a clear case of racism because of Mr. Bennett's charity work? Surely, this is an instance where words speak louder than actions."

Chad Jones, Stow, OH: "Bill, anything positive Bennett's done for the black community was completely negated by his irresponsible remarks."

Lar Milachouski, Mill Spring, NC: "Jesse Jackson made an anti-Semitic remark about New York, Hillary Clinton said she saw Gandhi pumping gas. They were not taken down nearly as hard as Bill Bennett."

Larry Williams, Altmore, AL: "With the black population at 13% and over 70% of the prison population being black, there is logic to Bennett's statement."

John Knaff, Fort Myers, FL: "Bill, your attempt at political correctness in this matter seems like spin to me."

Mike Finlayson, Winnipeg, Canada: "Bill, you said poverty drives crime. If that were true, crime would have exploded in the great depression. It did not."