"Over the past few weeks the ACLU has taken out three ads attacking President Bush in the New York Times. According to the civil liberties people Mr. Bush broke the law in the NSA phone tap deal and is as bad as Richard Nixon. Of course Mr. Bush is entitled to due process and a fair hearing, something the ACLU is supposed to champion. But the ACLU has convicted the President in a ridiculous display of political partisanship. The American Civil Liberties Union has become the attack dog in the secular-progressive jihad to change the culture and political landscape in America. The proof for that assertion lies with the moneymen. The top ACLU donor is far-left businessman Peter Lewis, who has given the organization about 25-million dollars since 2001. His pal George Soros has donated more than 5-million dollars to the ACLU since 1998. The executive director and point man for the civil liberties group is 39-year-old Anthony Romero. Romero is an openly gay former Ford Foundation executive. While he was at that operation it gave seven million dollars to the ACLU so its no surprise Romero is running the place. When you combine Lewis, Soros, and Romero you have three radical Americans who are bent on changing this country. All this nonsense about protecting rights is a ruse. The ACLU is no longer about liberties or the Constitution or the regular folks. It is about imposing a radical agenda on America and you can take that to the bank."

Civil rights attorney Larry Walters defended the ACLU. "The ACLU has to take on this issue of warrantless intercepts. So this is not a radical position. This is a violation of the clearest precepts of the Constitution of intercepting U.S. citizens' communications." Alan Sears, the author of the book "The ACLU vs. America," accused the ACLU of hypocrisy. "They say they are opposed to domestic surveillance. But this is the same ACLU that approved record surveillance of its own donors, in violation of its policy. It's the same ACLU that's now authorized and approved the surveillance and buying video cameras against the police in St. Louis. The ACLU is not against domestic surveillance. It's only against domestic surveillance that doesn't further its agenda." The Factor thought the ACLU could disagree with the president, but should wait until all the facts were out to convict the president of wrongdoing. "I don't mind them taking it on. I don't mind them raising questions. I do mind them convicting someone without a full hearing."

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The White House invited a group of former secretaries of State and Defense to meet with President Bush and discuss the Iraq situation. Among those in attendance were Colin Powell, William Cohen, Robert McNamara, and Alexander Haig, as was Factor guest former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. "We got a briefing on the political situation and the military situation. And then we kind of went around the room. And people made their points. And I felt that it was very important to be honest with the president and say the kind of things in the room that I've often said publicly. I said to the president that I knew he wanted to hear about our ideas for the future. And that I said that I had believed that Iraq was a war of choice, not of necessity, but getting it right now was a necessity and not a choice, and that I didn't know anybody that didn't want us to succeed in Iraq." The Factor wanted to know if Secretary Albright believed success was possible. "Do you believe we will prevail in Iraq, that that country will wind up as a democratic nation helpful to the West in the war on terror? Do you believe it?" Secretary Albright was candid, if not entirely optimistic. "I'm not sure I believe it, because I think that there are terrible problems there, which were discussed today. It is going to be very hard to put together a national unity government. The people of Iraq voted, but they now have very serious political issues."

The Houston Chronicle reports that about 20,000 children in Mexico are now involved in the sex industry and unfortunately many of the customers are American tourists. Dr. Sharon Cooper, author of the book "Medical, Legal, and Social Science aspects of child sexual exploitation," explained how children wind up in such a situation. "There are many vectors in which children are brought into exploitation in this manner. One is through pimps, but also children are brought into exploitation sometimes from their own families. For example, a mother may be involved in prostitution, and then is requested by a client to have access to her child." The Factor offered an explanation for why Mexico is a center of child exploitation. "And there's two reasons they are brought to Mexico. First is the proximity to the United States and the resorts, because NAMBL runs these tours, the North American Man Boy Love Association, currently being defended by the ACLU in Boston, runs a tour to get pedophiles who go down there and molest children."

While The Houston Chronicle did go do some good reporting on the child sex industry in Mexico, it continues to run editorials that oppose more security on the border. Ann Linehan, an editor at watchdog bloghouston.net, talked about some of the problems in Houston due to illegal immigration. "Many of the city services are impacted heavily. The hospitals, trauma centers, mental health services are all in crisis because of the money that must be spent to provide for these people. A lot of illegal gang members come up here. We've had a record-high murder rate in Houston this year. And while state officials are trying to pass some of that off onto FEMA for the Katrina evacuees, it's more a case of MS-13 gang coming in." The Factor chastised the Chronicle for not recognizing the problem. "You've got problems down there in Houston that are centered on illegal immigration, yet you have the city's only newspaper, basically opposing any enforcement interior. They don't want police rounding up illegals. They don't want them prosecuted. Now they don't want a fence. They don't want the military down there."

Geraldo Rivera, just back from West Virginia, appeared on the Factor with an update. The Factor asked what was next for the International Coal Company. "This story was so painful to watch for every American who watched it that they're going to want to get this mining company. They're going to want to get these guys with all the violations and all of this. Is that fair?" Geraldo offered some criticism and a suggestion. "I really think that the coal mining company, even if they are as sincere as they are saying they are, really now has to look at these families as people who have been doubly victimized. Not only did they lose their loved ones in the tragedy, but they also had their hopes raised and then crushed in this macabre and almost obscene way. So what I would suggest for this mining company is to be overly generous to these people in a way that is uncustomary for them. Whatever their legal requirements, take care of that and much, much more. For example, offer college scholarships to the children."

In Phoenix, Arizona at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, a school marching band and a swinger's party collided in the hotel lounge. And in Orlando, Florida at another Crowne Plaza Hotel, 35 young soccer players and their families ran into another swinger's party on New Years Eve. Rob Young was there with his wife and two daughters. "I went back to the manager and said, 'Why did you not tell us? Let's get the kids out here, get them up in a different area.' And he wouldn't do that." The Factor applauded Mr. Young for trying to get the word out. "You're doing exactly what you should do. Tell the nation what's going on. And if Crowne Plaza does it again, then we'll have to take stronger action against them, because it's an intrusion on you and your family. You paid good money to stay there. And you shouldn't have to have this."

Peter Truman, Avenel, NJ: "Mr. Bill, finally someone told you in public that 60% of what you say is garbage. I do watch the far-right wing slop on Fox News and know it's true."

Gary Hobgood, Folsom, CA: "Bill, I agree that 60% of what you say is wrong. Insert your lame Kool Aid joke here."

Eric Boyd, Livermore, CA: "The interview with Letterman was a remarkable culture battle that put the war in the spotlight."

Stephen Pazian, Athens, GA: "Bill, you are correct in saying that many Americans derive political opinions from entertainment television. I am tired of debating friends who use the 'West Wing' to form their talking points."