| All content taken from The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel. Each weeknight by 6 PM EST a preview of that evening's show will be posted and then updated with additional information the following weekday by noon EST.
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Guest: Maj. Paul Hackett
"This is a turning point in the Iraq war. With Zarqawi dead and the new government in place, if security doesn't begin to improve over there soon, it will be a losing effort. President Bush realizes where he is in history, so that's why he traveled 11 hours overnight to Baghdad to reaffirm his commitment. There will be no cutting and running as long as Bush is president So Mr. Bush's visit was a dramatic statement that some will applaud and others will disdain. But we should all want the USA to win in Iraq. If Islamic fundamentalism emerges victorious, Al Qaeda and other groups will have free rein. Iran will then dominate the gulf region and partner up with Al Qaeda. Thus terror will become dramatically more powerful, and the moderate regimes in the gulf will be forced to accommodate the killers or become targets themselves. Geopolitics is complicated, and I submit to you that Congressman John Murtha, Howard Dean, and the other 'cut and runners' are clueless about the unintended consequences of a terrorist victory in Iraq. It is a fact that some Americans put ideology and hatred of President Bush above what is good for the nation. Some Americans believe we are the bad guys in the war on terror, but we are not. However, war is a performance business. The Bush administration has made major mistakes in Iraq, but now things can be finally could be turning our way. Let us pray."
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The Factor was joined by Major Paul Hackett, an Iraq war veteran who ran for Congress on an anti-war platform. Hackett explained his opposition to the war. "I don't think wasting time and money in Iraq is going to really get to the heart of the matter, which started in Afghanistan with Osama Bin Laden. I think we can defeat the insurgency by allowing the Sunni and the Shi'a, who have been dealing with these folks for hundreds of years, to do it. We can lend support through expert advice or money, but the use of our military in Iraq is not wise." Hackett also criticized fellow Democrat John Murtha for accusing Marines of war crimes in Haditha, Iraq. "Young Americans were doing their best to make the best decision in a bad situation, and it was not cold-blooded murder. Congressman Murtha is off base and ill-informed about what took place. Nobody elected him to be the prosecutor, the judge, and the jury in this matter." |
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Guest: Col. Michael Bumgartner
During The Factor's exclusive visit to the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, head jailer Colonel Michael Bumgarner described the camp's detainees. "These folks hate us, they hate Americans. I see that look in their eyes, and it is a crazed look. Make no mistake about it, they will cut your throat in a heartbeat." Bumgarner added that prisoners are well organized, and trying to win in the court of public opinion. "They want to stay in the media's eye, and the way they do it is by hunger strikes that get headlines, and by violence against guards. These are not good guys, and I stake my reputation on that." |
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Guest: Author Jim Wallis
A group of religious leaders has taken out an ad urging America to "abolish torture now - without exception," and Rev. Jim Wallis explained why he endorsed the petition. "There are allegations about the use of torture at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and secret prisons in Europe. We are American religious leaders, and the soul of America is at stake here. We believe torture is a moral and religious issue, not a political one." The Factor's argued that the ad falsely implies that the US systematically employs torture. "I don't want torture, but an ad like this tells the world that America is sanctioning torture. And in my experience, that is not true. I'm appealing to you to be fair to your own country, which is not too much to ask." |
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Guests: Plaintiff Wendy Ortiz & attorney Luis Carrillo
Some Mexican-Americans have accused the Border Patrol of singling them out for harsh treatment. The Factor was joined by 12-year old Wendy Ortiz - after her family was pulled over in California, her mother was deported and Wendy is now living with an aunt. The family's attorney Luis Carillo called the action unjust and un-American. "The Border Patrol should be on the border protecting the country from drug smugglers, but they were engaging in an operation where they were only stopping vehicles with Latino occupants. Our Constitution protects people from random stops based on ethnicity." The Factor defended the Border Patrol's motives, but also sympathized with Wendy and her two brothers. "The Border Patrol is trying to stop the chaotic situation, but we don't want kids like Wendy and her brothers to get hurt. If there is anything we can do to reunite the family, we'll try to do it." |
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Guest: Radio host Laura Ingraham
After the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, President Bush's approval ratings got a slight bump, but remain low. Radio host Laura Ingraham asserted that some Democrats and their media allies refuse to acknowledge any good news in Iraq. "This should have been a moment when the country came together. But there are not a lot of Democrats who unequivocally said it was great news that we got this bloodthirsty killer who was sawing people's heads off. There is an angry core of the Democratic Party that really believes that if America went away tomorrow the world will be a better place." The Factor delineated the difference between mainstream Democrats and the far left. "The Democrats need bad news in Iraq to win the Senate and House in the fall. The better things get in Iraq, the harder time they'll have winning the elections. But the second component is the component that wants us to lose in Iraq, the Air America crowd." |
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Guest: Author Bernard Goldberg
Bernard Goldberg, author of "Bias" and other books that skewered the liberal elite, weighed in on the controversy surrounding Ann Coulter. "I agree with a lot of what Ann Coulter says," Goldberg declared. "I agree that people make liberalism a religion because it allows them to be morally superior, and I agree that they trot all sorts of people who are victims. But the difference is that Ann goes 22 miles over the line, and I think Ann hurts her team because it gives liberals the opening to say, 'you see, that's how they all are.' So the only place we disagree is that I attempt to be reasonable, while she loves to stick her thumb in the eyes of people on the left." The Factor agreed that Coulter's vitriol harms her own cause. "When you start to say to someone that you are enjoying your husband's death, that's needlessly cruel. The other side does that all the time, but I have to be consistent. If I'm going to go after the other side, then when the Coulter side does it I have to go after them as well." |
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Your e-mails overwhelmingly dealt with the exclusive report from Guantanamo Bay. Some excerpts:
Sam Haraway, Colorado Springs, CO: "Bill, by simply dismissing allegations of torture at Guantanamo, you have not provided a convincing argument which supports your point of view."
Tim, CA: "I was an interrogator at Gitmo, and it's about time a news program gave a fair portrayal of how the camp is run. Thanks for doing that, Bill."
Dr. Terrence Lauerman, De Pere, WI: "O'Reilly, your defense of the indefensible shows just how out of touch you really are."
Scott Hicks, Northfield, NJ: "As a veteran, I applaud your coverage of the military in a time of war. You have pointed out the mistakes but have never made baseless accusations. You are indeed looking out for the troops, Bill."
Frank Bodden, Carlsbad, CA: "Bill, your statement that you saw no signs of torture at Gitmo knocked me out of my chair. Do you really believe the military would let you see that?"
Ron Strah, Cleveland, OH: "Bill, I don't speak Arabic, but I believe the detainee that was yelling at you wanted a 'No Spin' mug." |
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