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Bill reports from Faneuil Hall in Boston. |
| On The O'Reilly Factor...
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| 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: Gov. Mitt Romney
In lieu of a Talking Points memo, The Factor began by interviewing Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Some excerpts from the conversation:
O'REILLY: Do you want to be President?
ROMNEY: I don't think anybody wants to take on the problems of America, but I think anybody who would think about it would consider it a real honor.
O'REILLY: So many people around the world hate America. Do you know why that is?
ROMNEY: America stands for something and people have misunderstood what our motives are. They haven't recognized the threat which is faced in the civilized world from the extreme, violent jihadists. I think as time is going on people recognize that this is not just a group of whackos in the hills of Pakistan that wants to set off an occasional bomb. It is a group that intends on bringing down civilization and replacing our governments and our freedom with a caliphate, a religious leader. That realization is bringing people back to President Bush and bringing people around the world the recognition that we have to stand together against this radical extreme.
O'REILLY: More than 60 percent of Americans feel President Bush is screwing up Iraq and has no plan. Do you have a plan for Iraq?
ROMNEY: I wouldn't presume to present a plan different from that of the President. But I believe he was right to take on the war on terror on an aggressive front rather than a defensive front. We toppled the government ... walking away would mean a humanitarian disaster. We're there and we have a responsibility to finish the job.
O'REILLY: Would you build a wall between Mexico and the United States and would you put the National Guard on the border?
ROMNEY: Absolutely. We'd put the National Guard there because we don't have the wall yet. You have to have a wall or a fence or electronic surveillance. And you have to have a tamper-proof document to make sure that people who are here are aliens are identified and registered, and people can not hire them unless they're here legally. |
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Guest: Samantha Power, Harvard University
President Bush spoke at the United Nations Tuesday, challenging the organization to deal with genocide in Sudan. Harvard University's Samantha Power explained why many liberals - including many who vehemently opposed the invasion of Iraq - favor a military intervention in Darfur. "Favoring a multilateral UN force in Darfur is in keeping with the consensus that has been reflected on the Security Council. If Sudan accepts a UN force, it will not go in against Sudanese will and it will not be bloody." The Factor denounced the UN for its impotence. "In the beginning of the Iraq war, President Bush pleaded with the UN to enforce the 17 mandates against Iraq, and the UN turned its back. It's almost identical now - the United Nations is impotent in Darfur. I believe the Darfur is an evil situation, and the Sudanese government should be taken apart, but the UN turns its back." |
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Guest: Media analyst Bernard Goldberg
NBC has announced it will air video of Madonna's concert tour in which she is "crucified" on a huge cross. Author and former CBS correspondent Bernard Goldberg cited this as one more example of the media's hostility toward Christianity. "Just when you think you can have no more contempt for television executives, they give you more ammunition. These are people who like to think they're cutting edge and courageous. But there's nothing courageous about bashing Christians, who are the only group in our entire culture who are fair game. NBC would not put those Muslim cartoons on the air because they wanted to show 'respect' to Muslims." The Factor questioned whether NBC's strategy will pay off. "This could go either way - Madonna could get big ratings, or Christian groups could mobilize and organize a boycott." |
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Guest: Joe McQuaid, New Hampshire Union-Leader
The New Hampshire Union-Leader has published an editorial harshly critical of Senator John McCain's opposition to coerced interrogation. The paper's publisher Joe McQuaid declared that McCain has hurt himself politically. "I don't understand his rationale. He is walking a fine line with conservatives as it is - he's not really well trusted among conservatives." McQuaid also commented on his state's belated decision to adopt a version of Jessica's Law. "We have a 25-year minimum for child molesters unless the judge puts it in writing as to why it should be anything less. I will give you credit because of the public uproar." The Factor returned the compliment. "Part of the reason I do this program is to protect children. Your paper got behind this and the governor did the right thing. Massachusetts doesn't have it, Maine doesn't have it, Vermont doesn't have it. You guys are the stars of New England." |
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Guests: Attorneys Wendy Murphy & Jeffrey Nathan
Massachusetts teacher David Berglund has been arrested for possessing more than 10,000 pornographic photos of young boys. Berglund's attorney Jeffrey Nathan told The Factor that his client does not deserve serious jail time. "I'd give him 90 days to six months, to be followed by ten years of supervised release. I'd make sure he stays away from children and playgrounds and parks. This is a mental illness and jail is not the answer. I feel sorry for this guy." The Factor took issue with Nathan's sympathy. "You feel sorry for this guy? He had 10,000 pictures of kids being abused! The kids were abused for his enjoyment." Finally, attorney Wendy Murphy argued for a harsh sentence. "We're talking about photography of whips and torture with very little boys, and little kids suffer terribly to make this stuff. People who use kiddie porn almost always rape children. I'd give this guy ten years." |
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Guests: Australian reporter Anna Coren
Australians turned out en mass to celebrate the life of the late "croc hunter" Steve Irwin. Australian reporter Anna Coren explained the national outpouring of affection. "Steve Irwin was just loveable. As one fan said, it was like a loss in the family. He was larger life, but people related to him and his enthusiasm. People loved listening to him, and he was such a genuine guy." The Factor pointed to the obvious bond between Irwin and his countrymen. "Very few people here in America could command that kind of sorrow. Australia's very close to nature and I think that was part of the connection. He was a person of nature." |
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