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.
Friday, November 3, 2006
The Factor Rundown
Talking Points Memo & Top Story
Top Story II
Personal Story Segment
Impact Segment
Fridays with Geraldo Segment
American TV Icons Segment
Factor Mail
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Killing babies in America
Guest: Amy Richards, Third Wave Foundation

"For more than a year, The Factor has been investigating Dr. George Tiller of Kansas. For $5000, Tiller, the Baby Killer, as some call him, will perform a late-term abortion for just about any reason. In Kansas, the law says that abortions are legal after 22 weeks when a baby in the womb becomes viable, only if there is "irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman." Now that's a pretty high bar. But there is the mental health exception. And that is where Dr. Tiller lives. "The Factor" has learned that in Kansas, a mental health exception can be just about anything. However, we needed to prove that. So we tried to get Tiller's records. We could not. He cited patient confidentiality. And month after month, we were frustrated. But now, "The Factor" has evidence that indicates Tiller killed late-term fetuses by citing temporary depression on the part of the mother. That was the reason Tiller performed scores, perhaps thousands of late-term abortions. In the state of Kansas, there is a doctor, George Tiller, who will execute babies for $5,000 if the mother is depressed. And there are rapists impregnating 10-year-olds who are being protected by abortion clinics. It doesn't get worse than that. This is the absolute shame of America."

The Factor spoke with Amy Richards, co-founder of the Third Wave Foundation, a feminist group. Richard's defended Tiller's practice: "I support Dr. Tiller's decision as a trained medical profession to make the decision that is going to be best for me or any other women who would be in a situation that would be seeking out his services. He's in the business to protect women's lives." The Factor said, "So what I'm taking from this is you are OK with Dr. Tiller, a man you admire, executing babies about to be born because the mother says she's depressed? You're OK with that?" Richards said that, "Doctors who perform these abortions in this country are allowed to take into consideration, given their medical expertise and their medical training, there exceptions that are necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother." The Factor was incredulous: "You're OK with some woman being depressed executing her child hours before it's born. I am shocked. I am shocked. You might want to get into the real world and drop the theory, when we're talking about dead babies."
Kansas AG Phill Kline on Tiller
Guests: Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline

The Factor discussed the problem in Kansas of child rape going unreported with Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline. "I think it's an absurdity to argue that the privacy of the child, which has already been violated by a rapist, prohibits law enforcement after they present evidence to a judge, which is what happened in all of these cases. And the judge found probable cause to believe that crimes had been committed and subpoenas records, somehow that they cannot reveal that information. And the child rapist is able to go free." The Factor wondered how local media could attack Kline for trying to obtain the records of underage girls who had abortions in order to prosecute the rapists. "So what we have here is a horrendous, horrendous situation in the state of Kansas. Now The Kansas City Star and The Wichita Eagle oppose you, have attacked you, are asking for you to be defeated. And I am stunned, because you want to stop these two situations. And I guess these newspapers are fine with it."
Pastor accused of gay sex & drug use
Guest: Craig Silverman, KHOW

The Factor discussed the controversy surrounding evangelical Christian leader Reverend Ted Haggard of Colorado, who is taking a leave of absence from his church after being accused by a male prostitute of gay sex and buying drugs from the man. He denies to the gay sex part, but says he did purchase some methamphetamine. Denver radio host Craig Silverman, described the story and the latest details: "The male escort, Mike Jones, claims he came forward because he did not like the hypocrisy. Here in Colorado on Tuesday we have a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. He said he came forward to make a point on that. But today, it was revealed he took a polygraph this morning. And the polygraph examiner announced he failed. He was deceptive when he said he had sexual contact with Pastor Haggard. So it's a very confusing situation." The Factor argued that Haggard was finished regardless: "When you're the leader and the president of an evangelical movement, and you admit that you bought methamphetamine, and that you're hanging with a guy like this, and that you're using an alias, it really doesn't matter what happened, does it?" Silverman said that from a law enforcement standpoint, it did matter: "It does matter because Pastor Haggard has turned a possible sexual indiscretion into a felony controlled substance investigation. We have a big methamphetamine problem out here. And given his acknowledgment that he was trying and indeed may have purchased methamphetamine, even if he didn't use it, the Denver police are going to have to look in to it."
Sweep arrests hundreds of sex offenders
Guest: Attorney Ian Friedman

The Factor discussed Operation Falcon: "A massive federal operation against sex offenders has resulted in the arrests of more than 1600 people, many of whom are considered dangerous to children. Operation Falcon 3 has been helped by a new federal law that requires law enforcement to work together on a state, local, and federal level to arrest sex offenders." Criminal defense attorney Ian Friedman supported that operation but disagrees with the Factor's backing of Jessica's Law: "Operation Falcon, going out and rounding up all these sex offenders, it's fine. However, what happens after that? I do oppose any attempt to impose a mandatory minimum sentence. And I'll tell you why. Because I think that it takes away the discretion of the courts." The Factor disagreed: "Look, you have to balance the protection of children against these terrible people. And if they're convicted of raping a child or brutalizing a child, felony sexual battery, they've got to go away for 25 years." Friedman continued to plead his case for the court's plan: "I think the balancing test is there -- as long as we are following this system and making sure that those people get a fair trial along the way, the discretion is to the judge." The Factor was not convinced: "Not for me. You rape a child, you have -- you brutalize a child in a sexual manner, ruining that child, you go for 25."
Geraldo confronts skinheads
Guest: Geraldo Rivera

Geraldo and the Factor discussed hate crimes in the USA. Geraldo said, "Hate crimes still often not prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I think it's a problem, we should not lose focus of the fact that we have plenty of people right here, home born, homegrown who commit crimes because of prejudice." The Factor said, "Yes, but they're not dangerous like al Qaeda is. I mean it doesn't look to me like they're planting bombs. These are thugs who go out and get drunk and look for somebody to beat up. Of course, they should be prosecuted, but I wouldn't put it on the same level as the people we're facing who want to, you know, take out New York City with a nuke, would you?" Geraldo said, "Well, no, of course not. But listen, the individual crimes that keep us frightened, that perpetrate terror on an individual basis. We can't lose sight of the fact that we have them." Geraldo also pitched a plan for President Bush to save a little face on Iraq: President Bush can save his party the Senate by saying this: 'All right, we call on the Iraqi people to hold an election. The election is only on a single issue. It's a one-issue referendum. Do you want the United States of America's military force to stay in your country, yes or no?'" The Factor responded, "You're living in the Land of Oz there. Even if they said they wanted us to stay, the dissenters of the war would say, "Hey, it's our guys getting killed." Geraldo countered: "But at least it's a plan. Bush says we want the Iraqis to vote. We want them to vote now."
Charlie's Angel Jaclyn Smith
Guest: Actress Jaclyn Smith

The Factor asked former Charlie's Angels star Jaclyn Smith, "At the height of the mania of 'Charlie's Angels' when you were getting thousands of letters and people, did it ever turn your head? Did you ever lose touch with reality?" Smith said, "No. I think, you know, I was pretty grounded. I mean, I don't mean to sound like some perfect individual. We all lose it, and we all have our moments. But what's real in life to me and what's really important isn't, you know, in front of camera." The Factor thanked Ms. Smith. "You are a true TV icon. But you're also a genuine person, and which is why I wanted you on tonight, Ms. Smith. And we wish you the best in everything you do."
Viewers sound off
Factor Words of the Day
Lots of letters about the high school kid who attends a predominantly Jewish school who dressed up like Hitler on Halloween:

Leigh Husok, Chino, CA: "Bill, I think you should give the kid a break. He is no more offensive to people than someone in a devil's costume."

Piyush Upediyay, Overland Park, KS: "I think the kid's mother is more responsible than he is. One can't just do anything in the name of artistic freedom."

Rick Dunkin, Chicago, IL: "Bill, you offend secular-progressives daily. Should we lock you away in the principal's office?"

Robert DiGiambattista, New Milford, PA: "Mr. O, are you a new member of the PC police? Lighten up."