Guests: New York State Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat

"President Bush will meet with Senate Republicans to try and convince them to compromise on illegal immigration, and I hope the president is successful. There are two extreme views that have to be knocked out of the box before any fair legislation can be passed. The first extreme position is personal - some Americans object to mainstreaming illegal immigrants because they don't like Hispanics. The second extreme comes from Senators Edward Kennedy and Harry Reid, two powerful Democrats. Kennedy wants some illegal immigrants who have committed crimes while in the USA to stay. That is truly insane! Senator Reid believes if you cross the border illegally, that makes you an American, even referring to illegals as 'undocumented Americans.' Last Friday Talking Points put forth the no-spin immigration plan, which is one page long. I believe most Americans want the following - a secure border and illegal alien registration so the feds know who's here and what they're doing, and punishment for business people who hire illegal immigrants. After that, I believe most Americans would accept a case-by-case evaluation of those here illegally. So let's stop the nonsense. Isolate the extremists and pass a strong bill that protects Americans, helps the economy, and is humane. It can be done."

For more on the issue, The Factor welcomed New York State Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat, who said "undocumented American" is an appropriate description. "Once you step on American soil," Espaillat declared, "there is due process. There are rights and privileges granted to all of us by the Constitution, which makes us a great country." Espaillat also argued that building a fence is unnecessary and immoral. "We have infrared equipment, satellites, and we should have more Border Patrol. But a 700-mile wall is overkill. The wall sends the wrong message." The Factor disputed Espaillat's depiction of illegals. "You say that everyone who sneaks in here becomes an 'undocumented American.' That's nuts and it denigrates all of us who are Americans, either by birth or by following legal procedures."

News Link: Immigration Update

Guests: Fox News analysts Michelle Malkin & Kirsten Powers

After last week's Republican presidential debate, NBC's Andrea Mitchell said this about the candidates: "They just played to the base, they said 'let's torture.' They didn't say that literally, but that was the subliminal message." Fox News analyst Malkin expressed her total lack of surprise. "This is a fairly typical example of the hard-left, knee-jerk liberalism in the mainstream media. I actually worked for NBC News many years ago and got to see this up close. I saw and heard a lot of the blatant assumptions that conservatives were evil and stupid." But FNC's Kirsten Powers defended Andrea Mitchell's description. "Her characterization was accurate. There was a general vibe that they were all trying to act tough, trying to out-tough each other." The Factor responded by taking Powers to the proverbial woodshed. "So you believe that all the Republican candidates want to torture each other? That's what Andrea Mitchell said! How can anyone trust an organization where the reporters are so obviously tilted to the left?"

News Link: NBC's Andrea Mitchell says GOP base likes torture

Michelle Malkin and Kirsten Powers returned to analyze a new poll showing that most Americans believe gay Americans should be able to serve openly in the military. The Factor asked both women why this issue is resurfacing. "We are having trouble recruiting people," Powers responded, "yet we're kicking people out of the military, You have generals coming out and saying it's time to look at this policy again. I don't think sexual orientation matters - we should look at their conduct." Malkin added that media bias is another factor in the story's re-emergence. "There is an agenda on the part of some in the media to exploit this because it's a wedge issue. What they're trying to do is drive a wedge among the Republicans running for president." The Factor questioned whether any policy change is needed. "I've always said 'don't ask, don't tell' works because you don't want disruption in the barracks. And if there is an openly gay man in the barracks, it could cause disruption."

News Link: Public more accepting of gays in military

Guest: Rev. Al Sharpton

Paris Hilton spoke with ABC's Barbara Walters by phone, admitting that she has behaved badly in the past, while claiming a newfound spirituality. The Factor was joined by Rev. Al Sharpton, who has been vocal about the heiress's preferential treatment. "I am interested in fairness," Sharpton pronounced. "Beyond Paris Hilton, we have to deal with how the system deals with ordinary citizens. And clearly there's an economic and race element here that permeates the country." The Factor agreed that all should be treated equally, but disputed the idea that race is a major factor. "Snoop Dogg, the thug rapper, has been arrested eleven times for drugs, guns, assault. By any measure he should be in the penitentiary, but he's not because he's a rapper. I don't think this is a racial thing in L.A., I think it's a celebrity thing."

News Link: Paris dishes to Barbara Walters

Guests: Authors Jeff Gerth & Don Van Natta

Jeff Gerth and Don Van Natta have written a new book detailing Hillary Clinton's past ethical lapses. Both men portrayed Senator Clinton as ruthless, but not ideological. "She's paid more attention to power than to ideology," Gerth claimed. "She's re-written her own history, she's played fast and loose with the facts in terms of her own record. She's actually trying to pretend she was against the war before she voted for it." Van Natta agreed that Hillary Clinton has taken some dubious steps on her road to influence. "She started as an idealist, and now she's really a poll-driven pragmatist. We have new information in this book, and it's the book Senator Clinton doesn't want you to read." The Factor pointed out that far left web sites such as Media Matters have been savaging Gerth and Van Natta. "You guys have been attacked, and it takes the heat off me. For a couple of days I didn't lead that despicable web site."

News Link: The latest Hillary book

Featured Book: Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Jeff Gerth & Don Van Natta

Guests: Steve Doocy & Martha MacCallum

Steve Doocy and Martha MacCallum returned for their weekly shootout in the Great American Culture Quiz. The Factor gave five questions, including these: "Vice President Spiro Agnew, who resigned because of corruption, came from what state?" ... "Who is James Bond's American CIA friend who occasionally helps him out?" Both Doocy and MacCallum answered four of five correctly, finishing in a tie for the third consecutive week. Fans of the Great American Culture Quiz may soon be clamoring for a sudden death playoff.

Many of you wrote about The Factor's no-spin immigration proposal. Some excerpts:

Debbie Walker, Pennsville, NJ: "Bill, your immigration plan is brilliant and would work. Therefore, our government will never use it."

Robert Ciardelli, Colchester, VT: "Mr. O'Reilly, you continue to throw the 'round 'em up and deport 'em' red herring around. Common sense tells us this is impossible."

Lawrence Crouch, Knoxville, TN: "Bill, you miss the boat on the 12 million illegals. Deporting them can be done."

Jim Martin, Alamo, CA: "Michelle Malkin is right. All illegals should be reported to the authorities because they are lawbreakers just like thieves."