The Factor Rundown
Fridays with Geraldo Segment
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Sen. Larry Craig and selfishness
"What do Marion Jones and Senator Larry Craig have in common? They're both selfish. First, the Olympian. At the Sydney games of 2000 Ms. Jones won three gold medals and two bronze in the track competition. But over the years suspicions grew about drug use, which she flatly denied. Now Marion Jones says she did indeed use illegal drugs to enhance her performance. Think about the other athletes whom she beat. They suffered greatly to get in shape to compete at that level, and they were cheated by Jones. And then there's Senator Craig. A month ago he said he'd resign, but now he's changed his mind. Why? The country is not better for having Craig in the Senate, that's for sure. What drives both Ms. Jones and the senator is selfishness. Jones wanted fame and money, Craig wants to keep his power. Every human being does bad things, but there comes a time to own up and right the wrongs. But Americans aren't taught that anymore in school and the media glorifies greed. Selfishness harms a person and a nation. The cases of Marion Jones and Larry Craig prove that beyond a reasonable doubt."
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NBC and the Democratic Party
At an event in Washington, MSNBC host Chris Matthews accused the Bush administration of "criminality" and said that if Dick Cheney were in charge during the Cuban Missile Crisis, "we would all be living under a parking lot." Reporter Patrick Gavin, who was in attendance during Matthews' outburst, described what happened. "He took the microphone and said 'I'm going to make some news tonight,' and he certainly did. He seemed to relish the fact that things didn't turn out so well for Bush, Cheney and Scooter Libby. This stunned a lot of people in the crowd." But Democrat strategist Julie Roginsky dismissed the remarks as predictable. "I don't think Chris Matthews' opinions are a secret to anybody. He's not a journalist per se, but an opinion maker. And his opinions may be more in line with the Democratic Party." The Factor suggested that Matthews fits a pattern at NBC. "NBC is obviously rooting for the Democrats, and this is the first time in history that NBC News is giving an advantage to a political party."
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Investigation into Gotbaum death continues
45-year old Carol Anne Gotbaum, who became unhinged when she missed her flight at the Phoenix airport, died after being handcuffed and put in a holding room. She was reportedly en route to a detox center, and psychiatrist Keith Ablow asserted that Gotbaum may have required special care. "The police should have contained her," Ablow said, "which they did. But they also should have monitored her. You have to watch folks who are acting crazy because they may have a psychological illness, and you have to do a psychiatric evaluation. The restraint system they used wouldn't have passed muster in an emergency room, and it shouldn't have been used here. If someone is gesticulating wildly, call a medical professional."
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Tony Snow in the No Spin Zone
The Factor next welcomed Tony Snow, who recently stepped down as White House spokesman. Snow provided an update on his fight against cancer. "I'm feeling great. The cancer is in remission, but I'm still on chemotherapy. Five days a week I take a chemical that's designed to go strictly after colon cancer." Snow also discussed his future plans, saying "I'm going to do a lot of speeches and I'm going to do a book about how you deal with something like cancer." The Factor quipped that Snow could combine both his recent ordeals. "You could do a book about dealing with cancer and the White House press corps. They're both insidious and invasive." Jokes aside, The Factor closed with a tribute to Tony Snow. "We wish you the best and we hope you come back to Fox News. I'm glad you're feeling well."
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Natalee Holloway death still unsolved
More than two years after Natalee Holloway's disappearance in Aruba, her mother Beth has written a book about the case and her own experiences. "I want to give other parents," Holloway told The Factor, "the benefits of what I learned about being involved in a crisis in a foreign country. Everyone should investigate where they're going before they go there." The Factor reported that FBI officials now believe Natalee died of an overdose, after which someone ditched her body in the ocean. Beth Holloway was unsurprised: "We've always been concerned that drugs were involved in this, maybe that someone slipped something in her drink. What I'm really bitter about is that Aruba didn't allow valuable resources to be used."
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Protecting the kids
The Factor was joined by Geraldo Rivera, who opined on the custody battle involving the two infant daughters of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. Rivera reluctantly agreed with the judge who sided with Federline. "You have to be Solomon and choose the path of the least grave danger, and in this case it is this loser Federline. Britney Spears, in addition to perhaps being drug and alcohol addled, is going through an extremely selfish phase and is putting herself ahead of her children." Turning to a far more troubling situation in Nevada, The Factor brought up the case of Chester Stiles, a sex offender who allegedly raped a 3-year old girl in a house he shared with other people. "The big problem now is finding Stiles," Rivera reported. "He's a survivalist and a former Navy Seal who can exist in the wild. I think they'll bring him to justice, and I want to know exactly what his girlfriend knew. Her story stinks to high heaven." The Factor vowed to pursue this case until everyone involved is apprehended. "I'm telling Nevada authorities right now that I am not letting this go. Anyone aiding and abetting this crime has to be charged."
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American TV Icon: Double header
Finally, The Factor aired interviews with two "TV Icons" that were originally conducted in 1997. Donnie Osmond looked back at his child stardom with mixed emotions. "When I was 13 I was having hit records and I was touring, going from one project to another. I wanted the hype and success Michael Jackson had, but in hindsight I'm glad I had the hard times I had in the 80's. It makes me appreciate my success even more." Another child star, David Cassidy of "The Partridge Family," spoke about the difficult transition to adulthood. "For an actor, being a 'teen idol' is the most difficult label. A few entertainers before me had succeeded, but very few had success, but not many. It was very difficult for people to separate me from my TV character."
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Who's helping, and who's hurting?
Friday's Patriot: Perhaps Senator Barack Obama, who has apparently entered the "no pin" zone. Obama says he will no longer wear a flag in his lapel, choosing instead to "tell the American people what I believe will make this country great." The Factor invited viewers to decide whether Senator Obama's move qualifies him as a pinhead or a patriot. You can vote here on BillOreilly.Com. And the Pinhead: NBC's "The Bionic Woman," whose ratings suffered an historic drop after the first episode.
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Viewers Sound Off
Many of you wrote about the "Desperate Housewives" character whose comment was perceived by some as anti-Filipino. Some exceprts:
Linda Zirnite, Chicago, IL: "For ABC to apologize to Filipinos is politically correct madness. Where does it say in the Constitution that people have a right not to be offended?"
Rafman Crosby, Baskerville, VA: "Bill, your Filipino guest said some Southerners don't know about the Philippines. I demand an apology and a scholarship fund."
Other viewers weighed in on the Syracuse University professor who insulted Juan Williams.
John Heritage, San Antonio, TX: "If a white guy at Syracuse University had called Juan Williams a 'happy Negro,' Sharpton and Jackson would be on the first flight up there."
Jane Couwenhoven, Clovis, CA: "It was definitely a racial slur and I admire Juan for standing up to the character who made it."
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