It is one of their "own." The MSM has given O'Reilly full recognition as one of their own, therefore he is immune to scrutiny. If we, the thinking American public, are to give him a pass on his serial sexual harassment/intimidation behavior then we might as well just give up. Not to mention the portion of the Mackris complaint that more than implied that O'Reilly had direct connection through Ailes to the White House and then he made that threat about Al Franken getting it out the blue someday.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1013043mackris12.html Is that not information you'd want to know more of? I do. Especially in light of Armstrong Williams' paycheck to promote NCLB. How much influence is this administration exerting on the news media? That's a question I'd like one of the MSM types to cover.
The favorite icon of those in America who believe their moral judgment is superior to mine is Bill Clinton. Remember after he settled his sexual lawsuit with Paula Jones the MSM, especially those on Fox, hounded him until charges were brought and Clinton was drummed out of the Arkansas Bar for his lie. So why aren't the standards they prefer, since ours aren't up to their standards, being applied to their own. Why aren't unsolved questions concerning this sexual complaint demanding the same amount of moral outrage from them? Why isn't Bill O'Reilly being drummed off television for his sexual life? Why is it "okay" when a Republican sexually harasses a woman? Is it just because they are so scared of their masculinity that they don't want to confront their own misogynistic attitudes? Or their racial ones? Why can Jason Blair and Armstrong Williams be held accountable when they are caught, yet people like O'Reilly get to lie their asses of every day and not be held accountable? I mean, they ran off Pee-Wee the air for doing what a lot of men do when they watch porn in theaters. I'd be willing to bet that more men engage in Pee-Wee's behavior than O'Reilly's preferred method.
So, if we can't hold one of theirs up to
their standards why do we allow them to do it to someone who disagrees with them? If we can make one of them accountable for serial sexual harassment when will we be able to hold the "legitimate" MSM news organizations up to scrutiny for their bad behavior in reporting the news?
The MSM, in their emphasis on ratings rather than content and reliability have tacitly acknowledged that Bill is one of their own and he is a superstar. We need news people, journalists not ratings winner.
Let's face it, CNN and MSNBC both failed in their attempts to overtake him in the media with more news oriented shows. Instead of covering stories that mattered, CNN went with the typical Big Three network spin. Remember Connie Chung's show? It was geared more to compete with the "60 Minute"-type shows with their usual fare of "outrage of the week" or the "gotcha" stories than doing anything of substance. How many times can you interview some second cousin of Elizabeth Smart before the sexually repressed Republicans gravitate back to O'Reilly's "the Gays are taking over Disneyland" story for their real gratification.
If we want them to understand where we're coming from they need to begin to realize what their crowned princes are up to. It is only because O'Reilly has ratings that the MSM give him a pass. If his show ratings were down they'd turn on him. He'd be the joke of the day, sort of like Tucker was (still is) for a while.
The media has a tendency to look the other way when the person at the center of a scandal, especially one involving sex, is a Republican. There's an old adage that says "Sex sales," but the rest of the sentence should read, "but only if the target is a member of the Democratic Party." If O'Reilly was a good Democrat then they would be all over it. Look at what they've done to Jerry Springer. Scoff if you want, he's political astute, intelligent and well-spoken. If you think I'm wrong compare the level of scrutiny and length of the scrutiny given to sex scandals of prominent Democratic leaders as opposed to Republican leaders.
Names like Clinton, Kennedy, Hart and Condit stayed in the news for weeks (and in some cases years) while the tabloid press and then the MSM looked for every shred of sexual impropriety or taint. Most often the more a target refuses to comment, the more ravenous the press gets. On the other hand, politicians like Henry Hyde, Schwarzenegger, Gingrich and Strom are quickly forgiven for their transgressions and their trespasses are soon forgotten. Remember the big brouhaha surrounding Jennifer Fitzgerald and the allegations that she and Poppy were more than friends? Poppy trotted out the whole family in front of the cameras (even his mom in a wheelchair) to try to stop the press from asking about it. The one reporter, I think she was from CNN, back when CNN had reporters with some spine, got admonished by her colleagues for asking such a question. Yet a few years later they took turns asking about Bill's dalliances. But according to the rules, the bigger the Republican hypocrite you turn out to be, the quicker your get your free pass.
I'd like to compare O'Reilly to a Democratic host but none come to mind. The so-called liberal or Democratic pundits usually have their own dog in the hunt, so to speak, and don't speak from the same set of regimented talking points like the Republicans do. Carville and Begala will stick their necks out for the Clintons but will concede factually loose points or hem & haw if the target of Republican scrutiny is another Democrat, especially if it is someone whom the Clintons don't like.
The media also looks the other way when the person at the center of the scandal is a white male. If O'Reilly were a minority you can bet your bottom dollar that the MSM would be all over it. Look what they did to Jason Blair. They held his feet to the fire. Heck, they'll even let the press feed on another Republican if he is a minority. Look at how Armstrong Williams finally got his comeuppance. Of course, the MSM did let him get away with that 50 count sexual harassment lawsuit filed back in 1997 by his male assistant. So, maybe O'Reilly is getting a pass because its the first time.
At the same time, the MSM steadfastly refuses to hold any of their own accountable. It refuses to acknowledge the hatchet jobs people like Karen Tumulty, CiCi Connolly and Kathryne Seelye spread during the 2000 election. As misogynistic as Republicans are they
are willing to let women lie on their behalf every chance they get hence the "popularity" of Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham.
In addition, if you are a white male who has been caught in a scandal there is always room for you to become a pundit at Fox News. Look at Dick "toe sucker-secret teller" Morris or Ollie "the treasonous bastard" North, they were welcomed at Fox News because they tow the Republican line. The bigger the liar, the more welcomed you are. And if you are willing to lie big the MSM will reward you with your own show, as well as any other amenity they can give you to cut you off from real America. But then O'Reilly already is a big liar with his own show.
But beware, don't try to go from "liar" to "truth teller," otherwise your name becomes mud and then the MSM will do everything they can to belittle you. Compare the treatment given to David Brock's "Blinded by the Right" to anything that Dick Morris has pulled out of his ass. You can go from "left to right" but never try to go "right to left."
So, for me, the bottom line is they've got a hypocritical, lying bastard who can do and say whatever he wants and never be held accountable and that's okay with you? I don't think so. He's sexually harassing women! He's a sexual predator. He's not any better than a child molester. He uses sex as a weapon and gets off on it. Why is he given a pass?
He's epitomizes what is wrong with the media today and we don't stand a chance to take back our country unless we start holding the media accountable. Clinton received sexual favors for which our country has suffered. Why? Because they found a hook for the non-thinking, rapture at any moment, fundies so they could pull them in. In the meantime, our Democratic leadership caught a sudden case of Loopner's Disease and instead of standing firm and giving blind allegiance to their leader they let the Republicans take over. Hell, they rushed to condemn him. Concurrently the GOP gained a foothold in both radio and television with Rush and this freak O'Reilly by playing up to the "National Enquirer" reading types. The more the sex they could attach to their new Kennedy, Bill Clinton, the more their ratings went up.
It is time to give them a taste of their own medicine. It is the only way things are going to change.
FREE PEE-WEE!