"Obama to do pre-Super Bowl interview with Fox's O'Reilly"

[Clio the Leo]

Obama to do pre-Super Bowl interview with Fox's O'Reilly
By Michael O'Brien - 01/06/11 03:45 PM ET

President Obama will sit down with Fox News host Bill O'Reilly in an interview set to air on Super Bowl Sunday.

A Fox News spokeswoman confirmed reports that the president would sit down with the conservative pundit for a pre-game interview before the Super Bowl on the Fox broadcast network.

The sit-down will be a moment of outreach between Obama and the network, which his administration has clashed with during the past two years over the network's coverage of the White House.

It's also the second straight year Obama will use one of the most watched television events of the year to advance his message. He sat down last year with Katie Couric on CBS, the network that hosted the NFL championship game, which took place during the height of the healthcare battles in Congress.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/136479-obama-to-do-pre-super-bowl-interview-with-foxs-oreilly

[Nancy Waterman]

1. O'Reiley is like a steamroller in an interview

It will be a miracle if he lets the president answer a question fully.

[Clio the Leo]

14. Did you see their interview in '08?

The President more than held his own. O'Reilly tried to cut him off several times and he ....... THE HAND! lol .... Obama wouldn't let him. "Now, now now, now wait a minute Bill..."

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Let me guess

Obama will say that we have to be responsible adults, and that the extremists are unhelpful.

And then he'll cut Social Security.

[ProSense]

6. "And then he'll cut Social Security." Yup,

that's a guess.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Are you ready to bet $20 on it yet?

Easy money for you, no?

[ProSense]

9. Will it

ever become apparent that this doesn't work?

[MannyGoldstein]

10. That *what* doesn't work?

Thanks.

Night-night.

[boppers]

42. I'm willing to bet 20 bucks on it, depending on terms.

1. Is lack of a COLA increase a cut?
2. Is changing eligibility ages a cut?
3. Is means testing a cut?
4. Is fraud reduction a cut?

What constitutes a "cut"?

[RaleighNCDUer]

44. what constitutes a cut?

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
4. In my entire life I've never heard any claims of fraud against SS, other than criminals who don't report someone dying so they can cash their checks. And, please think about it, eliminating such fraud would not be a cut by anybody's reckoning because it doesn't touch anybody's legitimate payments while at the same time preserving the funds for those who deserve them - so, why did you even mention it? Do you REALLY hear anyone saying "Save the fraud!"?

[boppers]

45. #3 is fraud, as well.

Why give money to the rich?

[Clio the Leo]

15. And THEN he'll start stealing kittens! nt

[givemebackmycountry]

3. You have got to be fucking kidding me...

I'm sorry, but this President who I was SO happy to see win it all, is seriously out of touch.
Maybe he can explain how the tides come in, and the tides go out, to Bill-O the clown.
Or maybe not.

I'm at my wits end with this President.

[butterfly77]

33. Why does everyone think..

They can tell him what to do on every decision..and why do they think they know sooooo much more than the President..

[AtomicKitten]

4. He acknowledged as early as the inauguration

that he will not be president of the blue states vs. the red states but President of the United States of America, which is exactly what is expected of him.

And that means being occasionally available for interviews with icky people.

[polmaven]

21. Say it, sister!

The constant bashing of the president is getting really, really old. This is a man who knows that he is president of the entire country. I don't understand why so many people here can't understand that fact.

[AtomicKitten]

27. :)

:hi:

[onehandle]

5. Pointless. nt

[ProSense]

8. Why?

Million of people will be tuned in for the Super Bowl. They're likely not to be O'Reilly fans, but they'll be tuned in pre-game.

[pinto]

11. Eh. No big deal in my book. May be an opportunity to counter some of the Fox hyperbole / lies.

And pre-Super Bowl will likely have a large # of viewers.

:shrug:

[slay]

12. Maybe he's "coming out".. no, not as gay

you know.. :hide:

[Control-Z]

13. Exactly what would he

be coming out as?

[meow mix]

19. its obvious to everyone... no real need to ask.

serious?

[stevenleser]

28. I guess not so obvious, I join the previous poster. Come out as what? n/t

[polmaven]

39. Apparently,

the post is inferring that the president is "coming out" as a Republican. :eyes:

[anAustralianobserver]

16. I'd accept this if he also does a panel interview with disaffected critics from the left.

You could have maybe Adam Green, Cornell West, Amy Goodman, Roseanne, Code Pink (or many others).

But I guess it's unpresidential to answer real hardball questions from the informed left - especially in a live, small group, unrushed high-feedback setting.

[jeanpalmer]

17. Maybe someone should tell him

he'll be sitting down with the worst person in the world?

[Mimosa]

18. O'Reilly does not deserve to be dignified with a Presidential interview.

Dumb move on the administration's part. Fox's ratings have been declining, they've been losing corporate advertising because of Beck's antics, and now Obama's going to kibitz with that lying propagandist, O'Reilly?

And, btw, Karl Rove is on Fox News as a commentator nearly every time I click past the channel.

It can only help Fox, not help Obama. Dumb move. Our side was winning. Fox was losing.

[COLGATE4]

20. You're right. Obama going on w/ O'Leilly only serves to prop up

the myth they've created that they are 'fair and balanced'. What's next - a soul searching interview with Hannity?

[RichGirl]

22. You people are so....predictable!!!

This is the best move ever.

Obama is not appearing on Fox news exclusively, he will be appearing in front of all of America. O'Reilly won't be preaching to the choir. This will be watched and judged by the whole country. The republicans will be watching just because it's O'Reilly and expecting the usual Fox crap. What they will see is an intelligent, caring, dignified yet likable man. They won't see a crazy muslim socialist. They will hear what he really thinks and feels instead of his words run through the Fox meat grinder.

Anyone who thinks that all we have to do is fight the right to get our way is totally delusional. We do have to win them over. Obama knows that and if anyone can do it he can.

[mtnsnake]

47. I agree. No need to legitimize a rightwing asshole like O'Reilly

[EmeraldCityGrl]

23. So Obama chooses to appear on the network

that refers to him as "Mr. Obama." Fox has everything to win and Obama has everything to lose.
I'm beginning to think he enjoys humiliating himself in the interest of bipartisianship. What a
tool he's become.

[Mimosa]

26. Hannity always calls the Prez 'this or that GUY'! And he hasn't stopped.

Anybody who thinks the continuing goal of Fox News (led by Roger Ailes and now Karl Rove) isn't to bring down President Obama is 'delusional', to quote 'Rich Girl' in a reply to me. I exept Shep Smith from the line up of liars and creeps on Fox news. he's the one on air person who does seem 'fair and balanced'. Which only points out how bad the rest are.

[sadbear]

24. Maybe they can go out a punch hippies together after the interview

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NYCGirl]

29. I remember that way back during the primaries, O'Reilly stalked

Obama at one of his appearances, and Obama promised that he'd give him an interview at a later date. This is a later date.

[cbc5g]

30. He's just going to talk to his new base

Republicans

[olegramps]

31. Why would he provide a sexual pervert an interview?

He only provides these racist assholes a degree of credibility. I don't see any advantage. None what so ever. He could have been interviewed by a number of respectable journalists, not some clown that doesn't know his asshole from a hole in the ground. Do you think perhaps Obama will provide him some First Grade knowledge on tides? I suppose this is part of Obama's bipartisanship crap. When he is looking for a handout for the 2012 election he can look up O'Really.

[butterfly77]

32. I don't know what..

Is THE BIG FUCKING DEAL? He has done it before,they can't make him say anything he doesn't want to he can handle it.

[Scottybeamer70]

34. Too bad.....

Helen Thomas won't be interviewing him. Now, that I would watch!!

[Grassy Knoll]

35. Thank God for casinos.......

Superbowl partys are so loud on that day you can't here the game at all.
P.S. Fuck Bill O the ass clown.

[jenmito]

36. K&R. Obama will kick O'Reilly's butt if he tries to be confrontational, and

he will win over older people and Independents while he's at it. Good decision!

[jenmito]

37. As pointed out, this year the Super Bowl will be on the Fox broadcast network.

If it were on NBC, he'd do the interview with someone from THERE. Some people get mad at ANYTHING Obama does. :eyes:

[namahage]

38. Oh noes. He's talking with a conservative pundit.

Imagine how screwed he'd be if he went up against a whole group of Republicans on their home turf.

[mwooldri]

40. In other news... there's a football game going on.

BFD.

[anAustralianobserver]

41. I think the optics of him yukking it up on a sports celebration day

on FOX News turf is wack. If it wasn't a celebration day and he occasionally goes on FOX News for a serious interview to co-opt the transmission that's fine, as he has done before.

In this situation if O'Reilly goes confrontational and serious on him he has to come back on him strong, which clashes with the all-American party vibe. On the other hand if O'Reilly goes wink-wink back-slappy with him then O'Reilly makes him look a tool like David Gregory dancing with MC Rove.

So unless Obama has something up his sleeve he might regret this one, no matter how 'customary' it is.

[Mimosa]

43. Is it customary for Presidents to do interviews before the Superbowl?

Not being a sports fan I don't remember any doing it previously.

What date is 'Superbowl Sunday' anyway?

[anAustralianobserver]

46. Feb 6. Apparently he did one with Katie Couric last year but I'm not sure how they mix the politics

with the sports or how soon before the event the interview is.