Video: O’Reilly says Fred! picked fight with Moore to raise profile Update: Correction
posted at 9:25 am on May 17, 2007 by Ian
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Telling us how he sees it, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly said Fmr. Senator Fred Thompson was “picking a fight” with Moore. The all-knowing Bill O says Fred! doesn’t like Moore or his relationship with Fidel Castro. Gee wilikers, what is he going to tell us next, that the earth revolves around the sun?
The fact is, Moore attacked Thompson first in a scathing letter challenging the potential Presidential candidate to debate health care in the United States. Fred then responded in a casual video blog.
According to O’Reilly, Thompson did this as a publicity stunt (how ironic) to boost his popularity among conservatives.
Send O’Reilly an email and let him know the real story.
Thanks to Allah for sending the tip my way.
Update (BP): In a way, it turns out that O’Reilly is right about who started it. Before Moore challenged Thompson to debate health care, which was itself a publicity stunt (otherwise why would a potential presidential candidate debate a crockumentary film maker?), Thompson called Moore out in an article at National Review Online:
You might have read the stories about filmmaker Michael Moore taking ailing workers from Ground Zero in Manhattan to Cuba for free medical treatments. According to reports, he filmed the trip for a new movie that bashes America for not having government-provided health care.
Now, I have no expectation that Moore is going to tell the truth about Cuba or health care. I defend his right to do what he does, but Moore’s talent for clever falsehoods has been too well documented. Simply calling his movies documentaries rather than works of fiction, I think, may be the biggest fiction of all.
While this p.r. stunt has obviously been successful — here I am talking about it — Moore’s a piker compared to Fidel Castro and his regime. Moore just parrots the story they created — one of the most successful public-relations coups in history. This is the story of free, high quality Cuban health care.
Thompson goes on in the article to describe Cuba’s show clinics, discuss Castro’s personal wealth and film maker Nicolás Guillén Landrián, who became a guest of Castro’s health care system after running afoul of the dictator.
It was probably this article that prompted Moore to challenge Thompson to a debate. Well, that and Moore’s insatiable appetite for publicity. So O’Reilly has the timeline right.
On the other hand, it was Moore who decided to use yet another of his films to bash America, this time by using 9-11 responders as props to promote Castro’s health care system over ours, and Fred! didn’t take that lying down. Good for Fred.
Update (AP): In case there’s any confusion, we apologize for the error.
Update/correction (MM): The timeline in this post–the premise of this post–was wrong. Whatever you think of Moore’s crockumentary, Thompson challenged Moore first.
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I was surprised when I watched this piece last night. He mentioned nothign of Michael Moore’s call to debate Fred Thompson. He made it sound like Fred! was just pumping out hype videos to get some traction in the upcoming Presidentials.
That goes the same for his guest who discussed it. These people are out of the loop it seems.
Vincenzo on May 17, 2007 at 9:32 AM
Thanks for posting this Ian. I watched this real-time and could not believe that O’Reilly was so far off the mark. Indeed he had no idea that it was Moore who called Fred! out. I kept waiting for the clarification that never came.
I sent an email to the big O last night. This bothers me more because although I am not O’Reilly’s greatest fan, I at least expect him to get the facts right. FOX is, after all, the closest thing we have to a fair media, albeit certainly not perfect.
That’s I-R-I-S-H with one “Ei”
IrishEi on May 17, 2007 at 9:32 AM
BO needs Fred! more than Fred! needs BO. As for Moore, he is but a whore.
bbz123 on May 17, 2007 at 9:32 AM
Let’s not let “facts” get in the way of making what he thinks are provocative insights to support his own agenda.
asc85 on May 17, 2007 at 9:36 AM
When O’Reilly says Thompson started it might not he be referring to the original glove to the face by Thompson a week or so ago in his audio clip castigating Moore for filming his disingenuous documentary?
samuelrylander on May 17, 2007 at 9:36 AM
Guys, guys…he’s just looking out for you.
Slublog on May 17, 2007 at 9:37 AM
Ian:
Your link is to the email site for Premium Members only. Lowlifes like me need to write to oreilly@foxnews.com
IrishEi on May 17, 2007 at 9:38 AM
Kind of a non-issue if you ask me…which no one did.
samuelrylander on May 17, 2007 at 9:39 AM
Um, no offense, but who cares? Sooner or later, Fred! is going to do something to get attention, just like every other candidate in history. Bill O’Reilly isn’t going to sway the political opinion of those who watch him. Half of his viewers watch, because they disagree with him.
It was on the front page of most news sources, that Moore did that. Most of the people who watch O’Reilly, are up on the news, besides just watching the show.
amerpundit on May 17, 2007 at 9:46 AM
I get scared when he swings his pen towards me.
benrand on May 17, 2007 at 9:49 AM
Re: Update by BP
Okay, okay, so maybe Fred! did start it. Then I still think Fred! did the right thing. Morons like Moore need to be exposed for the frauds that they are. I am sick of politicians and this government in general taking everything lying down. The leftists get away with murder because no one in authority has the guts to confront their idiocy.
IrishEi on May 17, 2007 at 9:53 AM
I don’t get it, Bill had the facts, why’d he present the info the way he did? How hard would it have been to mention the back and forth of the two,,,? It would have shown a bit more light on the whole thing, rather than make it look like it was soley Fred who needed the attention.
4shoes on May 17, 2007 at 9:54 AM
O’……….so.tired.of.him.
Picking a fight?….Good. Bout damn time someone didn’t reach across the aisle.
Limerick on May 17, 2007 at 9:59 AM
I wouldnt have minded seeing what the other guy wouldve answered lol, but the clip cut off just as he was opening his mouth …
Aylios on May 17, 2007 at 10:02 AM
As for michael moore, he’s a part of the problem in this country, like everyone else on the left. Really quick to attack the country, but totally unwilling to offer something positive, completely lacking in character.
4shoes on May 17, 2007 at 10:04 AM
Fixed it for ya.
IrishEi on May 17, 2007 at 10:06 AM
Bill is clever. This was his excuse to cover the story at all w/o looking like he was doing Fred a favor.
TheBigOldDog on May 17, 2007 at 10:06 AM
The real story is that Fred’s 38 second first round knockout rendered Moore speechless.
digitalintrigue on May 17, 2007 at 10:08 AM
Fred!’s message to Michael: “Get lost, you miserable little bitch, or I’ll shove a lit cigar up your nostrils and then stomp it out with a man-sized carbon footprint.”
RedWinged Blackbird on May 17, 2007 at 10:13 AM
So O’REALLY, you point is?
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on May 17, 2007 at 10:18 AM
THAT made my day! LOL….now to mow the yard.
Limerick on May 17, 2007 at 10:19 AM
We need a guy who thinks reaching across the aisle means giving some sniveling Leftist a taste of the back of his hand.
Bad Candy on May 17, 2007 at 10:29 AM
Mandatory Fred! in 08 Reference: Fred!/Watts! 08!
Tim Burton on May 17, 2007 at 10:30 AM
I don’t know whether O’Reilly knew about the letter or not but I DO know this is not the first time he has gone off on a rage without knowing the facts or choosing to ignore them.
He went on a rampage recently about the drunk illegal alien who killed two girls in Virginia Beach. He did not have the facts straight before running the story. He couldn’t even pronounce the Virginia Beach Mayor’s name correctly plus he was just flat out wrong about some of the facts.
This is just one more reason for people to join my “replace O’Reilly with Michelle” movement!
OBX Pete on May 17, 2007 at 10:33 AM
Bill sometimes does spin things in his direction to vaildate his preconcieved opinion. I’ve noticed it several times over the years.
Another example is his campaign against “big-oil”. He presents his stories in a way that implies there is a smoke filled room somewhere where Exxon, Shell, etc all agree on what the price of gas will be. He lambasts his guests when they lack proof, yet lacks any proof of a conspiracy.
Anyway, I like O’Reilly and enjoy his show. I do think he tries to get to the bottom of the story until he himself gets emotionally involved. Then, like most of our media these days, all bets are off.
BacaDog on May 17, 2007 at 10:49 AM
Really? I don’t belong to O’R.com and I found that email via a google search. I think his email at Fox is oreilly@foxnews.com, but I hate linking to email address, so I linked to the webform.
Ian on May 17, 2007 at 10:55 AM
Just sent to Bill O.
Romeo13 on May 17, 2007 at 11:10 AM
¿fred? the media whore. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
And of course, the ¿fred? groupies will ignore the fact that freedie boy started the fight. Still, Bill O got it right. ¿fred? did it for media exposure. He knew michael moron would rise to the challenge and ¿fred? probably had this video idea ready before he lit the fire.
How does it feel to the groupies to be played like a cheap tennesse banjo?
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 11:18 AM
We can see that the ¿fred? groupies are “see no, hear no, speak no evil” when it comes to freddie boy.
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 11:24 AM
There, I fixed that for you.
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 11:30 AM
So what if Fred did this for PR. Good grief. PR is how you get your name out there. And if he is going to be a serious contender with the non involved types, he needs his name out there as much as possible.
Rightwingsparkle on May 17, 2007 at 11:31 AM
Played like a cheap banjo? Let’s give Fred! credit. If what you say is true, and it may be, then not only did Fred! start the fight, but he also had a plan in place to end the fight. To me that shows a person with great planning skills and foresight to predict his advisory’s response.
A person possessing these qualities which would make an excellent Commander-In-Chief don’t you think?
SPIFF1669 on May 17, 2007 at 11:38 AM
Strange, why would O’Reilly go after Thompson? Does he have a favorite in the race and so is trying to demean Fred? It really doesn’t make sense.
Rose on May 17, 2007 at 11:46 AM
If it’s purpose was to nail michael moron and not a stunt to further ones own agenda.
Like Bill O said, ¿fred? couldn’t care less about michael moron. freddie boy did this for himself. Can you imagine a president pulling a stunt like this for no other reason than for his own purposes? A president is a servant of the people, not himself. If I remember right, the clenis used the media to further his personal agenda when he said “I did not have sexual relations…..”
He did this to further hypnotize his groupies and to get himself more press time. I don’t find that a admirable trait in the least. This is just like his red pick up truck scam.
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 12:05 PM
To be fair, Bill O goes after everyone. But Bill also doesn’t like intellectual compitition. You ever watch him stifle MM? It’s shameful and to Michells credit, she gives him “the look” whenever he pulls it on her. I’m not saying Bill sees ¿fred? as an intellectual threat. I only mention it to be fair and balanced in my criticizim.
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 12:08 PM
csdeven,
I keep reading your pathetic anti-Fred posts and laughing my ass off, Fred must reallyu scare the living crap out of you. Well at least we mow know how you guys are going to deal with your BDS, you’re going to jump straight to FDS before the election even happens.
doriangrey on May 17, 2007 at 12:17 PM
You should really pay more attention before opening your mouth and sticking your foot in it.
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 12:22 PM
Umm… he actualy makes a good point… You do have a FRED! Derangment Syndrome… you even disparage those of us who happen to support Fred!
I’m not a groupie, but I can’t support McCain, who says he support the war and then is ABSCENT from every War VOTE! He is also anti FREE SPEECH, and PRO giving illegals a pass.
I can’t support Guliani because of his stances on Gun Control, mixed messeage on abortion, and truthfully cause he really didn’t do much for New York after 9/11 (IMO) except be a “Face”. He sold his first responders down the river. I also think the PERSONAL life is an indicator of character and should be looked at…
Newt, who I really like intellectualy, has too many people who just plain don’t like him… I think as a Pres he is unelectable because of his negative in the polls. Would be a GREAT VP though…
Tancredo? good ideas but unelectable. Does not seem “Presidential”.
Romney? Too many flip flops, and too polished to connect with the voter (if you look at the last few Presidents, they are very “folksy” types…).
Sooo… who is left?
Lets see… a guy who is well spoken, plain talking, has name recognition, is Pro Life, pro gun, pro WOT, pro constitution (wants Roe overturned, but then let the states decide)…. and can adequatly explain why these positions matter!!!
So… guess because I’m backing the only horse out there that thinks like I do, it makes me a groupie…
Run Fred! Run!
Romeo13 on May 17, 2007 at 1:10 PM
Concerning O’Reilly’s claims…. YAWN!
Moore deserves whatever criticism he gets, irrespective of the rationale.
As far as I am concerned, EVERY Republican ought to denounce Moore, as often as possible. Remember, he called our enemies in Iraq “freedom fightrs.”
georgej on May 17, 2007 at 1:24 PM
I wouldn’t know. How does it feel to be a bitter, knee-jerk troll who refuses to abandon the sinking dingy that is Flip-Flop Mitt in favor of Battleship Fred?
Fred wrote a well reasoned article that referenced Moore, but was focused more on the myth of the Cuban health care system being something to envy. Moore responded with a cheap PR stunt challenging him to a debate that seemed mostly about cigars, and Fred gave him exactly the kind of response he deserved.
Hollowpoint on May 17, 2007 at 1:33 PM
Very well said- you nailed it. Too bad your excellent response had to be in response to a one-trick-pony troll.
Hollowpoint on May 17, 2007 at 1:36 PM
Something to keep in mind. Thompson has written about Cuba almost regularly in the past. His decision to write about Moore’s pro-Castro gloss piece was a no-brainer. Fred!s article references Moore’s mockumentary ways and how this sort of PR bit favoring Castro is not new, and then he completely ignores Moore and deals directly with Cuba’s longstanding success at lying to the world about what life is really like there.
So while Fred “started it”, in a technical sense, “it” wasn’t really much about Moore, he was used as a vehicle to point out the deceitful, evil, damaging Marxism that still prevails in one place on earth after all this time.
Bill is off the mark. That’s not big news though, is it?
Freelancer on May 17, 2007 at 1:54 PM
Sheesh, and now I see that Hollowpoint made just about the identical comment. I thought I read them all, maybe I quit when I got to the obligatory “groupie” blather from CS.
Oh, and:
What he said.
Freelancer on May 17, 2007 at 1:58 PM
Sorry Ian; you are right. There is indeed a link for non-Premium Members on that page. However, in order to use the form on that page you need to be Premium.
I concur: FDS
IrishEi on May 17, 2007 at 2:01 PM
E-dollars for the amusement :)
No doriangrey, csdeven will actually vote for Fred, if he’s the candidate, and we will politely not revisit the vault to remind him/her of these days’ rants. I promise csdeven :)
Entelechy on May 17, 2007 at 3:28 PM
Fred!s willingness to fight will hopefully set a trend.
Another trend worthwhile starting?
Calling a Press conference and then bashing the hell out of liberals.
Speakup on May 17, 2007 at 3:38 PM
Romeo13 on May 17, 2007 at 1:10 PM
I could not agree with you more but you forgot to mention that Rudy Guiliani has sold America out with the NAFTA superhighway.
The media silence on his sell out for the big bucks is shameful. I will repeat what the media refuses to comment on:
For those of you thinking of voting for Rudy Guiliani, Turns out Giuliani is profiting from Illegal Immigration with the NAFTA superhighway and is a CFR member in drag ready willing and able to sell our America for a North American Union.
Now we know why he was flip flopping on Illegal Immigration in the debates and press interviews.
Giuliani Linked to “NAFTA Superhighway”
http://www.augustreview.com/news_commentary/north_american_union/giuliani_linked_to_%22nafta_superhighway%22_2007051459/
NAFTA Superhighway has Giuliani as key player
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/grassi/070504
“At the center of negotiations for multiple legs of the Superhighway Corridor throughout Texas, is none other than Rudolph Giuliani’s law firm which landed the Comprehensive Development Agreement for a widening of Interstate-35, now referred to as the TTC-35, in addition to the Master Development Plans for State Highways 121 and 130 among other legs of the TTC. All negotiations for Cintra were and are presently handled by the law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP, of which Republican Presidential candidate, Rudolph Giuliani, has been a senior executive partner since March 2005. His law firm is the exclusive legal counsel for Cintra. Bracewell & Giuliani is comprised of 400 attorneys, based in Houston, TX with offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., London and Kazakhstan.”
“Most interesting to the whole story is not only has Mr. Giuliani’s involvement in the NAFTA Superhighway not ever having been publicly addressed, but how a foreign company is awarded the building of a mass highway system, versus maintaining it, for the first time in U.S. history, and negotiated by the law firm of the top Republican candidate running for President of the United States. And truly disturbing is how such will not only have national and homeland security and sovereignty implications but how it is deliberately being kept away from the Halls of Congress.”
“Giuliani fancies himself as an expert on homeland security issues and a law enforcer. And he has amassed quite the portfolio since 2002, earning $20 million in that year alone, by selling himself as such. He owns Giuliani Partners, Giuliani Safety & Security and Giuliani Capital Advisors. In March 2007 he sold Giuliani Capital Advisors, a former Ernst & Young finance company he purchased in 2002, to Macquerie Infrastructure Consortium. Not coincidentally, it is a partner of Cintra’s in its shared operations of toll roads in both Indiana and Chicago, IL.”
And this guy has the balls to criticize Ron Paul while he is quietly selling America out to foreign companies.
ScottyDog on May 17, 2007 at 4:39 PM
The best comments on this thread thus far:
…and…
I picked these two because they were the funniest on here and made me laugh out loud (or for you chatters LOL).
For the Fred? Maniacs I do have an honest question (or actually two) for you.
1) If Fred? does not run (a possibility however small) which candidate would you choose to be anointed as the GOP Presidential candidate?
…and…
2) If Fred?* does run, who would you think would make a great sidekick (aka VP) for the GOP ticket?
I’m looking for honest answers over here.
* I will only add the “!” to Fred? when he decides to add his name to the GOP Presidential race. Until that happens, I’m full out for Romney.
Darnell Clayton on May 17, 2007 at 5:35 PM
1) What makes him think I have DBS?
2) You can’t support any actual candidates, but are whole hog for a non-candidate? If anyone has a “syndrome” it isn’t me.
3) ¿fred? is pro-choice
4) He has “explained” his positions in prepared speeches or in interviews that could have been conducted by his manager
5) He fakes his supporters with a red pick up that his aide drives back to the garage
6) His senate record is weak
7) He was especially weak during the clinton/china investigation
8) He has 20 years as a lobbiest. This is not a good time to have a longer record as a lobbiest than a public servant.
9) freddie boy is more actor than public servant
10) Lastly, he hasn’t done anything. All he does is talk about wondering if he should annouce his intention to consider some sort of possible press release.
Let me know when he actually does something. Like become a candidate and, as I have said in the past, I’ll consider him viable.
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 5:39 PM
Who refuses to abandon who? I haven’t announced who I will support yet.
Battleship ¿fred?. That’s an interesting analogy for a guy who isn’t even on a blue print yet.
I find it comical that you ¿fred? groupies refuse to accept that he is….
pro-choice
a washington lobbiest
a faker with his red pick up truck schtick
he hasn’t announced
he has debated anyone
he engages fools like michael moron and THAT is supposed to make him statesman-like
his folksy colloquielisms are no substitute for experience
he has zero executive experience
he was weak in the senate
his performance during the clinton/china connection was poor
he’s been an actor longer than he has been a public servant
Did I mention he is pro-life and isn’t an actual candidate?
If you still claim not to know how it feels to be played like a cheap tennessee fiddle, well, you just aren’t feeling anything.
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 5:51 PM
You can visit the vault but it will be no fun because I will agree with you.
;-)
csdeven on May 17, 2007 at 5:53 PM
Hmmm … what makes me think you have Fred!DS???
Oh… maybe the last 3 posts you made???
Me thinks thou protest too much…
Romeo13 on May 18, 2007 at 2:19 AM
csdeven, I realize I’m cherrypicking here, but this one isn’t a negative in my book…
His lobbying years were in behalf of repealing or reforming price controls and other unconstitutional regulations put in place during the Johnson/Nixon years. As an avowed federalist, this is completely consistent behavior, and not all lobbying is evil. By the way, many of the reforms he sought, happened.
Freelancer on May 18, 2007 at 5:11 AM
LOL! :-D
RD on May 18, 2007 at 7:13 AM
Are you kidding? Hell, I’m waiting for the sequels to come out. This guy’s late out of the starting gate, and if he wins, it’ll be despite the size of his war chest. I really don’t see the problem with that.
Unless you guys think he should just raise the most money like everybody else tries to do. Oh, yeah, that’s democracy in action, huh?
manwithblackhat on May 18, 2007 at 8:33 AM
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