Bill O’Reilly could make a career of spouting anti-gay poppycock. Oh, wait, he has! The outspoken Fox News man’s latest incident doesn’t involve lesbian gangs or gay apartheid, but it does involve a bit of fact manipulation, lying and predictably few scruples.
Above you’ll see the Media Matters provided clip of the despicable 57-year old discussing Logo and HRC’s “gay debates”. In the course of the conversation, O’Reilly insists, [A new poll] says that most Americans won’t vote for you if you get an endorsement by a gay rights group.” The poll to which the “journalist” refers came out last week and, in fact, only tabulated voters from Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania. The anchor must be aware of his intentional error, because he glosses over the source, mumbling “What is that poll? Pew research or something.” Cough – fucking liar – cough.
Political analyst Kirsten Powers apparently put her brain in that morning, for she questions O’Reilly’s inflammatory assertion, “I have to say I find that very difficult to believe.” O’Reilly then attempts to clarify:
O’REILLY: OK, but say a gay — the question posed, “If a gay rights —
POWERS: Yes.
O’REILLY: — organization endorses you, would that make you more or less likely to vote?
POWERS: Right.
O’REILLY: And most Americans said less likely.
Again, not most Americans – most Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania voters. And Jim Naugle thinks Fox’s daddy Rupert Murdoch practices ethical journalism. Ha!
As for O’Reilly’s claims, he should check out our interview with HRC’s Joe Solmonese. In that sit down, Solmonese claims such surveys are flawed. Many people answer “no” to a broadly-phrased questions, ie: Would you vote for a candidate who’s backed by abortion rights activists? Value voters tend to view these endorsements as negative, but if given more information, may change their tune.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Regardless of O’Reilly’s politically-biased, Powers maintains that the Democrats made a smart financial move in attending the forum:
The — within the Democratic Party, this is a very important constituency. And they’re certainly constituents — they give a lot of money. They’re very influential.
Queers with power? O’Reilly just soiled himself.
Reader
I think the clip was edited. I believe he originally said that, “most Americans in “bumfuck middle, red-neck America” wouldn’t vote for a candidate with an endorcement from a gay group.”
Tallskin
I’ve seen this utter arse on tv before over here in the UK, but mostly on YouTube, and I find him utterly unbelievable. What amazes me is that no-one has ever got up, walked over to the little runt and whacked him hard in the chops, or broken a chair over his head.
WWH
He really is just awful.
nycstudman
I don’t get it. What’s Powers running for, cuz he says “endorses you.” Maybe he means they won’t vote for Powers, but will,say for Clinton. Or maybe he’s just an asshole.
Dawster
please remember that Bill O makes a living causing tension and creating division. his entire process is about separation and “i’m better than you” arguments.
there is no middle ground with him. that’s what makes him dangerous… dragging perfectly sane people from the middle to the right, based off false information. sad, but effective.
nycstudman
Dawster’s right. He was a wased-up former host of a syndicated “news” show when Fox plucked him up and he reinvented himself as a troglidyte conservative. He only spouts this crap to get people to respond – which, judging from his site, is working.
geep
Actually, “most” of those polled in FL, PA, and OH said it would make no difference to their vote, so you guys are misinformed in your correction as well.
O’Reilly’s either stupid, sloppy, or dishonest. Or some perverse melange of the three.
GoodBuddy
I think many pundits misinterpret how important these types of polls are. For example, a large majority of American favor it gun control laws. But the minority who oppose gun control laws do so adamantly, and will actually change their votes based on the issue, while the majority take little consideration of the issue into their voting decisions. Do you see a lot of gun control laws passing? The same is true of gay rights. Most gay people (and some of their friends and family) will change their votes based of a candidates position on gay rights, plus they vote in higher numbers. Most straight people are barely aware of how their representatives stand on the issues.
Sonoranliberal
…for witty and intelligent critique of Bill-o and the rest of the Murdoch propaganda machine, check out Countdown with Keith Olbermann, M-F on MSNBC. He’s my favorite cable-news guy these days and has great guest/analysts you won’t find on other shows. You owe, me, Keith…
Martini-boy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0nD_iNPalY
I find this to be a most rewarding clip, one that features Mr. O’Reilly and our dear late night host, David Letterman.
ENJOY!
Craig Browning
Mr. Bill and the rest of the FOX News crew seem to be significantly out of touch with reality when it comes to what the REAL world is about. They live in their little cubicals passing judgment onto the masses and insisting that if you don’t live down to their bigoted standards a.) You’re Not Christian; b.) You’re Not a True American…
What is really going on here is subliminal suggestion to his listeners (sadly, there are millions of them). He’s telling them how to deal with candidates and priming the pump as it were, for creating distrust in the Dems due to their association and support of the mythical Gay Agenda (that all the idiot preachers on Tv keep harping on so as to keep the fear & hate flowing).
WE (the GLBT Community) need to keep reminding them as to how many of their good moral representatives literally got caught with their pants down and their hands in the kitty.