Today President Obama sat down with Bill O’Reilly of Fox News for a 15 minutes interview as part of the pre-game show for Super Bowl XLV. The interview was seen as something of a “win-win” for both sides. Fox News and O’Reilly gain the prestige of a presidential interview, while President Obama theoretically gets to communicate his message to millions of Americans. O’Reilly certainly pushed President Obama on some of the most common conservative talking points, and did interrupt the President a few times, but overall the interview went relatively smoothly.
O’Reilly began by thanking President Obama and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs for sticking up for journalists, including two Fox News journalists who were seriously beaten by a pro-Mubarak gang. The President accepted O’Reilly gratitude and also thanked the journalists for doing their job bravely in Egypt.
O’Reilly then asked if Egyptian President Mubarak will leave soon. Obama responded by saying only Mubarak knows what he will do, but also stated that he thought “Egypt will not go back to what it was.” The President also stated that he favors an “orderly transition” to a new government in Egypt which reflects more democratic ideals. For those following the Egypt story the President’s words followed the talking points of the administration over the past week.
The next question concerned the Muslim Brotherhood. People like Glenn Beck at Fox News have warned that the Muslim Brotherhood could take over Egypt and eventually establish a “caliphate” within the Middle East. President Obama’s answer reflected a more moderate viewpoint that does not see the Muslim Brotherhood as much of a threat. He stated that the Muslim Brotherhood is only “one faction” in Egypt and that it hardly has majority support. Obama stated that there are many secular leaders in Egypt who are also likely to have a role in the new government.
O’Reilly then asked President Obama what he will do if the health care reform law is declared null and void in court. Obama stated that he believed the Florida judge’s ruling was wrong, and that twelve other federal judges have sided with the government in declaring health care reform constitutional. The President also said he did not wish to spend the next two years fighting the same battles as the last two years.
O’Reilly then quoted an op-ed piece from The Wall Street Journal which criticized the President as a redistributor of wealth. The President stated that he has not raised taxes, and that, in fact, he has lowered taxes over the last two years. Over 95% of Americans have seen their taxes go down under President Obama, though conservatives point to small tax increases on cigarettes and tanning beds as proof that the President has raised taxes on some.
The end of the interview focused more on the President as a person. O’Reilly asked if the President has moved to the “center” since the midterm elections. Obama claimed that he has always been in “the center” but that he was simply painted falsely as a “leftists” over his first two years. Perhaps the most interesting moment may have come towards the end when O’Reilly asked if Obama is bothered by the fact that people hate him. The President argued that people do not really hate him, but instead they hate “the boogeyman that you have been made to be.”
Comments
It's hard to decide who is the bigger clown.
One clown interviewing another
Bill was a douche as usual.
All these clown comparisons are so original!
Enough hot air being generated to heat the entire stadium!
Reilly was disrespectful. The office of the President of the United States deserves much more regardless of what your personal viepoints are.
Someone needs to tell Obama about repsecting the presidency.
Maybe a little reminder of the oath he took to preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States.
He does respect the office. But the sphincter who holds it has yet to earn respect.
@ NAMCO: wtf are you talking about????? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???? YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!!! WHAT DOES TAT MEAN? I am so sick of you f****ing morons arbitrarily calling Obama a socialist or whatever the f**k you think that means. Go to school and have an actual point before saying stupid s**t like that. I think there needs to be an amendment to the Constitution that says free speech must MAKE SENSE before it comes out of stupid mouths.
You EARN respect and the only respect Obammy has earned is by the Islamists he so endears!
can't stop thinking about the nether regions of the human body long enough to post a coherent response. Still dreaming about your stick Paul?
Ryan, 95% of us have seen our taxes drop? Huh. I make 29K/year and since Obama has come to office my federal taxes went up 5 and 14% respectively, for an overall total of 19.2%. I must be that special 5%.
Well you need to talk with HR because they are robbign you blind. Tax rates fro the the 29K tax bracket have not changed one bit over the last two years. It is a historical fact, you can check it. If you are taking advantage of the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) your taxes should have gone down by $400. It is not to late to ammend your old returns to get that money. If I just made you $400 you can send me my 10% cut anytime :-)
BillO thinks that a interview is about his opinions, psst, Bill, it's not about YOUR opinions. There are a lot of people who could careless about YOUR opinion.....
It figures that Faux sent a Nobody Journalist to Egypt, the cowards BillO and Mr. Vicks Vapor Rub Beck stayed home, to scared to go I guess at least the Nobody Journalist had the guts!!!
It's interesting that BillO and Mr Vicks Vapor Rub Beck seem to have a set of balls when it comes to the other side of the isle, when it was George Moron Jr. it was ok to give some slack.....
What was this interview all about anyways, so BillO can make sure everyone watch him.....Moron!
oblabla doesn't get it. We do not TRUST THE CORRUPT INCOMPEDENT OBLABLA. the height of "THE PETER PRINCIPLE" AND A LIAR
Yeee-up, and no one trust the Reichwing/Fleabaging/Republican'ts either!!!!!!!
Maybe we should put George Moron Jr back in so he can invade the dictator country that he propped up for eight yrs!!!!
Why don't you put down your beer, leave the NRA meeting and go back to school to learn to spell, you incompetent loser!
What's wrong with the NRA?
And I am in the top 1/10th of 1% in earnings too.... :)
I was blown away as to how much an A** H*** O'Reilly is - WOW. Can't the network get someone better than him... Very disrespectful, egotistical. arrogant, obnoxious. Although I am not a fan of O'Bama, I gained a new level of respect for him as to how he handled that buffoon.
O"Reilly... You are helping O"Bama more than you could ever reealize. You are truly an idiot.
It would have been nice to see BillO and Mr. Vicks Vapor Rub Beck go to Egypt and have the stuffings kick out of them....
Cowards!!!
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and to be heard but Bill O'Reilly was so rude to the President! He just can't stop interrupting people.
A GOOD Journalist doesn't give a opinion during an interview, they ask questions and if they need clarification they ask it in different way.......
During the interview when Obama gave the answer for the Brotherhood of Islam......BillO wasn't satified and gave his opinion on the matter....A GOOD Journalist doesn't do that!!!!
BillO being the " supposed " journalist was very rude!
AGREE.
The president did not say he has "always been in the center" , while explaining O'Reilly cut him off and said "your the guy you've always been" and the president agreed. I wonder how Bush jr. or SP would do in such an interview....oh yeah we've seen that already...
If Bill O'Reilly was attempting to make obama look ignorant, it was in fact Bill who looked like the king of all idiots.
Bill O'Reilly is an arrogant ill-educated profiteer of America's ignorance. America, find a real news channel. Corporate Fox is working very diligently to DUMB down America and everything we have fought for and accomplished. Bill could not pass a GED exam His interview highlights his bully tactics. A bully in the schoolyard is never good for the children. Bully corporate FOX will bring down the middle class. If you are not the top 2% and you are watching Fox for your news, you should just follow the sheep into the knife because that is what you are doing. The Romans and Greeks fell because they were conned by an age old trick...free bread and a circus. Keep watching, scare tactics only work on people who do not have facts. Fox knows you America, studies you, and will serve you as an appetizer to the elite. How are we ever going to explain our ignorance and stupidity to the next generation? Don't worry, they will know where we went wrong. Bye, Bye middle class, thank you letters can be sent to FOX!
You must be so educated and intelligent, to suggest such a compelling conspiracy theory. Fox news is "dumbing down" America. That's why I watch it; I mean MSLSD is just too far above my head. So many intelligent minds on that channel, like the genius Chris Matthews or the refined and gentle Mr. Ed. How nice of you, to share your genius intellect with us common idiots. Now why don't you wipe the spittle off your chin, and go back to your padded cell?
(To Really?) Your comment reveals a vast array of information regarding your educational level. I don't even need to defend my statement as you did it for me! Thanks again and have a great night.
(To persistentreason) i just wanted to say i found your last comment interesting. "Really?" could have perhaps been more objective with his/her comment and less insulting, but regardless the comment reveals nothing about his/her intellect or educational level. to think you can determine information about one's educational level by reading a short post they made on a forum is simply foolish. i mean, yes you can sometimes tell a 12-year-old from a middle-aged woman, on say a magic forum or a sewing forum, but the posts on this forum don't seem to really tell us much. i just didnt think that "Really?" revealed much about themselves from their comment (other than the fact that they are obviously a right-wing extremist (; .) they could have only a 6th grade education, but they could just as well be a law school grad with a nasty attitude. see what i mean? its just hard to tell. myself, i speak and write quite differently on forums from how i do in real life. i would never have written this way in med school, yet i have a Ph.D. hmm
Obama is the worst President our country has had to endure
O'Reilly made Obama look good.
showing tyour total ignorance of history......recent history at that
Thanks Oreily, none od the other tv pundits ever ask Obozo tough questions, thats how the baffon won the election WE DIDNT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM
I RITE LIK DIS SO LIBR BRA ALS KEN UNDE STIN
Bill O is an embarrassment. I cannot believe the network allowed such an interview.
I WATCHED THE REAGAN TRIBUTE AND IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL. RESPECT WHERE RESPECT IS AND WAS DUE. WHAT A GREAT HOUR + ON TV.
I wantedt to reach into the TV and smack Bill !!!
Today, as we celebrate Reagan's 100th birthday, I can't understand why Mr. O'Reilly did not ask President Obama what he liked about Reagan when he was such an admired and revered president.
Are you just a bigot or are you are a fact denier?? Which is it? Obama has THE BEST RECORD for keeping his promises since we have begun tracking presidents. I am guessing you listen to Beck and Rush also? Do posterity a favor and get a brain transplant with your improved health care!
Like before he got elected and said you shouldn't force people to buy health insurance. That would be like making a homeless person buy a house?
What an ignorant hypocrite Hussein Obama is.
Try as he might Bill O'Reilly couldn't trip up the president. His usual tactic of shouting over the answer (if its not what he wants to hear) failed. The president was polite, showed good command of the facts and stood his ground.
t
Note to right-wingers and FauxNews addicts: Obama did this interview to reveal for Super Bowl-viewing moderates what kind of kooks you cons really are. Of course, the beauty of it is that you're incapable of actually comprehending that reality. So, carry on... 2012 is going to be such a long, hard year for you!
Obama did this interview in hopes the Superbowl viewing moderates would start liking him. Nobody cares, they've been watching him spin for two years. They're hoping he doesn't bury the country any deeper in debt before his time is up in 2012.
Well, judging from the way liberals are whining, Bill O must have exposed some more of obama's stupidity. Excellent!
Obama continues to lie.
The National Journal rated him the most liberal senator in 2007, and based on his reckless spending, $1.5 trillion annual deficits, and the corrupt unconstitutional national health care scheme he shoved our throats, if anything Obama has lurched even farther to the left.
I thought Obama did a good job of interviewing O'Reilly.
President Obama and the progressive democrats need to come to grips with the ever evolving evidence that their "solutions" have not worked. Their strategy is one of blame and deflect, but never one of acknowledgement More americans every day are becoming aware of this defect with the liberal mindset and the media they control. What the ever expanding majority of americans want is to stop them before they waste the rest of our money in the name of fairness, equality and mother nature. It all sounds good, but in reality is not working. Blaming others for the failures is wearing thin on the rest of us. We don't doubt their intentions. It's just their solutions that are not working, and their inability to acknowledge the failures of their solutions.
Have you noticed that liberals never debate conservatives. They berate them and insult them every chance they get, but they never seem to want to debate them on an even platform. If liberals are "so" much more intelligent then why not put their solutions up for debate before trying to ram them down the throats of the country? Whatever happened to the promise of transparency? Whatever happened to then presidential candidate Obama's promise to put every proposal on the internet and allowing citizens in the country five days to comment before taking any action? Just a bunch of empty promises.
It is a waste of time to debate those that are without principles
Not a bad summary of the interview. You have to go FOX for the real bias these days. Really the only reason I pay attention to FOX (fixed? faux?) is to keep abreast of what the enemy of the citizen is up to. In all my years of watching (reading, listening), I'm always amazed at how obvious FOX bias is, without being called on it. We need to bring back fairness in news so we can be an informed citizenry. Everyone can say that FOX is not a news organization but people suck up the propaganda as if it is news. Fact check everything you think you know. If you got it from FOX it is probably BS in some form or another......fact check and you will see their act, but keep watching because it is good to know what the enemy of Real Americans is doing.
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