What Is Wrong With Bill O'Reilly?

Seriously. I just don't get it Mr. O'Reilly.

Let me see if I can follow this logic: You are alleging that Jeff Zucker of NBC News is part of a cabal of liberal meanies who are out to smear you (and other conservatives). 'Far left bloggers' are also part of this group of ne'er-do-wellers as well, and they, in turn, want to hurt the victims of rape crimes.

Do I have that right?

I complain about O'Reilly on occasion (read: often), and it's usually for something trite or trivial that really is of no consequence to, well, anyone. Then I saw this clip from last night's Factor, in which a producer tracks down a 'far left blogger' (while she is on vacation) and confronts her with a camera.

This is why I loathe O'Reilly and his Factor. It's not his politics by which I am so repulsed -- he seems to be a reasonable conservative (even if he won't admit his conservative stance). It's not his guests. It's not even his smirky-smug face that I mind. No, it is the gotcha-style 'journalism' that he tries to pass off as legitimate. What kind of person sends a camera crew to ambush a political rival/enemy/someone who talks poorly about them? It's simply unfair and demeaning.  According to Amanda Terkel, the blogger on which O'Reilly focused his Gotcha Camera:

O’Reilly never mentioned to his viewers how he scored that interview with me. He never contacted me for a statement or the chance to appear on his show before deploying his harassment machine. Instead, he sent his producers to stake out my apartment, follow me for two hours, and accost me while I was on vacation in Virginia (and the least prepared to recall a post I had written three weeks earlier).

So here's my question: Why didn't O'Reilly simply ask her to come on his show? Granted, I would decline an invitation to go because, well, you can't disagree with the guy or he calls you an idiot. Still, wouldn't it be a little bit more... what's the word... MATURE to ask Terkel to come on your show and defend what she has written about you?

It seems to me that the clear answer here is yes. 

To be clear, I'm not sympathizing with Ms. Terkel because I necessarily support her cause. For me, the greater issue here is not Amanda Terkel and her ever-so-loathsome posting about past comments that Bill O'Reilly had made. I could really care less what O'Reilly says about her -- and I take what she says with a grain of salt.  My beef here is that Bill O'Reilly is clearly invading Ms. Terkel's privacy -- and he's done it before to others.   It seems to me that Bill O'Reilly is quickly becoming the TMZ of conservative punditry. It's really rather embarrassing.

'So what?' you say. 'What else is he going to do if these people refuse to come on his show?' you say. Well, you have a valid point, but I would argue that there really is no need to send a hack-reporter and cameraman to stalk would-be 'liberal fascists' while they ride the bus or try to walk down the street.  O'Reilly has one of the highest rated shows on television.  He could use his mouthpiece to say whatever he wants to about whomever he wants to -- there is really no need for the ambushes.  O'Reilly should start a segment not unlike Stephen Colbert's "Who's Attacking Me Now?" wherein he could use his considerable ratings advantage to call out anyone who criticizes him (I'm looking at you Keith Olbermann...) -- especially if they won't come on The O'Reilly Factor.

Or, I could just be blowing hot air as this type of 'journalism' likely garners higher ratings which get more ad revenue which get Bill O'Reilly a larger paycheck.  After all, they wouldn't air it if people didn't watch it...

Blech.

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