I've written to Bill O'Reilly several times, and while being provocative (in an eloquent manner), he has never responded. So, while retaining a semblance of diplomacy, I'm calling him out this time in hopes that he'll say something about his repeated, blatant lying. I can't stand the man, but he'd be easier to tolerate if he ever left his comfy studio and went on someone else's show to debate issues. Like most cowards, though, he doesn't have the cojones to face a challenge that requires him to do anything more than yell.
My letter after the jump....
Mr. O'Reilly,
I'm not going to sugarcoat what I'm about to say. You, sir, are a blatant liar of the worst sort. You told Chris Dodd last night you never said anything about al-Qaeda attacking San Francisco. You're right. You didn't say it on the television Factor, but you did say it on the radio Factor. There's this little thing called a recording device, and it captures your words so we can play it back for all to hear.
And on November 8, 2005, on your radio show, you said, for all the world to hear:
"Hey, you know, if you want to ban military recruiting, fine, but I'm not going to give you another nickel of federal money. You know, if I'm the president of the United States, I walk right into Union Square, I set up my little presidential podium, and I say, "Listen, citizens of San Francisco, if you vote against military recruiting, you're not going to get another nickel in federal funds. Fine. You want to be your own country? Go right ahead. And if Al Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it. We're going to say, look, every other place in America is off limits to you, except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead."
Yet, last night, you denied this. You denied it and called Sen. Dodd a liar, when the only thing he got wrong was which one of your forums you used to say that. This isn't the first time you've said something well out of bounds, and more power to you for exercising your First Amendment rights, but to blatantly lie about something you said on national radio is shameful. Do you not stand up for your opinions? Are you that afraid of what people might think that you couldn't tell Sen. Dodd, "You know what, yeah, I said that, and I stand by it, too, because they don't (insert reasoning here)." That would display some sort of courage, but sadly, you seem to be lacking in that particular field, because anytime you get caught saying something outrageous, you A: deny it, and then B: blame Media Matters. As much as you like to use MMFA as your scapegoat, they record television and radio shows. They have hard evidence of people's actions, including yours. You would at least earn our grudging respect if you actually gave a damn about the truth and admitted to your own words. But you lie and deny despite hard proof of what you say, and so you sit there in your comfortable studio, where you control all the action, where you can cut off people's microphones and shout over them and kick them off the show because you're Big Bad Bill O, and you rarely venture out of there into anyone else's world because you are just unable to survive in the real world.
I don't agree with you or like you, but it would be good for yourself to take a page from Sen. John McCain. McCain, despite his faults, ventures out into hostile territory. Witness his recent appearance on the Daily Show. He stood by his statements and defended them. He didn't act like you, pulling into a shell and denying that you ever said anything like, "and if Al Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it. We're going to say, look, every other place in America is off limits to you, except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead."
Take a look in the mirror, and at least try to recognize that statements like that incite violence and are beyond the pale. Look into whatever conscience you have and think to yourself what the citizens of San Francisco must've felt like. Examine your heart and ask yourself, "Do I really enjoy being a liar?" And if the answer to that question is yes, then, sir, there is a spot waiting in hell for you, because as you might know, God has no place for deliberate, habitual liars.
Good day.
So, guys, tell me, will Bill O' take on the challenge?