O'Reilly is Out

  By Florida Bill                              

                                                               I was flabbergasted to learn that "Big Dog" Bill O'Reilly of Fox News had been fired from his lofty perch. 
                                          The left-wing media has now had its prayers answered. Somehow, it seems suspicious that its always a conservative taking a hit, and not the disingenuous phonies packing the network microphones.
                                          The 67-year-old O'Reilly is out the door, but he steps away with many millions of dollars accruing from his ouster. That money enhances his status as a millionaire, maybe even a billionaire, achieved from big salaries and residuals from the writing of top selling books. He probably gets top dollars for speaking engagements and other activities.                                                                                But so what if he is rich?  Even with the greenbacks filling his pockets, he limps away from his Fox News microphone, embarrassed  and accused of being a sexual predator; a pundit with a loose zipper.  O'Reilly responded in a terse statement that it is "tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely unfounded claims.  But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the public eye must live with today." 
                                            Shortly after his termination, the fighting newscaster counter punched on a podcast. He asserted that  "I can tell you that I am very confident the truth will come out," and he indicated that the full story will pretty much expose the claims as being without merit, and will recount accurately what has happened behind the curtain."
                                             Personally, I was saddened to learn of the unceremonious dismissal of Fox's main attraction.  He was knowledgeable and analytical and he delivered the news of the day with his own spin in a "no spin" way. It was informative and entertaining, and reportedly he had four million viewers tuned in for each one hour show.  It goes without saying--O'Reilly will be missed, and I will be one of them.   
                                           For almost 21 years, O'Reilly was the face of Fox News.  His "O'Reilly Factor" was the number one news show on the tube.  When news was on the table, O'Reilly was a bulldog, and he had little patience for left-wing absurdities.   In interviews, he asked the questions, and then he answered them.  If guests sought to provide their own answers, he knew how to talk over them and if a guest persisted in arguing with the "Big Dog," they held losing cards.  His style drew loyal fans.
                                            Some guests tried hard to cross swords with O'Reilly--like former Congressman Barney Frank and Rev. Al Sharpton--but the neatly attired O'Reilly pushed them into grave-like holes and kicked the earth over them. Confirmed liberal Democrats like Juan Williams and Geraldo Rivera frequently challenged O'Reilly, but then they backed away or were put down by the host.  Both Williams and Rivera are paid contributors by Fox News and they make a sweet salary, and the "no Spin" with the Big Dog is not a gig they wished to lose. It's the O'Reilly spin, without liberal nonsense.  
                                               One regular guest and perhaps the only pundit capable of challenging the "Big Dog" with any success was Charles Krauthammer, a widely respected commentator and columnist, with credentials as a trained psychiatrist.  When the frisky O'Reilly offered what he deemed an irrefutable theory, guests normally nodded in agreement.  But Krauthammer nodded only when he considered O'Reilly to be completely accurate on some matter.  More often, O'Reilly would complete his talking points and ask Dr. K, "What say You?  Where did I go wrong?".
                                       "Where didn't you go wrong," Krauthammer might respond and then he would lay out precisely how O'Reilly had erred in his conclusions or analysis. O'Reilly generally argued the point with Krauthammer, but then rhetoric turned to other topics of which they were more in agreement.    
                                               Apparently, a number of young women piled on against O'Reilly, offended by his lack of "political correctness."  O'Reilly saw no negatives in complimenting and in teasing the attractive young newscasters, but apparently they did, claiming that he was hitting on them in a sexual way, breathing hard over the telephone--and more.  
                                              While the veteran journalist has never been known to harbor any animus toward African Americans, he may have been too casual about race, and demonstrated a disregard for workplace etiquette and correctness.  Ms. Perquita Burgess, who is black and was a temp-clerical worker at the news station in 2008, now recalls O'Reilly's sexist and racial misbehavior.   Accompanied by her attorney, Lisa Bloom, she appeared a few days ago on the women's talk show, The View" and shared her story of O'Reilly's unacceptable conduct.  He "grunted and leered" at her cleavage, she said, as he would pass by her desk on the way to his office, and on one occasion called her "hot chocolate."  Greeting her once with a "looking good there, girl," she said he acted like Fox was a "plantation."
                                              Some years ago, those comments to Burgess might have qualified as complimentary and friendly, but in today's milieu, it is to some a sign of racism and sexism rolled into one offensive ball.  You might wonder if the Burgess complaint is typical of the charges being thrown at the prominent O'Reilly, a multi-millionaire.  Is Ms. Burgess and her counsel looking for a little cash?  In truth, complaints such as the one by Ms. Burgess, ought to be tossed into the waste basket. 
                                              O'Reilly's aggressive nature as a tough journalist has no doubt made him many enemies over the years, and they are all jumping on the bandwagon now. It doesn't help his case that it has come out that many of these offended ladies have settled for many millions of dollars with both O'Reilly and the station. 
                                             A few months back, Fox President Roger Ailes was fired for allegedly seeking special favors from attractive women on a quid pro quo basis. Again, who knows what really went on? For sure, Ailes and O'Reilly were reporting to a couple of left-leaning bosses, and those chiefs took the opportunity to make their mark with liberal America. One thing is for sure:  It will be a while before the company fully recovers, if it ever does,  from the financial losses and diminishing number of viewers triggered as a result of the "Big Dog's" discharge.     
                                                   Predictably, in the future, O'Reilly will continue as a man about town.  He will be writing best selling books (often made into movies) and making speeches;  and, as is his pugilistic style, he will be mixing it up with journalists in interviews. Who knows--maybe  he will be reinstated behind a mike somewhere. (Marv Albert had some strange proclivities that cost him his spot behind the lines at NBA games, but he has found his way back behind the mike.)  Prevaricating Brian Williams is back "shooting the bull" for MSNBC.  In my judgment, the "Big Dog," respected by millions of patriotic and hard-working Americans,  would be welcomed back as a regular on the tube.  
                                                      
                                               XXX