Super Tuesday 2! Election primary 08

[Wally]

hi, gang.  (somewhat) long time lurker, first time poster here.

A GIANT WELCOMES TO YOUS.

[Thermofusion]

I'm with Pollo on the O'Reilly/Olbermann comparision; in terms of raw egotism and self-righteousness, I view those two cats as opposite but equal.  While I certainly identify much more with Olbermann's politics, O'Reilly's funnier and more charismatic.  Since I can only rarely take either one of them seriously as commentators, I have to make my judgment based on pure entertainment value.

(Although I gotta say, that Olbermann commentary on Ferraro is completely on point, if a little over-the-top)

[Tom]

hi, gang.  (somewhat) long time lurker, first time poster here.

A GIANT WELCOMES TO YOUS.

appreciated, man - thanks.  (that's a GIANT thanks, btw.)

[Andrew_TSKS]

I'm with Pollo on the O'Reilly/Olbermann comparision; in terms of raw egotism and self-righteousness, I view those two cats as opposite but equal.  While I certainly identify much more with Olbermann's politics, O'Reilly's funnier and more charismatic.  Since I can only rarely take either one of them seriously as commentators, I have to make my judgment based on pure entertainment value.

(Although I gotta say, that Olbermann commentary on Ferraro is completely on point, if a little over-the-top)

i still say that olbermann's not gonna consciously lie, while o'reilly will and has done so.

[elpollodiablo]

I don't think you can call what O'Reilly does lying any more than you can say the same about Olbermann. They both spin the truth to the extent it suits their purposes. Except it's more hilarious when O'Reilly does it because he refers to his program as the "No Spin Zone."

Once again, veracity aside: that's entertainment.

[Thermofusion]

O'Reilly DEFINITELY has a penchant for lying when he's rolling around in one of his pseudo-martyrdom episodes.  Thankfully, those have been fewer and fewer lately; he always comes the closest to self-parody when he thinks someone's out to smear him (hilariously, the "smears" are usually just people directly quoting him).  Hearing him rant several times a week about how Media Matters is evil (yes, that's the word he usually uses) for reprinting something moronic he said was getting pretty tired.

I think for the most part, though, O'Reilly tells the truth.  At least the truth according to his amazingly distorted perception of reality.  I mean, for instance, I really think he *was* genuinely surprised when he didn't hear "more tea, motherfucker!" at Sylvia's -- as a rich, white, somewhat reclusive conservative Long Islander, he's just *that* clueless and out-of-step with the Middle America he's doggedly determined to singlehandedly save.  Which is nothing short of hilarious.

[elpollodiablo]

O'Reilly DEFINITELY has a penchant for lying when he's rolling around in one of his pseudo-martyrdom episodes.  Thankfully, those have been fewer and fewer lately; he always comes the closest to self-parody when he thinks someone's out to smear him (hilariously, the "smears" are usually just people directly quoting him).  Hearing him rant several times a week about how Media Matters is evil (yes, that's the word he usually uses) for reprinting something moronic he said was getting pretty tired.

I think for the most part, though, O'Reilly tells the truth.  At least the truth according to his amazingly distorted perception of reality.  I mean, for instance, I really think he *was* genuinely surprised when he didn't hear "more tea, motherfucker!" at Sylvia's -- as a rich, white, somewhat reclusive conservative Long Islander, he's just *that* clueless and out-of-step with the Middle America he's doggedly determined to singlehandedly save.  Which is nothing short of hilarious.

Exactly. Also Michael Savage calls Media Matters a "fascist homosexual group." The conservative ire toward Media Matters is, as you said, hilarious, because MM rarely does ANYTHING beyond quote those idiots directly.

[guanajuato]

i think i used to find o'reilly entertaining until the war kept going on and on and on. now the funny is gone. he kind of reminds me of a nazi propagandist.

[Tom]

O'Reilly DEFINITELY has a penchant for lying when he's rolling around in one of his pseudo-martyrdom episodes.  Thankfully, those have been fewer and fewer lately; he always comes the closest to self-parody when he thinks someone's out to smear him (hilariously, the "smears" are usually just people directly quoting him).  Hearing him rant several times a week about how Media Matters is evil (yes, that's the word he usually uses) for reprinting something moronic he said was getting pretty tired.

I think for the most part, though, O'Reilly tells the truth.  At least the truth according to his amazingly distorted perception of reality.  I mean, for instance, I really think he *was* genuinely surprised when he didn't hear "more tea, motherfucker!" at Sylvia's -- as a rich, white, somewhat reclusive conservative Long Islander, he's just *that* clueless and out-of-step with the Middle America he's doggedly determined to singlehandedly save.  Which is nothing short of hilarious.

Exactly. Also Michael Savage calls Media Matters a "fascist homosexual group." The conservative ire toward Media Matters is, as you said, hilarious, because MM rarely does ANYTHING beyond quote those idiots directly.

Michael Savage has got to be the biggest nut job in the world of really large political nut jobs.

[davy]

i really can't relate to you folks being entertained by bill o'reilly. maybe i'm too sensitive, but there's a genuine malevolence to his work that has nothing to do with his politics. i don't sense that with olbermann, not at all.

i would more readily compare chris matthews to bill o'reilly, although his politics are a little murkier. he's still not outright mean (most of the time), but he fucking loves to stir shit up to the general detriment of society.

[guanajuato]

i'm gonna have to disagree with the o'reilly/matthews comparison, davy. chris matthews is a boob but i've seen him get guests of either polarity on his show and go after them like a fox after the chicken coop.

o'reilly and olbermann do their schtick in a vacuum. o'reilly actually has guests on, but a better word for them is 'prey', he picks guests like 'the boy scout who was thrown out of boyscouts because he refused to pray with the scout troop' and then he rips them to shreds, while he preens in front of the camera, mentions his radio show and his american warrior books. olbermann just sits there regurgitating the lefty blogs of the day, with a few democratic analysts to come on and regurgitate what olbermann just regurgitated.

i dunno. political pundits. argh!

[Tom]

I don't see much difference between Bill O. and Keith O., other than, of course, which side their on: each has his wing's talking points and delivers them as though they're gospel (that said, I agree much more with Keith than Bill; but they're both a part of the same problem).

Matthews, I think, is slightly more substantive in his analysis (at least more balanced), though his non-stop spitting gets on my nerves...

[davy]

you people are blowing my mind. i mean, i know the easy and responsible thing to say is "they're both biased, so they play essentially the same character." KO just feels better because i agree with him.

but people. bill o'reilly! it's not just what he believes! it's who he is! agh!

[Tom]

you people are blowing my mind. i mean, i know the easy and responsible thing to say is "they're both biased, so they play essentially the same character." KO just feels better because i agree with him.

but people. bill o'reilly! it's not just what he believes! it's who he is! agh!

point taken: O'Reilly's meaner, louder, angrier, and more objectionable, generally speaking; I don't think there's much debate about that.  but I think the larger point is that, while Olbermann's not so vicious, he still spews the same "well this is what my side thinks" party line - even if more of us happen to agree with him.  I don't think anyone's really disagreeing with you on this point.  (and, to me, what makes O'Reilly so awful is his "fair and balanced" approach; like, it's fine to be a conservative, just cop to it - don't insist you're something you're not.) 

I think all of this boils down to a general desire for more in-depth, less partisan news coverage - right?

[jebreject]

I think ultimately this is a debate that only the fact checkers can rule on

[RoyBiggins]

while Olbermann's not so vicious, he still spews the same "well this is what my side thinks" party line

I know him, and he does.

[Wally]

Looks like the facts have been checked.

[andronicus]

Quis custodiet ipsos RoyBiggins???

[RoyBiggins]

According to YouTube, plenty of people.

[Wally]

There has to be a joke to be made about Brian, youtube, teenage girls and Bill O'Reilly. There just has to be.

[Andrew_TSKS]

it needs to also involve falafel.

[Tom]

it needs to also involve falafel.

that falafel line might be the funniest thing I have ever heard.  I get giddy just thinking about it.

[Greg Nog]

My favorite way to read the falafel monologue is in the voice of Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs.

and uh you still would be with your back to me then I would kinda put my arm -- it's one of those mitts, those loofa mitts you know, so I got my hands in it

[davy]

quick, someone say something divisive!!@!!

[Wally]

quick, someone say something divisive!!@!!

I don't know about you but I would not want a black man in charge of my country,