Bill O’Reilly suddenly veered away from a commentary about Donald Trump in order to attack Bob Beckel, a former Fox News colleague, for saying that Megyn Kelly has beaten O’Reilly in the ratings.
It was the night after O’Reilly’s jaw-dropping interview in which he all but pleaded with Trump to participate in Fox’s debate. Not surprisingly, the interview received a lot of attention. So O’Reilly devoted his Talking Points commentary that opens most of his shows to that reaction. Except for the part about Beckel.
From the transcript (with my emphases):
O’REILLY: Well, we received about 7,000 e-mails from you guys commenting on Mr. Trump's decision not to attend the Republican debate in Iowa this evening and, of course, about his chat with me.
There was massive press coverage on that and I will run it down for you real quickly. "CBS This Morning" news, fair; ABC's "Good Morning America", fair; "Today" show used a reporter named Peter Alexander who said I all but begged Trump to do the debate; MSNBC we don't even monitor anybody.
CNN was strange they used their usual hatchet men to attack Fox News but Anderson Cooper was fair. The worst: old Bob Beckel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB BECKEL, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: O'Reilly is scared to death of Megyn Kelly because Megyn Kelly has been beating him in ratings. The first time that's happened since it's been -- Fox News Channel has been on the air.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Of course that is absolutely false. False, not true. And that's why Beckel doesn't work here at Fox anymore. He could not care less about facts.
In the first place, Fox said Beckel’s personal issues were the reason for his departure, probably his drinking. Secondly, Beckel was not “absolutely false” in his claim about Kelly’s ratings. In the third quarter of 2015, she broke O'Reilly's decade-long hold on the coveted demographic of 25-54 year-old viewers and “notched a few monthly wins in the past,” according to CNN. However, CNN also pointed out that Kelly’s quarterly win was thanks to the first Republican debate. Without it, O’Reilly remained on top and he continues to beat her in total viewership.
Still, O’Reilly must be acutely aware of her gaining on him. I hate to say it, Bill, but you pretty much proved Beckel’s point in this segment. If you were not feeling defensive, you would not have singled him out for attack this way.
Watch it below, from the January 28 The O'Reilly Factor.
That said, Kelly’s a better liar than O’Reilly, a more unrepentant bigot, and she has the gams going for her when she’s dot behind that desk. Plus her whole feuding with Trump, while still thinking like him thing has been a killer for ratings. I’m surprised she isn’t thwomping him nightly. That’s not a joke, I actually am wondering what’s taking so long. This isn’t like Maddow, where she gains enough to be a spit toss away from taking Hannity, and MSNBC screws themselves over as a network, this is genuinely “What’s the hold up?!”
The conservative masses are on to this phony network, the suits, and the mouthpieces. The turn off Fox is now being pushed by the conservative masses.
NOTE TO BARBIE KELLY
Look who’s in Trumpster’s corner. Confront Billy on your show.