O’Reilly shot down “liberal” Eboni Williams’ criticism of President Obama’s visit to a mosque by noting that years ago many Catholic churches had bad priests. “So you’re going to say, because a priest was there 20 years ago that you don’t go there? Come on!”
As we’ve reported, Fox News heads exploded over President Obama’s visit to a Baltimore mosque yesterday. They used the ridiculous excuse that a former imam, who left the mosque in 2003, had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
On The O’Reilly Factor, Williams was paired with conservative Monica Crowley to discuss the issue, presumably from the left. Usually on Fox, Williams gives the “liberal” perspective on what’s wrong with Hillary Clinton and what’s great about Donald Trump. But now we can add President Obama to the list of Democrats Williams happily criticizes on Fox News.
Williams began her “analysis” by whitewashing Trump's call for banning all Muslims from coming into the U.S. by calling it “what some feel is divisive language” and “a bit higher scrutiny for Muslims.” Then she went on to regurgitate conservative talking points that the mosque President Obama is tied to terrorism because of a former imam who left in 2003.
From the Fox News transcript:
WILLIAMS: Clearly this is responsive to what the President and some feel is divisive language by Trump and even Dr. Carson, a bit higher scrutiny for Muslims. And this is responsive in this way. I think what’s unfortunate though about the visit is his objective which is the kind to coalesce and remind us that we have a religious tolerance here in America. It’s underminded because of the mosque he went to which is rumored to be tied or suspected to be tied to extremist behavior.
O’REILLY: They had an extreme Imam back in 2003.
WILLIAMS: Right.
O’REILLY: So that’s 13 years ago.
WILLIAMS: Sure.
O’REILLY: The statute of limitations on extreme Imams run out?
WILLIAMS: Well, wait a minute, wait a minute—
O’REILLY: Wait a minute! Come on!
…I don’t think it’s fair. And I will tell you why. ...I’m not saying this was the best place or not. But 13 years ago, look how many Catholic churches embarrassed by bad priests. So you’re going to say, because a priest was there 20 years ago that you don’t go there? Come on!
And even then Williams stuck to her conservative talking points, while feigning some kind of super understanding of Obama.
WILLIAMS: That even though it’s been 13 years ago. For many in this country and I think legitimately can make the distinction right between law abiding patriotic Muslims—and those that are extreme and cause terror amongst all of us. They are able to make it but when you even give the margin for error around it, I think it doesn’t help the causes a much as it could.
...I don’t think he intended to kind of be controversial but I do agree that he could have picked a place—
O’REILLY: I don’t think he cares.
WILLIAMS: I think he cares. He cares tremendously, Bill.
O’REILLY: He doesn’t care.
You know that Fox News faux liberal Eboni Williams is really awful when conservative host Bill O’Reilly destroys her conservative cred.
That, by the way, does not dismiss the importance of O'Reilly's false message that Islamophobia hasn't spiked in our country, when it has. But Williams should have caught that and refuted it. Not surprisingly, she didn't.
Watch it below, from the February 3 The O’Reilly Factor.