Bill O’Reilly Uses Rep. Nunes’ Stunt To Help Trump Deflect From Russia Ties

When Fox correspondent John Roberts suggested people “connect some of the dots” between House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes’ attempt to validate Donald Trump’s wiretap lie and the White House, Roberts “forgot” to mention the dots that also link Fox News to the Trump rehab effort.

Not surprisingly, not long after Nunes made his bizarre announcement yesterday, right-wing media held it up as vindication of Trump’s wiretap lie. Media Matters provides an overview:

Right-wing media figures are claiming that House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes’ (R-CA) statement that President Donald Trump’s transition aides were surveilled “vindicates” Trump and prove he “was right” about his unfounded claim that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower. But Nunes’ report—that Trump aides were caught in “incidental collection” while surveilling other targets—was already widely suspected, and Nunes himself admitted it does not prove Trump’s false claim is correct. Multiple current and former government officials have said Trump’s claim is false.

Last night, The O’Reilly Factor’s “No Spin Zone” once again looked more like a “Trump Spin Zone.” First, host Bill O’Reilly used his Talking Points commentary to paint Trump (probably the biggest liar ever to hold public office) as a truth teller and President Barack Obama as a lawbreaker. This, as evidence mounts of disturbing ties and collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

But last night, O’Reilly opened his show with the following (transcript excerpt via Media Matters, with my emphases added):

O’REILLY: Congressman Devin Nunes of California said that someone gave him evidence that intelligence agencies under President Obama did pick up electronic surveillance on members of the Trump transition team and put that so-called “incidental information” into intelligence reports. That might be illegal.

[...]

So, when President Trump tweeted that he was tapped by President Obama, he might not have been far off.

O’Reilly immediately followed that commentary with a friendly chat with Republican Congressman Peter King. Clearly, O’Reilly’s goal was not just to validate Trump’s lie but to do his milkshake BFF an even bigger solid: trying to deflect attention away from Trump’s possible treason and make President Obama the big suspect.

O’REILLY: Bottom line, Congressman. Would I be wrong in saying that the Obama administration surveilled the Trump transition team?

KING: I would say you’re, from all I know, you’re at least 99 ½% accurate and probably 100%.

O’REILLY: That’s a huge, huge story.

KING: It is, absolutely it’s a big story. I hope the media gives it the -

O’REILLY: Well, you’re not gonna, you’re gonna have, on the –

KING: Well, it’s up to you, it’s up to you, Bill.

Just two week ago, O’Reilly argued that the Trump-Russia story was “starting to dive now, big time.” He never revealed that he’s doing his best to make that happen.

Watch O’Reilly in the Trump Spin Zone below, from the March 22, 2017 The O’Reilly Factor.

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Showing 8 reactions

commented 2017-03-24 20:25:04 -0400 · Flag

How seriously do the R-Souls take terrorism? Seriously enough to make this King* creature head of their House Terrorism Subcommittee after 9/11.

*Obsessed and unrepentant IRA supporter and fundraiser who liked to drink with killers in Irish pubs and was actually banned from entering Britain on the grounds that he was a terrorism danger.

commented 2017-03-23 23:10:47 -0400 · Flag

Kevin K, without sounding like Joe McCarthy and accusing members of government of being communist, I have to ASK how many have Russian sympathies and have a Putin alignment. They sure as hell in no way shape or form conform to democrat alignments.

commented 2017-03-23 22:41:26 -0400 · Flag

Many more nights of Junior O’Reilly embarrassing himself leading President Rump’s Turd Containment Crew.

commented 2017-03-23 22:33:22 -0400 · Flag

Nunes is clearly on the side of Nunes. He’s also thinking that he can earn brownie points from the Pence White House by making nonsensical displays like his panic attack yesterday. (And which he’s now already walked back the details, if you’ve been paying attention.) He’s another Darrell Issa in the making, with an equal lack of ethics or credibility.

commented 2017-03-23 21:48:18 -0400 · Flag

Whose side is Devin Nunes on?? Is he trying to hurt the Pentagon?? Nunes is trying to move a critical strategic military base from the UK to a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic. At a disadvantage to our side. How many Manchurian candidates are in the United States.

We need a special prosecutor more than ever.

commented 2017-03-23 20:18:04 -0400 · Flag

And now Fox News is desperately trying to trumpet an anti-CNN intelligence story to push their narrative. Except that when you actually look at the article, you see that they have a single unnamed source making these allegations. You really have to wonder on that one.

The actual truth will continue emerging, regardless of the Right’s frantic attempt to distract everyone. But it was a nice try.

commented 2017-03-23 16:48:48 -0400 · Flag

There was another memorable moment in this mess – when O’Reilly had Bob Woodward on, he tried to paint the situation as Watergate and snuck in a “What did Obama know and when did he know it?” at the tail end of Woodward’s time.

This doesn’t just smell like desperation – it IS desperation. The actual headlines yesterday revealed the Pence White House is apparently in full panic mode. Having Nunes run out and do something like this is not a particularly reassuring sign for them.

My instincts say that people inside the Trump group may well be consulting their attorneys. This should get interesting once people begin to jump ship.

commented 2017-03-23 16:42:21 -0400 · Flag

The ship is sinking fast smell like desparation