Iowa's Impact

Bill O'Reilly's January 3rd Talking Points Memo

Bill O'Reilly is looking for a candidate and he just hasn't found one yet. He's looking for one who's "truly looking out for you." This is a difficult problem already. Mr. O'Reilly won't be able to find a candidate who is "truly looking out for you" because everyone has different things they need looked after. The elderly are concerned about medicare and social security. The young are concerned about the war and whether they'll have to go. The middle-class are concerned about their wages, gas prices, and keeping big business in check. The upper-class are concerned with paying less taxes, corporate incentives, and making more money. The poor are concerned about welfare and health care. Urban people are concerned with education and crime fighting. Rural people are concerned with farm subsidies. Religious people are concerned with abortion and gay marriage. So I can't even fathom how Bill O'Reilly is going to find that candidate who is "truly looking out for you." So, it's pretty safe to say that Mr. O'Reilly is going to find that candidate who is truly right for him. That will likely put him in the upper-class range and not very much in touch with the average person. Certainly all the democratic candidates have already been crossed off his list.

Since he doesn't have anyone to support, why not just go after the ones he doesn't? Today it's John Edwards bearing the brunt of his ire. Edwards recently suggested that he would first pull U.S. forces away from training Iraqi forces. Rather than discuss his reasons behind such a statement, Mr. O'Reilly predictably calls Mr. Edwards dumb. Edwards proposes this to allow the U.S. to pull troops out of Iraq in the most expedient manner (moreso than Obama or Clinton). Also, Edwards is willing to continue training outside of Iraq in a more secure environment. I'm not saying I agree with Edwards position here, but he is far from dumb in his logic. Intrestingly enough, Mr. O'Reilly goes on to suggest that "the USA needs smart leadership in the White House, not a crazed idealogue." Considering how much support Mr. O'Reilly has given to the Bush Administration over the years, this statement reeks of irony. But that is beside the point.

Bill O'Reilly is also unhappy that none of the candidates are giving a plan on how to deal with Pakistan after the Bhutto assassination. First of all, this is not unlike any other presidential election we've seen in the past. Candidates aren't usually giving out detailed plans, they are speaking in generalities. I will agree, though, that it would be nice to hear the candidates' viewpoints on the issue.

Finally we have the most important figure ever to be revealed about the United States. A Gallup poll says that 80 percent of Americans are happy with their lot in life. Everything must be wonderful then! Nevermind that 77 percent of Americans are displeased with the work that the Bush Administration has done. Nevermind that our policies today are breeding terrorists around the world. Nevermind that our education system isn't exactly the paragon of excellence. At this moment, 80 percent of Americans are happy with their lot in life. I'm not particularly fond of the term "lot in life." It pretty much limits the question to whether you're happy with what you do. So when The New York Times suggests that the USA is in terrible shape, perhaps Mr. O'Reilly should look at how they arrived at that conclusion rather than pointing to a Gallup poll about how people feel about their lot in life. The two can be mutually exclusive. I guess that wouldn't give Mr. O'Reilly the fodder he needs to wage war against the evil "far-left" media. Somehow The New York Times' comment suggests to Mr. O'Reilly that "the media, generally left-leaning, really isn't much interested in you or what's good for you." I guess that begs the question: why should anyone listen to what you have to say then, Mr. O'Reilly? Or are you somehow above this "media" you speak of? And is selfishness the key to peace, wealth, health, and happiness? I suppose the voters will decide.

And that's "The CounterPoints Memo."