Fox News Host Bill O'Reilly appeared at a Barack Obama event at Nashua High School. Upon O'Reilly's presence, the crowd took notice, since O'Reilly has been accused of being racist and heavily against Barack Obama. However, it wasn't his presence that got the most attention.
Obama staffer Marvin Nicholson, a close aide to Senator Barack Obama, was standing next to Obama as he was taking handshakes. O'Reilly then yelled for Nicholson to get out of the way of his camera's shot. Nicholson also said that O'Reilly proceeded to move beyond the barricade protecting Obama, demanding a closer look.
"Then he grabbed me with both of his arms and tried to push me out of the way," Nicholson told the press.
Fox News has no comment about the incident.
"I told him, 'Sir, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't shove me anymore.'
"He called me 'low class.' He was pretty upset."
Secret Service agents assigned to protect Obama strongly ordered O'Reilly to get back behind the barricade, at which point, Obama extended his hand. O'Reilly then asked if Obama would appear on his show.
Nicholson, who has worked on other presidential campaigns in the past, said that he has never seen anything like this in his long career.
"I've never seen a member of the press lay hands on a staffer before," he said.
Democrats, to this point, including Obama, have refused to appear on Bill O'Reilly's show, as have most African-American leaders. Fox was forced to cancel a Democratic debate after none of the candidates agreed to appear.
"The senator said he would think about going to the show after the primaries," Nicholson said.
Some say O'Reilly's show has lost credibility in recent months, as he has been accused The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC and many major networks of being biased. Being accused of attacking a close aide of Barack Obama isn't likely to help his reputation.
34 comments:
Typical Democrat strategy - "If we are challenged we should not rise to meet it, let's just talk it to death, that'll show 'em."
This is more evidence that O'Reilly, along with his buddy's Limbaugh and Hannity, are total "nut jobs." They only get attention by spewing irrational negativity and hatred. I'm just sick of it; their attitudes threaten American unity, and security. They are un-American.
These guys are bad for our country.
i like how racism is always the excuse.
Well Anonymous, post who you are and what your cred is for calling out that it's "always about race"...
My guess is your white and a Repub...Meaning 25% of your kind won't vote for Romney because he's Mormon...35% of your kind "will not vote for a woman"...80% of your kind refuse the right of gays to fight for our Country...70% of your kind would not vote for a Muslim...
Funny how it always does come down to predjudice there slick...
Oreilly is worse than the KKK. People need to realize that.
Obama just needs to give up we dont want a potential terorist in the white house. he is the worst excuse for a presidential candidate that I have ever seen get this much attention
That was a really ignorant thing to say. Obama has a good chance of being elected. But people like you are trying to stop it.
why is everyone Anonymous? What can't have friend and relitives really see who you are?
bellbivdevoe- I agree with your sentiments, but I really hope you weren't referring to Obama when you wrote "would not vote for a Muslim." You know he's not Muslim, right?
It's not surprising to hear what Mr.O'reily did.
He is a very crude,rude and arrogant man. Fox better take a hard look at the man they have representing their network.
Sean & Rush are no better. 365 days their only business is spewing hatred. They talk sometimes with no common sense.
I have sean just spending time slamming Hillary Clinton. Shame on all of three of these good for nothing men.
In O'Reilly's case I am reminded of that quote that goes something like, " When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and holding a bible"...I see Hannity, Limbaugh, Krauthammer, Jonah Goldberg and all the Fox News ilk in that category. Un-American and untruthful.
It seems no one here actually saw what happened. The tape of the incident clearly shows O'Reilly's cameraman being purposefully blocked by an Obama supporter. It was rude and stupid and childish. If you are letting the press in, let them do their thing. After repeated requests to the man to not block the shot, O'Reilly pushed him out of the way, or tried to. The sad thing is that by Obama not appearing on his show he avoids airing his views to huge numbers of independent voters. O'Reilly serves as a great target for the left, but those of us who actually watch his show know how truly balanced it is. But don't let facts and truth get in your way.
I am quite happy to see more and more people speaking out against the over-used race card. It's truly reached its acceptable limit, and this is one more example why.
Without even viewing the footage or actually being there to see what took place, a quick clip becomes another reason to scream "color". Forget the hundreds of other clips of reporters and celebrities behaving disrespectfully towards other races. Let's find that one buried somewhere in a pile that would otherwise be forgotten if not for turning it into publicity for our favorite token black person of the week.
Yes, you heard me. Token black person. An actor or actress or any kind of celebrity of color can't win or accomplish anything without being touted as "black" this and "African American" that. As if color is all they have to offer and all they are in this world. What a shameful way to show them the respect they earned by just being themselves.
I'm also disappointed that so many here trying to appear intelligent cannot see it is mere fear keeping Democrats and Obama from the O'Reilly show.
It's basic fact. If Democrats are so sure of themselves and stand firmly by their convictions, why do they keep refusing an opportunity to put Bill O'Reilly in his place? If Mr. Obama has nothing to hide and wants his fair time like other politicians who have gone up against O'Reilly, why won't he accept the invitation?
Instead of whining about how evil O'Reilly is that he's scaring the poor little Dems and sweet, innocent Obama, why don't these people griping about it start DEMANDING their political leaders defend the issues they claim to hold so dear?
If a person cannot meet a reporter eye to eye and stand his ground on what he holds to be his platform, what does that say about that politician's ability to effectively hold office?
Before any so-called "non-racists" like the one above begins slinging stereotypes at me, yes, I am white AND I am not racist or care about the ridiculous race claim that was begun by the media during this current presidential race.
I find it shameful that a race of people who claims to be proud and ignored for their minds allow themselves to so often be manipulated by the media to continue these non-existent incidents for the mere purpose of ratings.
I am also neither Republican or Democrat. Any intelligent person can see they are all the same with their own agendas not reflecting anything for which their respective parties stand. Not anymore (research it).
For goodness sake, push or didn't push, is this really as important as the children in this country being sexually and physically abused every day? Get your priorities straight!
Nicely said RAIN, my sentiments precisely. It's about time Obama - whose mantra is "Change we can believe in", start telling this country what kind of change he intends to make and how he intends to make it. As far as I can see, and I have done my research on Obama, he simply is not qualified to be President of the greatest nation on earth. He has not the credentials nor the resume to run a state much less a nation. Since when does a person of either sex with less than two years in a political office qualify them to embrace National and International issues. We are in a time of war with an enemy that does not hold life itself to be sacred. And yes, Obama was raised as a muslim in his youth and educated in the madrases in Africa. This nation's credulity on this man is simply mind-boggling.
Wake up America! Why do you think Obama didn't and won't pledge allegiance to this great nation. His allegiance lies in Africa. Don't believe me - just pull up his so-call 'christian' church's Mission Statement, or actually do some research on Obama himself. It's all there. Read it for yourself and stop listening to the media and all their crap. Open your mind and learn the facts. Don't go along with the crowd. Be an individual and educate yourself before you find out that all your freedoms are gone and you are finding yourself living in fear from the terrorism that will take hold of this country. Talk is cheap - Action speaks louder than words.
The terrorism lies in our hearts. FOX news has classically used fear to scare and coerce the public into thinking there is only one option. The person above me talks about doing research....she prob supported LBJ when he issued false flag tactics...because killing American solider for political greater good is perfectly acceptable....u want to talk about terrorists...look at urself
Save your animosity for Bill and Hillary Clinton - they're the ones that are calling Obama out about his race. Also, mirroring others ideas about patriotism just says you don't have any ideas. We're all one country. Just don't believe all you hear. 95% of this stuff is just lies.
Franie. Many comments have outraged me, but yours takes the cake. For someone who asks that we do research on Obama, yours must have come directly from O'Reilly's mouth. There are false reports that Obama is Muslim and was raised Muslim. These false reports claim that he attended a madrassa in Indonesia (which is NOT even in Africa so you don't even have the 'smear' campaign quoted correctly). This has been proven false by several sources who went directly to the school that he attended in Indonesia to debunk these claims http://thinkprogress.org/2007/01/22/cnn-obama-debunk/
. You also believe that Obama only has two years of experience as a politician? Your research skills didn't lead you as far back as the time that he spent on the State Senate? Let me guess, you voted twice for George W. and you did research on his foreign policy experience. You realized that he had traveled outside of the country once (Mexico)and that instead of being an editor for the Harvard Law Review he was a 'C' student at Yale. Sounds like he was more qualified than Senator Obama.
And as for you 'RAIN'. Much to the chagrin of several African-Americans, Obama stays far away from race issues and never ever ever wants to use the race card. Like the Senator, 'token' actors and actresses (that you speak of) are touted by the media as black of african-american, they would much rather be judged by their abilities than the color of their skin. It is people like you that make color an issue. You think that Democrats are scared of O'reilly? They just don't respect him or feel the need to go on a show where the host immaturely yells at the top of his lungs, asks stupid questions, and cuts off people's microphones if he doesn't like what he's hearing.
Tell me why the Republicans didn't go to Tavis Smiley's debate at Howard University?
The only reason Obama is still in the race is because Oprah Winfrey is funding the majority of his expenses.
Insight:
Your leftist ignorance is overwhelming; it's obvious
you never listened to any
of the conservative talk shows
you so negatively remark on,
if you did you would see how
positive and pro-American they
are. These great Americans
would out debate any liberal
from your side of the aisle.
Oprah Winfrey is funding the majority of Obama's expenses? Where do you people get this stuff? Obama raised over $20 million in the first quarter of campaigning alone, and that was done mostly over the internet and was mostly made up of contributions of $50-$100.
It's sad, but our air waves (the property of all American citizens according to the legislation forming the Federal Communications Commission FCC) have been hijacked by those purporting to be "Fair and Balanced " journalists. Sean Hannity is a bully pure and simple and Bill O'Reilly behaves very nearly like Sean. What all American people really deserve is a true journalist that asks probing questions and them LISTENS for a response to absorb and understand. How are we to get to the bottom of solving the difficult problems we face if our best means of communication (the airwaves) is so cluttered with people who will not provide a decent interview? The system for managing our airwaves is seriously broken -- it appears the airwave licenses are being simply sold to the highest bidder with no regard for the quality of the content the bidder would provide. Shouting matches and bullying will not make us any wiser or better informed but unfortunately they will glean advertizing dollars for their entertainment value.
O'Reilly Biased? Well his show is an OPINION SHOW YOU IMBECILES!!!!!!! Is he not allowed to have an opinion? Watch the tape and you'll see that this Nicholson idiot was purposely blocking the shot because he wanted to get cheers among the far left fools at the event.
Also, why did this blogger fail to mention that O'Reilly praised Obama on his show when he ran the tape?
Most black leaders refuse to go on O'Reilly's show? Jesse Hi-Jackson and Al Sharptongue have, who else needs to?
Look you can't white wash this!!!!!
I'm white and work in manufacturing. The work eithcs of America dictate not to place your hands on anyone!!!
Fox needs to put O'Reilly at a desk job..I am so ashamed. It's folks like O'Reilly that act like "low class".
O'Reilly could have asked nicely and if told "no"..then should have left anyway!!!
This is the kind of stuff that gives whites a bad name...don't you get IT!!!!!
Hey! America! Wake Up! This is what's really happening here. We are like 300 people of all races, nationalities, religions, classes, sexes fighting it out on a runaway train about to collide with another runaway train full of the same.
Fact: A president heavily invested for three generations in oil will by definition open the door for the ridiculous prices we are experiencing.
Result: We are burning our cash right out of our arses. Caught in economic enslavement that has no regard for race, class, sex or religion.
Result: The American dollar is about to be like Russian currency. The value is plummeting. Even if you're a millionaire, what you have in spending power for 1m is equivalent to half that or less.
O'Reilly is retarded. Always was!
Anybody who can't do any better than the level one attempts at rational thought is mentally challenged.
So now we are yelling at each other over a clown. The train is gathering speed. Race never mattered. It was always a trick to prevent unity of people being suckered by the wealthy land and factory owners we worked for. Indentured or slave...the difference was only in disposition of an asset or not. Enslavement was always the bottom line. The current model of that enslavement?
It's economic enslavement stupid!
Forget O'Reilly, forget the bait and switch political shuffle. The enemy is us, the change is us. Regardless of black or white. Didn't black and white create the greatest country in the world together? Let's take the dm thing back, together!
it makes the democrats look pretty weak. the republicans have to debate with Tim Russert as the moderator on msnbc (liberal out the wazoo) but the democrats can't face fox news. what are the democrats afraid of??? a question can only be so biased, how it is answered is the important part and they can't face it. if they can't face fox news how can they face the other leaders of the world. i need to see something more from these candidates.
I agree with kkoje. Forget O'Reilly. His ideas are petty and dumb.
To even make a comment about what O'Reilly thinks is giving him more than he is worth.
Basically, the reason you don't go on O'Reilly is the same reason you wouldn't negotiate face-to-face with Kim Jong-Il.
That's his territory, and he can put you in any kind of negative photo op position he wants. I don't care so much if it's Kim Jong-Il, mainly because N. Korean residents don't vote in our elections. If I'm a presidential candidate of any stripe, I'm not going to go on a show where you are confronted not over the ideas you represent, but rather, because the person involved wants to make a soundbite.
Which is what O'Reilly does. In fact, 80 percent of television news is a combination of performance art and news reporting. If you don't like it (and I don't), you can forsake television (which I have), because you're not going to get anything else from the boob tube. Hell, even radio is getting there.
Take this instance with the camera, for example. O'Reilly doesn't like the shot he's getting from his position, he's free to go somewhere else in the press area.
He knows this. He also knows he can appear to be a "culture warrior" by appearing to confront the widespread practice of blocking the camera.
So instead, he and his staff stage a confrontation over it, then use the clips for his show. I think it's a little ridiculous that the staff moved to such a cheap level in order to appear relevant.
Next...
thank you to the "Anonymous" who said
"It seems no one here actually saw what happened...."
and to RAIN for a long, but well-reasoned perspective.
I'm an Obama supporter, but it distresses me that a man (or woman -- Hillary) running for president should appear afraid of trading his/her views with any legit commentator from the left, right or center.
No, O'Reilly isn't as "fair and balanced" as he purports to be. But folks, if you actually watch him as I do, and not depend on others to make up your mind for you, you'll see he does a far better job of trying to be fair than 90% of the others out there.
What's Obama and Clinton afraid of?
What everybody is missing is this: It is the role of op-eds to represent a particular spin on the current topic, typically their own but whether by design or co-incidence the larger platform whether left, right, moderate, what have you.
The American electorate will not be served well from the White House, no matter who's there unless we make very, very plan that it is we who are going to change the way things work, in our own lives, families and communities. What's happening now is that public 'servants' are living the highlife, being driven around in limos, flying at the taxpayer expense and generally having a good ole time.
Despite the fact that he is a Republican and that he is not among the candidates running Newt GIngrich was absolutely right when he said that if corporations were run the way the Federal government is run they would be out of business in short order.
It is long past time for us to make accountability for performance a part of the responsibility of politician making grand promises. The fact is, Hilary and Bill didn't succeed at getting universal healthcare for America in the 8 years they were in office. Bill got his wood polished but he didn't get the job done. He won't the second time around. Neither will Barak Obama. We have to restructure the way our towns, cities and state work. That doesn't happen from the white house. We have to establish milestones for public officials, benchmarks. If they don't get it done, recall them from office. Immediately, irrevocably. I promise you when getting a job done is the only way to stay in office, the job will be done.
What Barak Obama needs from us is the laundry list of our public necessities. Of how we want to engage the world, of how we want our collective money spent. It's time we put fire under some of the comfortable chairs causing all this mischief.
"It makes the democrats look pretty weak. the republicans have to debate with Tim Russert ... if they can't face fox news how can they face the other leaders of the world. i need to see something more from these candidates." - Anonymous
No, the democrats look weak (with the exception of Kucinich mainly but Obama as well) for the same reason the republicans look weak (with the exception of Ron Paul). They lack substance.
Fox serves it's viewers with carefully orchestrated distraction or outright deception. Fox loves their sound bites. If they can not induce something negative from the candidate, they will distort the context of their responses and air grossly misrepresented footage of candidate's interviews. If that doesn't work they'll deny the candidate air time altogether. It's hard to know what a candidate stands for if the major media players won't let them see the light of day (as was the case with Kucinich and is the case with Ron Paul). I am a supporter of Ron Paul, but truly hope to have two good options from which to choose come election day. I would not be too disappointed were a match up between Paul and Obama to result in an Obama administration. Obama and Paul share an intangible that is rare amongst politicians. It's called integrity, and should form the basis of a voter's consideration for any candidate. To put it simply: do you believe the candidate? When your candidate debates are you convinced by his or her answers? Use your mind, not Fox News, to determine that.
So you brought up Obama's reluctance to appear on Fox. Fox "news" is meant to serve Fox's interests rather that disseminate information. As a corollary their coverage of political candidates is meant to further the agendas of those in whom they're invested. So, when Rupert Murdoch (Owner of NewsCorp, Fox's parent company) chooses to organize Hillary fund raisers, I think it shows sound judgement from Obama to politely tell one of Murdoch's boys that he won't serve to legitimize Murdoch's bias.
The sad fact, Anonymous, is that there are a lot of people like you out there, people who refuse to pursue a diversity of news sources. You find one news provider that plays to your particular political comfort area and allow them to slowly lead you where ever they want you to go. You gladly listen as they tell you which options are viable. Do you take time to wonder why Ron Paul's ideas are so "impractical"-Fox, or why Kucinich's candidacy "is not viable"-Fox, or do you just take Fox's word for it? Why is it that the pacifists (Kucinich and Paul) get excluded from Fox debates? Do you watch Fox news and ask any questions Anonymous? Why doesn't O'Reilly pursue Kucinich or Paul so vehemently? I'm sure he wouldn't need to assault one of Paul's aides to get his attention.
You are a racist and naive - a terrible combination of traits.
namaste
I am not going to get into the politics.I am so sick and tired of people who are suppose to be intellegent and grown up and leaders of todays youth always talking about RACE. I just simply want to say something that I told my students when I taught. The color of your skin doesn't matter. It's who you are on the inside that counts. We all bleed the same. We all have the same organs inside and look the same the inside. Just because we don't have the same skin color does not mean we are different. PEOPLE and their attitudes make skin color different. I just wish people would grow up. I have taught 2nd,4th,and 5th graders who act better than politians and other leaders and general population out there. GROW UP AMERICAN! Forget the past. It's the present and the future that you should be looking at. Nobody owes anybody anything. You have to earn it.That includes respect and pride. Those are not things that are given to you - you earn them by treating people the way you want to be treated. Grow up America. Just remember to vote for the candidate that will lead our country with God's help. After all our country was founded with God on our side and it's time we bring HIM back into our lives and quit letting that very small minority tell us how to run our schools without prayer. We need to put GOD and PRAYER back into our schools, our lives, our country and our leaders. Remember color is only skin deep. I know this is simple, but I am a simple school teacher who is very afraid of what is happening to my country and my students. GOD HELP US AND BLESS US!
This forum is awesome. We are all Americans voicing our diverse opinions and love for our Country and concern over leadership. Every politician has a right to choose if they want to participate in a certain tv show or not and accept the consequences of that choice - or perceptions therein. I find it interesting how the Republicans banter over whether or not they supported the "surge" and how it never is addessed with Democrats. There are distinct differences in leadership in each party and we, as concerned Americans, are faced with tough decisions of our own in selecting a leader. All of our leadership choices come from what can be considered living a wealthy lifestyle and never really have lived paycheck to paycheck like most of us here. They've never faced the economic challenges we have or will face based on their decisions. It used to be big news and rare when the Fed rate was cut, now it's commonplace. Our tax dollars are being spent protecting our oil interests abroad because we have not had the leadership to move us in another direction. Our dependencies as a whole nation, hurt us and have created the largest gap between the poor and rich in this country - ever. It isn't race, it isn't whether you go on a show or not, or even the media circus and spinning of events - they all do it, unfortunately. It's us. We decide on the leader, we decide if they represent us, our concerns. Go beyond the hoopla and read about them, watch the debates and decide. The decisions ahead will be very tough. We can be pessimistic and say it doesn't matter who's in the office because it will be more of the same. That may be true in the past. We have all sat by and trusted our leaders. No more for me, I am going to hold them accountable, no matter who they are. Because WE are the true government - of the people and by the people. If they lie, deceive us, or do not live up to their campaign promises - we must hold them accountable. WE are in charge and need to let our leadership know it. Kevin Walker
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