Obama Battles O’Reilly in Pre-Super Bowl Interview: ‘You and Your TV Station’ Push Benghazi, IRS
Source: Mediaite
President Barack Obama sat down with Fox News anchor Bill OReilly for a pre-Super Bowl interview, a reprise of the Q&A the two did before the 2011 game, and Obamas sixth straight pre-Super Bowl interview.
OReilly grilled Obama on why Kathleen Sebelius had not been fired, noting that he as a taxpayer was paying her salary, and also asked if Obama thought the If you like your plan you can keep your plan claim was his biggest mistake?
Obama responded to both queries by arguing that the implementation of the Affordable Care Act was an ongoing process, and he was committed to getting it to work rather than dwelling on past mistakes. I try to focus not on the fumbles but on the next play, Obama said.
The tensest moments came on Benghazi, with the host and the president talking over each other and at times sniping at each other.
Read more: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/obama-battles-oreilly-in-pre-super-bowl-interview-you-and-your-tv-station-push-benghazi-irs/
For those of you asking why O'Reilly was picked: the key word, RATINGS. Obama sparring with O'Reilly would attract more eyeballs and more buzz instead of a more serious interview with Ed Henry (FNC's White House reporter) or Bret Baier (anchor of FNC's 7pm evening news show, Special Report). It's why Matt Lauer instead of David Gregory interviewed Obama for NBC's 2009 Super Bowl pre-game and a CBS Sports anchor instead of Dan Rather or Bob Schieffer interviewed George W. Bush for the 2004 CBS Super Bowl pregame:
kairos12
(12,901 posts)advertisement time as a spokesman for loofahs.
Laf.La.Dem.
(2,947 posts)That was not called for (but very funny)
NoQuarter
(577 posts)bjobotts
(9,141 posts)Just allowing for an interview with this scab is detrimental as it is always an attack piece used to edit lying by FOX. Just like the 60minutes piece was debunked this topic like the IRS should never have even been brought up. Obama is confused if he thinks rational people watch O'Reilly...we just get the soundbites on the net sites we visit. O'Reilly's ego is toxic...he thinks he IS that voice in his head rather than the observer of that voice.
DFW
(54,506 posts)WHY in the world would Obama give O'Reilly the time of day, let alone an interview, when he knows full well that even for the POTUS, O'Reilly will shout over him and show the office about as much respect as he would show to a gnat.
people need to stop treating Fox News as if it is respectable - IT ISN'T - it's nothing but rightwing trash
DFW
(54,506 posts)To call itself Fox "News" is like calling Outback a vegan chain.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)Exactly.
Dyedinthewoolliberal
(15,613 posts)A rightwing noise machine trying (somewhat successfully) to convince some people they are a legitimate news source........
lostincalifornia
(3,639 posts)I won't waste my time clicking the link
phleshdef
(11,936 posts)...though I would ask for Chris Wallace if I were the President.
But it probably has something to do with the fact that Obama isn't afraid of O'Reilly and might welcome the opportunity to take on a right wing loud mouthed once in awhile.
DFW
(54,506 posts)But there's no need of giving him the satisfaction of saying Obama granted him the interview. He'll only say he blew Obama away and edit the interview to make it look that way.
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)so they were looking for a good flub by Obama that they could spend next week drooling over and making another mountain out of a molehill. Obama took the high road, as he always does, and made Billy Boy look like an idiot. Billy couldn't even come up with a new subject beyond Benghazi, IRS and ACA. Imagine watching FOX with their boring agenda each day. Maybe they are proud they can spell Benghazi? Can't get enough of it.
okaawhatever
(9,479 posts)audience. If he was interviewed by a reputable journalist, Fox would have edited and misrepresented everything he said to their audience. This way, they had to at least hear the truth. I don't agree either, but if it accomplished that much I'm okay with it.
progressoid
(50,020 posts)Plus OLiely and Fox will distort this for weeks against Obama/Democrats.
mazzarro
(3,450 posts)Iliyah
(25,111 posts)where Pres O will be saying yes to Benghazi, IRS and anything to make him look bad.
LuvLoogie
(7,074 posts)for subjecting his office to such disrespect and ridicule. Fuck the Super Bowl. Pick a real journalist for Pete's sake. THEY. DON'T. LIKE. YOU!!!
TheMathieu
(456 posts)Not to do it would draw much more criticism than doing it.
Plus he remained composed and answered everything well.
The mouthbreathers won't change their opinions anymore than intelligent Americans will change their opinion of O'Reilly.
1000words
(7,051 posts)Which is why I won't be watching the Super Bowl. Looking like the Olympics will follow suit.
santamargarita
(3,170 posts)those 1% right-wing assholes.
PsychGrad
(239 posts)L0oniX
(31,493 posts)Cha
(298,049 posts)Dan Pfeiffer ✔ @pfeiffer44
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For the millions of Americans enjoying nachos and totally confused by what they just saw on tv re the IRS, read this http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/05/the-fake-story-about-the-irs-commissioner-and-the-white-house/276399/
11:46 AM - 2 Feb 2014
The Fake Story About the IRS Commissioner and the White House
White House records show Douglas Shulman signed in for 11 visits, not 157, between 2009 and 2012.
The Atlantic @TheAtlantic
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Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
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O'Reilly accuses Pres. Obama of hiding Benghazi due to election. POTUS: "They believe that because folks like you are telling them that."
11:41 AM - 2 Feb 2014
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Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
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President Obama knows how to do shade. He didn't call Fox a news station. Noooo, he called it a "TV station."
Thank you sir for the laughs.
12:13 PM - 2 Feb 2014
83 Retweets 55 favorites
TOD
thanks alp
Tom Ripley
(4,945 posts)O'Reilly had his pasty ass handed to him.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)mstinamotorcity2
(1,451 posts)I missed his interview with O Righty the bad porn author. Who does he think he is talking to??? Even when the President says the truth he just doesn't want the viewing audience to know the truth. And Fox viewers are too ignorant to fact check. If they did Faux news wouldn't have any viewership.
JI7
(89,289 posts)they aren't going to give these interviews to someone nobody knows.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)It's good that Obama goes on there. I feel for my niece and nephew who have to watch Faux EVERY day. At least if they see Obama on and telling it like it is, maybe they can see the truth. This might wake up a few young kids stuck in a GOP household.
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)I'm just an American citizen. A lowly nobody who is not a celebrity, rich, or with a television show who's opinion really doesn't matter a rats ass to these people.
PsychGrad
(239 posts)When he's President, he can fire who he wants. Would he even try to tell any other President how to be President? I swear, it was like he was fighting saying, "boy"... but I could be imagining it.
tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)I'd even go so far as to say 'outdated TV station' but hilarious that the President delivered that deep jab to their 'network' right up their noses through Bill O'Reilly.
Dopers_Greed
(2,640 posts)There's nothing to the IRS "scandal." It just riles up Faux viewers because it involves a tax agency.
He could have mentioned a real scandal, like the NSA or drones...
SmittynMo
(3,544 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)SmittynMo
(3,544 posts)As expected, O'Reilly constantly interrupted Obama on almost every topic. You'd think he would have learned from the last time. O'Reilly was fishing for Obama to admit that he and his administration screwed up something. It didn't matter what, just that they screwed up something. Obama is no fool,and he dodged every insult/interruption, and even called him out saying, "if you would allow me to explain". I'm sure Obama had better things to do than listen to O'Reilly's bullshit. What concerns me is that Obama allowed this to happen again. If it's a tradition, then why couldn't Obama pick and choose what far right wing racist was to interview him. What a waste of time.
Gothmog
(145,917 posts)O'Reilly did not show President Obama any respect in this interview
SmittynMo
(3,544 posts)They (FAUX) would not exist without criticizing our only black president.
FAUX news - Fair and unbalanced racism.