Bill O'Reilly For Debate Moderator

MarketWatch Media Columnist Jon Friedman Is Bored Of Presidential Debates; Spice It Up, He Says

(MarketWatch)  Presidential debates are such anticlimactic affairs, in which ultra-cautious candidates invariably fail to connect with millions of American voters watching at home.

I don't know about you, but I had more questions about what John McCain and Barack Obama stood for AFTER their first debate than I did beforehand.

Want to give the whole debate process -- not to mention the politicians themselves -- a much-needed kick in the pants? How about letting Bill O'Reilly anchor one of these snoozers?

O'Reilly is the host of Fox News Channel's long-running "The O'Reilly Factor," the perennially top-rated show in cable news. (Fox, like MarketWatch, the publisher of this column, is a unit of News Corp. .)

"I'd love to host the debates," O'Reilly said Wednesday afternoon at the Fox News headquarters. "A lot of people would watch."

O'Reilly respects the journalists who have served as moderators, but carps (as I do) that they "are too nice." He grinned and said with characteristic bluster, "I'd be, 'What do you mean?!'"

Whether you love O'Reilly's brand of in-your-face interviewing or think he's way over the top, he has an undeniable presence on TV. O'Reilly insists on doing it his way. He said he'd stress "close-quarter questioning" and wouldn't let the candidates "give rehearsed answers."

It's an intriguing scenario: O'Reilly pushing the circumspect candidates to speak their minds.

"I think you'd double the audience," he said.

Chutzpah

That's vintage O'Reilly: challenging conventional wisdom and trying to help viewers connect with a larger world outside their living rooms.

If you wonder where his confidence -- or is it chutzpah? -- comes from, check out his interesting new book, "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity." The title stems from something an exasperated teacher at St. Brigid's parochial school in Westbury, N.Y., once said about a very young O'Reilly. (And he's still obstreperous after all these years.)

One of the shrewdest people in the TV business, he knows people tune in to his show to be entertained as much as informed.

"I want to tap into the emotion of the day," he said. "That's No.1. I'm giving people a look at the day in America."

The pacing of the show is significant, too. "It's quick," he observed. "We move it along."

Naturally, many of his rivals on other news shows have tried, with no success, to get better ratings by ripping off his aggressive approach to broadcasting.

Some say the reason for O'Reilly's popularity is his ability to galvanize conservative viewers. I don't see it exactly that way. I'd counter by saying that the keys to his success are his show's freshness and originality.

Sure, he loves to stick his finger in the eye of the establishment, but so did Mike Wallace in his glory days at "60 Minutes," whose network, CBS , has faced countless charges of having a liberal bias.

When I asked him to comment on his notorious feuds with other journalists, he said the media don't "want to be held accountable by some punk named O'Reilly."

It's really all about giving the news a little pizzazz as a way to find and keep an audience and boost ratings. O'Reilly cites the show's commitment to "straight talk" and stresses that "The Factor" is "not ideological."

O'Reilly also has little patience for people who insist he's a bully who gets his kicks by cutting down his guests. "I'm not here to try to humiliate people," he said.

It's an accomplishment to be No. 1 in the television ratings -- but it's remarkable to stay there year after year. As O'Reilly points out in "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity," he has always stayed true to his modest Levittown, N.Y., roots and the traditional values he learned there.

O'Reilly also said:

"I don't watch [MSNBC nemesis Keith Olbermann]. It's like the New York Yankees paying attention to the Pawtucke Red Sox."

Journalism schools "are too ideological now."

He'd like to interview the Pope someday, owing in part to "the good Catholic boy" that he is.

It took him "six years to feel comfortable" on TV.

Critics' charges that Fox is a tool of the right wing are "garbage" and an "excuse for failure" by less successful journalists.

If Katie Couric had Oprah Winfrey as a lead-in for her evening news show, Couric would "be No. 1" in her time slot

When Obama defeated Sen. Hillary Clinton, "I was shocked."

Now, the million-dollar question: Will O'Reilly vote for Obama or McCain?

He smiled: "I vote for the person who I feel will do the least amount of damage."

[promaclaura]

Bill looks like a pussycat compared to Couric and Gibson. The interview with Barack was tough, but you walked away thinking Bill was fair, it didn''t feel that way for Couric/Gibson.

[idnnsg]

Bill O''Liely "fair"? You''ve gotta be NUTZ!!!

Bill lives in a hate-filled world of delusion. He''s "tough" only on those he hates. The idea that he would make a good "moderator" is ludicrous.

[sleepyric]

I thought you meant put a REAL journalist as moderator. This is a joke, right?? O''Reilly?? Why don''t you just dig up Josef Goebbels, prop his rotting corpse up in a chair, and ask him to moderate. It would be the same as O''Reilly, and you don''t have to pay him.

[scottyusa]

I would love to see Billy O moderate a debate. It would definetly spice them up. The debate questions in some cases should be asked as a yes or no answer first then an explaination. The candidates skip around so much and give speeches never really answering the question. Bill wouldn''t let them do that.

[jul56-2009]

O''Reilly is so far to the right(WRONG) he could never be fair. Bottom line, the rich are for the rich and the rich are for the republicans.

[apinchofsalt]

I agree. These debate moderators are boring. As a proposel, let''s have Keith Olberman as the next debate moderator. He will definitely spice things up.

Posted by mtracy99 at 07:34 AM : Oct 03, 2008
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Actually i think keith olberman would be pretty good as a moderator. He wouldn''t be able to take the debators comments, cut them up, and take the out of context. He wouldnt be able to use media magic to chop up and twist video tapes of the canidates. If he did he would actually have to face someone. There would be someone stand up to him, instead of the "yes men" guest on his show. ...Whatever you say Keith...

[apinchofsalt]

I agree. These debate moderators are boring. As a proposel, let''''s have Keith Olberman as the next debate moderator. He will definitely spice things up.

Posted by mtracy99 at 07:34 AM : Oct 03, 2008
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Actually i think keith olberman would be pretty good as a moderator. He wouldn''''t be able to take the debators comments, cut them up, and take them out of context. He wouldnt be able to use media magic to chop up and twist video tapes of the canidates. If he did he would actually have to face someone. There would be someone standing up to him, instead of the "yes men" guest on his show. ...Whatever you say Keith...

[skysoldier75]

Fox News Channel doesn''t actually report news, it''s a far-right-wing propaganda agency.

O''Reilly is just a shill who is employed by Rupert Murdoch to push Murdoch''s global political agenda.

In 1999, The Economist reported that Newscorp Investments had made $2.1 billion in profits over the previous 11 years but had paid NO net corporation tax. It further reported, after an examination of what was available of the accounts, that Newscorp would normally have expected to pay a corporate tax of approximately $350 million. The article explained that the corporation''s complex structure, international scope and use of offshore havens allowed News Corporation to avoid taxation.

I don''t think we need a shill hired by a tax-dodging right-wingnut further polluting our politics here in America. Murdoch has already been allowed to do far too much damage to our political system already.

[pollroller1]

The problem with Bill is he doesn''t know when to shut up. If somebody says something and Bill doesn''t agree, he will cut them off and will not let them express their point of view. He is also so far to the right that I don''t think it would be "fair and balanced."

[dnsallday]

The debates are not meant to be about the moderators or their personalities. Their job is to try to help us get a glimpse of the real people on stage; to try to get them to open up a little beyond their scripted talking points.
It isn''t really meant to be entertainment. That is what O''reilly does on his show. He gets paid big bucks for entertaining.
A Debate moderator is doing their job well, when you forget they are there. O''reilly isn''t capable of that, because of his obsessive need to be the center of attention.

[docpeter1953]

The problem with O''Reilly ... He won''t shut up long enough to get an opposing viewpoint in, that is the reason I quit watching his dog & pony show. All he does is interrupt his guests. Why? "Because this is my show", as he has stated before.

I am sure that any demo would be interrupted, while any repub would be praised.

Definately not a good choice.

And for those of you wanting to "spice up" the dabates ... geez, guess you really are ill-informed about the nature of debates. It is the contestants who need to "spice it up", not the moderator. The moderator''s job is to ask questions and get clarification from the contestants, not to inject their own opinion and goal into the debate.

[mydiatribe]

I luv, luv, luv Bill O''Reilly, HOWEVER as a debate moderator NO WAY!

I can imagine an eruption reminiscent of Jack Nicholson''s Marine Colonel character in the movie: "A Few Good Men"

With Bill O''Reilly saying: "The Truth, You can''t handle the Truth!"
Bill''s Special no doubt about that, but his brand of reporting may not digest well with The Moonbeam People. He is refreshing when you compare him with the likes of a Chris Matthews or a Keith Oberman.

[upto1947]

"The O''Reilly Factor," is no goog. If I want to see a dog and poney show I can go to the farm.
Biil O''Reilly is no good. He should not be able to do anything. he is scum. He is lower than scum.

[pollroller1]

O''''reilly isn''''t capable of that, because of his obsessive need to be the center of attention.

Posted by Truthmatterz at 08:50 AM : Oct 03, 2008
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I agree 100%
How about Lou Dobbs? He seems pretty much in the middle. Sometimes gets a little overbearing but not like Bill.

[unccivil]

Since he''s soooooo independent, when is he going to put McCain on his show and scream at him like a lunatic?

[observantx]

He couldn''t do it.

He couldn''t stand not interrupting the answer and trying to shout down whoever he is "interviewing".

There are no interviews with Bill O''Reilly. There is only inuendo, smear, false claims, interruption and attempts at "Gotcha"

[macusweil]

Oh yeah, Bill O''''Reilly on the right would be great and to make it fair let''s have Mike Malloy on the left. That would be some fireworks worth watching.

[downtowner97]

I can just picture it: "Shut up Obama!!! Turn off his mic!!!"

[kofiananimus]

how about you take your ADD meds. Our elections aren''t a game.

[independant8]

I watched O''Reilly so many times..He is always bias and he would not let anybody talk on his show... He dominates the conversation with his views and he interrupts a lot and he is so loud, you can''t even hear the other side... I don''t know what is the purpose of him interviewing others on his show if he attacks and silence them!

[harbinger09]

Not a chance. OReill is so brazenly biased that the Dem candidate would probably be openly harassed of cut off with one of Bill''s famous "shut ups". This has got to be one of the most ignorant articles today--if the Republicans wanted to whine about Ifill and her supposed bias last night--then they definitly should not want the taint of OReilly or Olbermann or any other talk show host who is definitely 1000% in the tank for a certain party.

[broncfan1661]

I have to agree that O''Reilly is much more entertaining than Chris Matthews or Keith Oberman. I don''t agree with his opinions most of the time however. Of course I don''t agree with the other two most of the time either.
I think Lou Dobbs might make a good moderator. We need someone who would hold the candidates to task, but we don''t need an all out shouting match.
I think Campbell Brown was the worst moderator we have had so far this year.

[DCropp]

O''Reilly: "John, can I get you a pillow? Why don''t you take a nap?"

McCain: "Thanks Bill"

O''Reilly: "Barack, what is the solution to every crisis in the world".

Obama: "I "

before Obama even gets a second word out

O''Reilly: "Do you think Americans are stupid? You''re not answering their questions. You''re the most unpatriotic candidate ever. Clearly, everyone sees McCain has all the answers and Obama has none."

What''s next, is CBS going to suggest Rush Limbaugh be the moderator?

[notmudrose]

O''Reilly: Senator McCain, can I wipe your azz for you?

[xlib]

Frankly I would have jumped into the screen and ripped frank''s throat out. Really!
Your guy frank has been at the helm for over 2 years. In July of this year during an interview with Bloomberg ole barney said all was well.
As far as O''Reilly not allowing others to talk, guess you missed to ones with whoopi goldberg (falming lib), hillary clinton, and your messiah. What he doesn''t tolerate is the slime like frank coming on and starting out with a lie. When frank refused to take ANY responsibility for what is going on, he lost it. As well he should have.
But hey, it ok when matthews spews and interrupts Republicans and the vein on his forehead throbs, that''s fine. When olberman rants, raves and interrupts others, that''s ok too.
No double standard there.

[ubrew12]

I had though Marketwatches Friedman was a right winger after he wrote an opinion piece that the ''media would destroy Sarah Palin'', that seemed guaranteed (and targeted) to get the Republican faithful up in arms over one of their favorit targets.

O''Reilly as moderator: now I KNOW Friedman is an ulta-right winger. What a baldly transparent ploy to tilt the discussion rightward.

daninmadison said: "O''Reilly: "John, can I get you a pillow? Why don''t you take a nap?" McCain: "Thanks Bill""

EXACTLY. Who does Friedman think he''s kidding?

[saj210]

Bill O''Reilly does not respect anyone! He is a brazen racist red-neck! Everyone is wrong except him! He sounds like a Republican!

Bill O''Reilly with the likes of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh should never be allowed to moderate anything of any national importance!

They are 3 reasons why America is screwed up!

[macusweil]

"I can just picture it: "Shut up Obama!!! Turn off his mic!!!""

Don''t tas me Bill..

[pollroller1]

I may be wrong, but it seems that Bill''s mike is always turned up louder than the people that he interviews.
He always blares out over the top of anybody that doesn''t agree with him.

[moeen1000]

I actually blocked FOX from my TV channells list. FOX is like a bUSH where all BIGOTS, RACISTS, HATE-MONGERS, RIGHT-WING NUTS/EXTIMISTS come to feel home and sing their polluet mind out loud in a chorus.

Having Bill O /Sean Hennety/Glenn Beck/Lou Dobbs as moderator is like:
= Khomeni moderating a debate between US prez and Ahmedindizad
,OR Putin moderating a debate between Meddedev vs. US prez

[maggietexas4]

Steven Colbert makes O''Reilly look like he really is. . . .a joke!

[perflead]

I think it is not a good idea because Bill O'' Reilly is known to be controversial and biased.
Moderator should be more balanced than Bill O'' Reilly, not necessarily neutral.
Moderator should be one both side can trust.

[moeen1000]

John Friedman is actually a pollished version of Bill O. And Bill O is actually what you would get if you could brain wash a college educated with bigotry+racism rightWingExtremism. I call Bill Oreily "BIGOT Oreily". There are others like him:

Gleenn Beck = Glen BIGOT
Shean Hennety = Shean Hate&Hate
Rush Limbaugh = Racist Limbaugh

[tonyatq]

The biggest racist on television who thought that black people did no how to act in a restarant or wanted to call in a lynching mob on Michelle Obama about her proud of country remark but said nothing about Todd Palin( First Dude) who wanting make Alaska independent for the United State . If that not unpatrotic tell me what is.

[newz4i]

O''Reilly as moderator?

Hogwash.

Americans would spend more time on entertainment than issues America faces.

Again ... hogwash !!

[frodoson]

O''Reilly is a hack. I''m not sure anyone''s noticed, but guess who has been asking the best questions of candidates and political figures - David Letterman. I would have him moderate the debates....seriously.

[eric-914]

Stop the Hate

[mrsark01]

I think O''Reilly is a nut case and am like a lot of the rest of you. He could not moderate a dog fight because he would have to get louder than anyone else and then tell the dog what they should think and do

[toby2957]

Bill O''Reilley? LOL? Why not have Marqis De Sade as the moderator? The man is a literal twit. HAHAHA... he doesn''t merit that kind of attention!

[habu99-2009]

CBS likes to continually reinforce the fact that they have jumped the shark as far as true journalism is concerned.

The suggestion of having Billo as a moderator in a presidential debates is ludicrous in the extreme. Maybe they could dress the candidates up in gladiator garb as well and have them whack on each other with padded clubs while scantily clad bimbos compete for camera time like so many other stupid television shows, especially those on FOX.

Moderators for presidential debates need to be in control of the situation and the candidates, as unbiased as possible, and yet sharp enough to ask pointed follow up questions to vague or misleading answers. Debates aren''t, and never should be, tawdry red-meat thrown to the masses affairs, no matter what fascist Repugnicans might think, and that''s the only kind of "show" Billo is capable of conducting.

What a stupid suggestion. Thank you CBS for giving this piece of tripe enough attention to post on your web site.

[spredbury]

O''Reilly is correct when he says, "more people would watch if he moderated". Now the question is why would more people watch? Well, I think the answer is simple...O''Reilly is an arrogant, self centered jerk who over powers his guests with shouts and screams and almost threat like antics. I watch O''Reilly most every night not because I agree with what he says but because of what he does. He is an entertaining bully. He reminds me of a guy named Joe Pine who I remember on the radio years ago in San Antonio. Fox and O''Reilly are absolutly pro right wing and conservative. I think most agree with that. O''Reilly thinks there are always two opinions on every subject.....his and the wrong one. I keep wondering when I will need to buy a wider TV screen to be able to see all of old Bill''s head.

[noloyalisti]

That''s what we need, another lying operative from the Government of Pigs (GOP) party. CNN calling Fox news is a sad sorry joke. And O''Liely is a big ugly, splotchy bully.

[spredbury]

I just had an outstanding thought for those of you who think O''Reilly would be good as moderator of a Presidential debate..... think about Ann Coulter with Hannity as back up, you gotta love them two.

[ohiorichard1]

Bill O''Reilly as a debate moderator?

Gee, I thought the idea of a debate was to hear the viewpoints of the individuals involved. O''Reilly would be able to hold the debate all by himself since he never allows his guests to fully answer his questions.

[cees14]

you mean have the MOST BIAS person on the face of the earth host a debate? how is this news? He will yell at everyone who disagrees with them(dems) and wouldn''t let anyone talk. so basically it won''t be a debate. it will be just another O''Reilly factor with two guests. nah...not interested.

[hokuto1]

StormyTexan thinks halfway: "lol, O''''Reilly is the ONLY interviewer that didn''''t just sit there and let Obama recite off his canned answers, and Obama stuttered through the whole thing...."

Yeah, just think what a clusterf*ck it''d be with Palin trying to recite her soundbytes.

[stephand]

One with Bill O''Reilly and one with Keith Olbermann. That will be fun.

[donevis-2009]

Wow he could get really mad at the stage crews and scream at them to when things aren''t going his way. LOL make sure he takes his med''s before hosting the debates.

[terrapin78]

The right wing had objections to the moderator last night and she is not even partisan.

O''reilly is nothing but an ego-maniac that would ask leading questions to the Repug and mis-leading questions to the Dem.

[tomar0317]

O''Reilly would be great! He would certainly keep them on topic. Maybe he would even get the candidates to speak only of their accomplishments and goals instead of speaking of mistruths and talking down their opponent. If a candidate can''t run on his successes and goals alone, he/she shouldn''t be running.