Bill O'Reilly Causes a Stir at Obama Event
NASHUA, N.H. -- After most events, Barack Obama greets supporters while members of the press file stories or speak to voters leaving the venue.
Today one reporter decided to be just a little different.
Fox news host, Bill O'Reilly, who was not part of the traveling press, apparently stormed to the ropeline with a Fox News camera crew in order to speak with Obama. Many campaign staffers and members of the press were unaware that O'Reilly was at the event. However, after he got into a tussle with Obama's trip director, Marvin Nicholson, everyone knew that he had arrived.
We found out about the altercation after news photographers returned to the press section. They said O'Reilly was shouting and pushing Nicholson, demanding that he get out of the way of his view of Obama. This happened as Obama was shaking hands with supporters just a few feet away.
Since most of the press did not see O'Reilly's tussle (our view of the rope line was blocked by a riser), we asked the campaign to comment. Marvin Nicholson himself gave a recap of events.
"I don't know exactly what happened", Nicholson said, "I was shadowing the Senator as I often do during the rope line and he started yelling at me to move out of the shot.
Nicholson said that he was standing there and O'Reilly moved around the barricade and grabbed him by the arm and tried to push him out of the way. Nicholson is 6'8".
According to Nicholson, O'Reilly was told to go back behind the barricade. Nicholson then approached O'Reilly.
"I went up to him and said 'Sir, don't push me anymore,'" Nicholson recounted, "and he said that I was low class."
Nicholson described O'Reilly as being "really upset" and yelling.
O'Reilly said on Fox News Channel this afternoon that there was no scuffle between he and Nicholson: "No scuffle at all. I just removed him from in front of the camera."
When asked if O'Reilly used any profanity with Nicholson, O'Reilly said chuckling, "I might have called him an S.O.B. That's possible."
Obama acknowledged O'Reilly after he reached Obama a second time. Nicholson said O'Reilly shouted to Obama and he acknowledged O'Reilly and shook hands with him.
Nicholson added that O'Reilly told Obama how much he loved him and how great he was.
One reporter asked, "Did he say 'love"?"
Nicholson coyly replied, "I'm not sure, the sentiment was love."