Chris Dodd takes on Bill O'Reilly



DODD: Don't suggest this is a real debate you are having about Daily Kos. You object to the ideology and are using a few instances that everyone would find objectionable as a way of suggesting we ought not participate. That's terribly wrong in my view. Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic in the 1960's.

Chris Dodd takes on Bill O'Reilly

Dem. Presidential Hopeful Sen. Dodd Defends Daily Kos Web Site

Friday, August 03, 2007

This is a rush transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," August 2, 2007. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

BILL O'REILLY, HOST: In “The Factor Follow-Up" segment tonight, a viewer warning. We're going to show you hateful picture posted on a far left Web site, the Daily Kos, so you might want to change channel. As you may know we've been reporting on most of the Democratic candidates attending the Kos Convention this weekend. Despite the fact that Web site is full of hateful postings, including this picture of President Bush and Senator Joseph Lieberman, which has been on the site for a year.

Now yesterday I spoke with Senator Chris Dodd who is running for president and will be at that convention.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

O'REILLY: You've known Senator Lieberman for 30 years. You know President Bush. I'm sure you respect both men as patriots. And you see something like this. Why don't you distance yourself from it, sir?

SEN. CHRIS DODD, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well what I'm stunned at, Mr. O'Reilly, is the fact that you spend as much time here going after an online community gathering where there are 500,000 people visit who visit that site on a daily basis here, to identify five, six, seven, objectionable offensive cartoons or comments that people are making here. I find that stunning to be quite honest, here.

O'REILLY: This is the worst stuff on the Internet.

DODD: Let me finish.

O'REILLY: There isn't any worse than this.

DODD: You're missing the point. You ought to be far more candid with your viewing audience and tell them that your real objection is the ideology of Daily Kos not what's — this is silliness for you to be suggesting that of 500,000...

O'REILLY: If you went to the…

DODD: …Out of 500,000 people appearing on that — let me finish here…

O'REILLY: Hold it.

DODD: …Out of 500,000 people every day. Why are you attacking something like this?

O'REILLY: Because it's vile, that's why. It doesn't matter how many people go in, go out, have a cup of tea.

DODD: There are a lot of things you say are vile on a daily basis.

O'REILLY: What about that cartoon, senator, what about it?

DODD: No. Listen.

O'REILLY: What do you mean no? It's up there for a year. What about the cartoon?

DODD: Mr. O'Reilly, you are not listening to me. The mere point here is you are not being candid. Your objection is to this community gathering here. You don't like their politics.

O'REILLY: I don't like their Web site.

DODD: Let’s deal with legitimate criticism here. Why don't you focus on that and recognize that 500,000 people…

O'REILLY: I'll ask you the question again. Are you OK with that cartoon, sir?

DODD: Of course not. That's not the issue, Mr. O'Reilly.

O'REILLY: Of course it's the issue. That's what they do on the site. They do hate stuff all the time.

DODD: You suggested that we ought not to participate in the convention.

O'REILLY: Correct. Distance yourself from them.

DODD: Because six or seven or eight or 10 people have said something on the site that's objectionable.

O'REILLY: What are you crazy? There are thousands of vile postings on that Web site. Thousands.

DODD: There are thousands on your posting as well.

O'REILLY: No there aren't any on my posting. We take them off.

DODD: Talking about Al Qaeda attacking San Francisco, blowing up San Francisco. That’s not offensive?

O'REILLY: When did I say that, senator?

DODD: You said it in 2005, I think is correct.

O'REILLY: What forum? When?

DODD: Right here I believe on your show.

O'REILLY: You are wrong. I didn't say it here. You don't know what the hell I said with all due respect. You got it from Media Matters. You didn't hear it and you don't know.

DODD: Focus on your legitimate criticism.

O'REILLY: Look, you are a propagandist, senator. You're a propagandist. I used to respect you. I don't have any respect for you. And if I were Joseph Lieberman I would never talk to you again. Because this is vile and you're legitimizing it.

DODD: You are not Joseph Lieberman. If you would just be honest about your criticism rather than focusing on a few specific instances that everyone I know would find objectionable. That's not the issue here.

O'REILLY: The idea is that you are legitimizing a hateful Web site.

DODD: Can I please finish a thought with you here? You object to the fact that 1,500 people are going to gather in Chicago representing hundreds of thousands of people who utilize this community gathering, this Internet site as a way to express their views which is not bad way…

O'REILLY: It's hard to believe.

DODD: The fact are objectionable people who show up on the site doesn't discredit everyone else who participates in this in a wonderful way to share their views on a variety of subjects affecting the country.

O'REILLY: So why don't name it the “Little Bo Peep” site because…

DODD: Why are you continuing to attack this?

O'REILLY: You talk about being disingenuous. Your description of that site is so opposite from what it is. And anybody who has been on it knows the hate that they peddle every day. Look, senator, I appreciate you coming on here but you are so dead wrong on this and I'm going to give you the last word. You are so dead wrong on this and you ought to apologize to Lieberman.

DODD: No, listen to me, Indiana University has suggested that once every 6.8 seconds…

O'REILLY: Yeah and it was bogus and we discredited it.

DODD: Let me finish. You make derogatory comments about individuals and groups once every 6.8 seconds. That's nine times a minute. That's your history.

O'REILLY: And you believe that? You believe that?

DODD: That's a legitimate point. For you to attack the ideology…

O'REILLY: It isn't a point. It's a bogus study. We've already discredited it.

DODD: Don't suggest this is a real debate you are having about Daily Kos. You object to the ideology and are using a few instances that everyone would find objectionable as a way of suggesting we ought not participate. That's terribly wrong in my view.

O'REILLY: OK. I want everybody to go to that site and remember what Senator Dodd said and make up your own mind.

DODD: Five hundred thousand visits a day.

O'REILLY: They'll make up their own mind. We appreciate you coming in and taking the fire though.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: August, 2007; RPCV Chris Dodd (Dominican Republic); Figures; Peace Corps Dominican Republic; Directory of Dominican Republic RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Dominican Republic RPCVs; Politics; Congress; Television; Journalism; Connecticut; Peace Corps Bibliography; Peace Corps Countries of Service; Peace Corps Original Sources; Bulletin Board; Recent Peace Corps News

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