Prediction - Another heartless Robertson apology about 3 days away

[Flasch186]

This representative of the Religious Agenda is such an ass that I think that the faithful should ask him to shut his trap.



Robertson warns Pennsylvania voters of God's wrath
Eight 'intelligent design' school board members lost election

Thursday, November 10, 2005; Posted: 5:27 p.m. EST (22:27 GMT)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Conservative Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson told citizens of a Pennsylvania town that they had rejected God by voting their school board out of office for supporting "intelligent design" and warned them Thursday not to be surprised if disaster struck.

Robertson, a former Republican presidential candidate and founder of the influential Christian Broadcasting Network and Christian Coalition, has made similar apocalyptic warnings and provocative statements before.

Last summer, he hit the headlines by calling for the assassination of leftist Venezuelan Present Hugo Chavez, one of President George W. Bush's most vocal international critics.

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city," Robertson said on his daily television show broadcast from Virginia, "The 700 Club."

"And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there," he said.

The 700 Club claims a daily audience of around one million. It is also broadcast around the world translated into more than 70 languages.

In voting on Tuesday, eight Dover, Pennsylvania, school board members up for re-election lost their seats after trying to introduce a statement on "intelligent design" to high school biology students.

Adherents of intelligent design argue that certain forms in nature are too complex to have evolved through natural selection and must have been created by a "designer." Opponents say it is the latest attempt by conservatives to introduce religion into the school science curriculum.

The Dover case sparked a trial in federal court that gained nationwide attention after the school board was sued by parents backed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The board ordered schools to read students a short statement in biology classes informing them that the theory of evolution is not established fact and that gaps exist in it.

The statement mentioned intelligent design as an alternate theory and recommended students read a book that explained the theory further. A decision in the case is expected before the end of the year.

In 1998, Robertson warned the city of Orlando, Florida that it risked hurricanes, earthquakes and terrorist bombs after it allowed homosexual organizations to put up rainbow flags in support of sexual diversity.

[Easy Mac]

Little did Robertson know that by disaster, God meant that all of the city's channel's would get stuck on the 700 Club.

[dawgfan]

I'd just like to offer a hearty

FUCK YOU!

to Pat Robertson. Carry on...

[CraigSca]

Well, he doesn't speak for me. He's like the religious-right's Al Sharpton.

[dawgfan]

Well, he doesn't speak for me. He's like the religious-right's Al Sharpton.

Honest question here - can you point me to quotes by Sharpton that are as inflammatory as those such as the ones cited above by Robertson? I'm not saying he doesn't have some in his past, I'm just not familiar enough with his history to know that this is true.

[sachmo71]

Adherents of intelligent design argue that certain forms in nature are too complex to have evolved through natural selection and must have been created by a "designer." Opponents say it is the latest attempt by conservatives to introduce religion into the school science curriculum.



Occam's Razor at work. In bizzaro-world.

[Solecismic]

Honest question here - can you point me to quotes by Sharpton that are as inflammatory as those such as the ones cited above by Robertson? I'm not saying he doesn't have some in his past, I'm just not familiar enough with his history to know that this is true.

Just Google Sharpton and Crown Heights or Sharpton and Tawana Brawley.

[weinstein7]

Honest question here - can you point me to quotes by Sharpton that are as inflammatory as those such as the ones cited above by Robertson? I'm not saying he doesn't have some in his past, I'm just not familiar enough with his history to know that this is true.

He's been accused of a lot of anti-Semitic stuff in the past, although I think he's long since apologized and mostly made up with the Jewish community. There's also the whole Tawana Brawley thing, although it's debatable whether he actually knew how false his accusations were. There have also been a lot of accusations of corruption and such.

That said, Sharpton - especially these days - is I think much more of a harmless clown than Robertson, as nobody really takes him seriously anymore, even in the African-American community. Even in his heyday he was no Louis Farrakhan, who is probably a better parallel for Pat Robertson. Still a complete scumbag if you ask me.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if Robertson has made any comment on the bombings in Amman?

[flere-imsaho]

Bill O'Reilly tells Al-Qaeda to attack San Francisco ((CBS 5) San Francisco has long been an easy target for ultra conservatives, but one of the most controversial talk show hosts is taking his anger to a new level. )

(CBS 5) San Francisco has long been an easy target for ultra conservatives, but one of the most controversial talk show hosts is taking his anger to a new level.

Bill O’Reilly is America’s most watched cable news guy. He is upset that San Franciscans voted to discourage public schools in the city from allowing military recruiters on campus, and he made his views very clear on his radio talk show.

"If you want to ban military recruiting, fine. But I’m not going to give you another nickel of federal money,” O'Reilly said. “If I'm the president of the United States, I walk right into Union Square, I set up my little presidential podium and I say, ‘Listen, citizens of San Francisco, if you vote against military recruiting, you're not going to get another nickel in federal funds.’”

That statement probably didn’t surprise those familiar with O’Reilly. But his rant didn’t end there.

“If Al Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it,” he continued. “We're going to say, ‘look, every other place in America is off limits to you, except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead."

Those remarks haven’t gone unnoticed.

"Consider the source," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. “There are a lot of people that love their country, and embrace the military, but that doesn't mean…that people of San Francisco can't stand up and say ‘hey, there may be some issues, and we want to send a policy statement that raises awareness.’”

O’Reilly has attacked Newsom in the past, but this time the Mayor says he has taken things too far.

[Kodos]

A fine human being, he is.

[panerd]

Bill O'Reilly tells Al-Qaeda to attack San Francisco ((CBS 5) San Francisco has long been an easy target for ultra conservatives, but one of the most controversial talk show hosts is taking his anger to a new level. )

This guy just needs to be ignored. Attention is what he craves and gets with moronic statements like this. He has a base that will listen to him anyways and he does stuff like this just to get the other side to give him publicity also.

[Kodos]

Al Franken should beat his ass on pay per view.

[Flasch186]

O'Reilly's lies are numerous and have been plastered about. He is exposed and I dont think many people outside the FNC loyalists listen to anything he says as fact and not opinion. He is certainly entitled to it.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Well, he doesn't speak for me. He's like the religious-right's Al Sharpton.
But Sharpton actually makes me laugh and sometimes makes sense.
RoberTson just freaks me out.
I think I can have a beer with Rev Al.
:)

[Surtt]

So, "intelligent design" has some sort of religious significance?
I thought it was just another competing scientific theory.

[Flasch186]

So, "intelligent design" has some sort of religious significance?
I thought it was just another competing scientific theory.

oh right, I forgot.

[Karlifornia]

I wonder what Pat Robertson is like when he jerks off.....Is he like "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry" the whole time? Probably not..he probably just looks at upskirt pictures of maria sharapova

[Shkspr]

I wonder what Pat Robertson is like when he jerks off.....Is he like "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry" the whole time? Probably not..he probably just looks at upskirt pictures of maria sharapova

Hey...blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

[Dutch]

I'm no fan of Pat Robertson, but don't you all think you're going a little overboard by acting "shocked" by what he has to say?

I mean, he's beens spouting off his rhetoric since before Michael Moore was introduced to his first milk shake.

[ISiddiqui]

Hey...blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.LOL! Classic!

[Karlifornia]

Hey...blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Gold

[st.cronin]

Not a single name that's been mentioned here (Sharpton, O'Reilly, Robertson, etc.) has any credibility or influence whatsoever.

[sterlingice]

I'm certainly with you on the credibility part. However, they do have influence :(

SI

[AZSpeechCoach]

So, "intelligent design" has some sort of religious significance?
I thought it was just another competing scientific theory.

Exactly what I was going to say. If it wasn't creationism, why would Pat care so much?

[Dutch]

I've watched O'Reilly a lot over the years. He's a talk show guy, like Larry King. Very little influence. But, for what it's worth, he's simply a counter-weight to the typical left slant in TV news opinion over on the big 3 AND CNN.

[sterlingice]

he's simply a counter-weight to the typical left slant in TV news opinion over on the big 3 AND CNN
Yes, because a thread about Pat Robertson about intelligent design needs help getting pushed over the cliff into a political mess :rolleyes:

SI

[Dutch]

Yes, because a thread about Pat Robertson about intelligent design needs help getting pushed over the cliff into a political mess :rolleyes:

SI

Hey, I'm with you, I say Fuck Pat Robertson!

I just happen to like Bill O'Reily and thought I'd give him a small shout out.

[Flasch186]

Hey, I'm with you, I say Fuck Pat Robertson!

I just happen to like Bill O'Reily and thought I'd give him a small shout out.

to avoid the spiral I will avoid comment. See, look at that!!! wow, what restraint :)

[Crapshoot]

Hey, I'm with you, I say Fuck Pat Robertson!

I just happen to like Bill O'Reily and thought I'd give him a small shout out.

Suggesting that its okay to bomb San Francisco isn't an issue ? That's idiocy, and you ought to reconsider your heroes.

[dawgfan]

Hey, I'm with you, I say Fuck Pat Robertson!

Agreed!

I just happen to like Bill O'Reily and thought I'd give him a small shout out.

Disagreed! The comment about San Francisco was way out of line.

[sterlingice]

I just happen to like Bill O'Reily and thought I'd give him a small shout out.
Strange, the shout out to Bill O'Reily is not the part I had quoted when I made my comment. Yet that was what was responded to.

SI

[Dutch]

Disagreed! The comment about San Francisco was way out of line.

If all I ever heard or saw about Bill O'Reily, was a sound bite or two, I'd say it was way out of line too. But I actually have watched his program and to get upset about that statement--outside of the vaccuum it's presented in here--is laughable.

[dawgfan]

If all I ever heard or saw about Bill O'Reily, was a sound bite or two, I'd say it was way out of line too. But I actually have watched his program and to get upset about that statement--outside of the vaccuum it's presented in here--is laughable.

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree. I've read a lengthy transcript of the show that quote was pulled from, and I'm sorry but the context doesn't change the tone of that particular quote - it was a batshit-crazy thing to say.

[ISiddiqui]

I don't think any context can justify such a statement... unless you are saying he wasn't being serious and was just saying stuff for ratings?

[Karlifornia]

I think O'reilly doesn't like San Francisco because of the lack of Falafel restaurants.

[Dutch]

Suggesting that its okay to bomb San Francisco isn't an issue ? That's idiocy, and you ought to reconsider your heroes.

LOL!

[Glengoyne]

From my point of view, I don't think O'reilly is near as far out as the Hannitys and Coulters on Fox. In fact I think he is often quite middle of the road politically.

Now that said, I've only seen bare snippets of the guys show over the years. I'll guess you can count the times I've seen his show on two hands. I like Fox News, but I don't watch any of the Fox Non-News programs. That includes Hannity, O'Reilly, and whoever else is hosting shows on the Network.

Also, I should add that while I agree with the gist of O'Reilly's statement, that there should be some sort of federal repercussion for the City of San Francisco's decision. The Go ahead and attack San Francisco bit is a good example of why his message is so often marginallized. I don't know what kind of repercussion would be even possible, and certainly don't think any are forthcoming. In fact I don't think O'Reilly realistically thinks there would or could be any sanctions against the city made either. This, to me, makes me think he made the statement as wishful thinking, almost with tongue in cheek. In other words, I don't think he is seriously offering up San Francisco to ruin. Robertson, on the other hand, is pretty much doing exactly that with Dover.

[Dutch]

I don't think any context can justify such a statement... unless you are saying he wasn't being serious and was just saying stuff for ratings?

What's 10,000 Lawyers at the bottom of the sea?

A good start.

That's not me suggesting mass genocide of Lawyers. But if you said, "Dutch wants to kill lawyers." I'd say that it was taken out of context and you are being much to serious about the offense for your own reasons that have nothing to do with you being concerned about the well-being of lawyers.

[Schmidty]

This representative of the Religious Agenda is such an ass that I think that the faithful should ask him to shut his trap.

This comment bugs me. Are you trying to say that every person who is "religious" has a political agenda, or should be link with a a guy like Robertson? Just curious.

[Flasch186]

I think HIS Faithful DO view him as a part of their political agenda and if they want to be taken seriously by those who aren't in exactly the same fold they should tell him to shut up.

[st.cronin]

I think HIS Faithful DO view him as a part of their political agenda and if they want to be taken seriously by those who aren't in exactly the same fold they should tell him to shut up.

Pat Robertson is a follower, not a leader. The people who take him seriously wouldn't take him seriously if he wasn't such a goof. It's the same with Ann Coulter and Al Sharpton, and many others.

[ISiddiqui]

That's not me suggesting mass genocide of Lawyers. But if you said, "Dutch wants to kill lawyers." I'd say that it was taken out of context and you are being much to serious about the offense for your own reasons that have nothing to do with you being concerned about the well-being of lawyers.Sorry, but I DO listen to O'Reilly's radio show and I haven't found him to have that great of a sense of humor. So I don't think he was making any kind of joke at all.

[Flasch186]

Pat Robertson is a follower, not a leader. The people who take him seriously wouldn't take him seriously if he wasn't such a goof. It's the same with Ann Coulter and Al Sharpton, and many others.

he has followers as well as perhaps being one. There are many many members of his club.

[Schmidty]

I think HIS Faithful DO view him as a part of their political agenda and if they want to be taken seriously by those who aren't in exactly the same fold they should tell him to shut up.

I am a Christian and I totally disapprove of Robertson, or any other spiritual leader of my faith who gets into politics, but I can't stand when people make broad comments such as "the religious right" in a negative way. I, and many others are "religious" and lean slightly to the right, but also have have a mind of my own. I certainly don't agree with Robertson, or others of his type, about many things such as gay rights, the war on drugs, the death penalty, etc.

People think I'm defensive, and I am. People also tend to roll their eyes at me when I say that many Christians are being crapped on, but I think that's true. Lumping all Christians into the same category as people such as Robertson is insult to us, and to the beliefs we hold.

[sterlingice]

In fact I think he is often quite middle of the road politically.
*snicker*

SI

[Dutch]

*snicker*

SI

Here's his opinion-piece from yesterady. Doesn't seem like a right-wing extremist to me.

Helping the Kids of U.S. Military People Killed in the War on Terror
Friday, November 11, 2005
By Bill O'Reilly

Most Americans appreciate the sacrifice the American military is making in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all over the world. The war on terror is intense, dangerous, and misunderstood, especially misunderstood. Just today, The New York Times editorialized this way: "[The administration doesn't] want a full accounting of how American soldiers and intelligence agents have been turned into torturers."

Well, The Times believes the Bush administration has encouraged the military to abuse, capture prisoners. I don't believe that. I've seen no evidence of that.

The evidence I've seen demonstrates the military is prosecuting people who do abuse prisoners. I could be wrong, but I believe the U.S. military mostly uses restraint in difficult situations.

If The New York Times has proof that high-ranking Bush administration officials have endorsed systematic torture, I'd like to see it.

What is happening in the media is a full-court press to damage the Bush administration by using things like Abu Ghraib, and then taking them 10 steps further without the evidence to back it up. That hurts the military, and it obviously hurts the war effort.

Now fair-minded Americans want truth. As I've said many times, no member of the U.S. military should torture anybody. "Talking Points" believes coerced interrogation methods should be used by presidential order only.

Be that as it may, the issue this evening is helping the children of military people, who have been killed in the war on terror. So far, about 1,100 American children have lost a parent in Iraq, and hundreds of other kids have had parents killed in Afghanistan.

We believe the U.S. government should pay college education costs for those children. At a time when patriotic Americans are volunteering to protect their country against evil, the government should step up and look out for their kids.

So we're asking congressmen and senators to draft legislation and pass a bill providing college tuition to the children of slain military people. We owe it to those who have died in the struggle to help their kids. And "The Factor" urges our federal leaders to directly contact us if they believe that as well.

Remember, the 9/11 families received government assistance. So this is a fair and logical proposition. We also encourage you to contact your congresspeople and senators and urge them to back this proposed legislation.

[Glengoyne]

*snicker*

SI
Hey, like I said. I'm not a fan. I've seen pieces of his show, maybe half a dozen times, and on multiple of those occasions he has been somewhat critical of the President. In other instances he was seemingly acting as an advocate for the Truth, rather than trying to bring about a politically expedient result.

In short, that limited experience has led me to believe that he probably isn't as bad as Franken and many on the left portray him.

Even shorter. "He's no Ann Coulter."

[Crapshoot]

LOL!

I'm shocked that you can't back up your points- to be expected from you Dutch, but hey.

Hey, I don't think O'Reilly is an extrimist by any means - I'd say he's a right-wing leaning populist at heart. That being said, what he said was stupid, and he damn well deserves to be called on it.

[AZSpeechCoach]

he has followers as well as perhaps being one. There are many many members of his club.

There are at least 700 of them :)

[Glengoyne]

There are at least 700 of them :)
Nice.

[sterlingice]

Hey, like I said. I'm not a fan. I've seen pieces of his show, maybe half a dozen times, and on multiple of those occasions he has been somewhat critical of the President. In other instances he was seemingly acting as an advocate for the Truth, rather than trying to bring about a politically expedient result.
Yeah, but you know that's how the game is played. Talk about how bad the one side is in almost every facet of their ideology, about how dumb and naive they are, and then kick your side every once in a while to pretend as if you are impartial. Just because you're occasionally willing to go against your side or occasionally willing to give into points on the other side doesn't mean you're still not horribly biased.

SI

[Tekneek]

I thought it was just another competing scientific theory.

What is scientific about it?

"All this stuff makes too much sense. It couldn't happen by chance. There must have been an intelligent designer."

That is how I sum up the "intelligent design theory." I don't see the "science" in it.

As for O'Reilly, he finally laid every shred of credibility to rest when he claimed that Michael Jackson was guilty of child abuse because he paid off an accusor. That means Bill must be a sexual harrasser since he paid off his accusor.

Pat Robertson says...

"You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist."

"What we need is for somebody to place a small nuke at Foggy Bottom."

"If Christian people work together, they can succeed during this decade in winning back control of the institutions that have been taken from them over the past 70 years. Expect confrontations that will be not only unpleasant but at times physically bloody.... This decade will not be for the faint of heart, but the resolute. Institutions will be plunged into wrenching change. We will be living through one of the most tumultuous periods of human history. When it is over, I am convinced God's people will emerge victorious."

"We have imagined ourselves invulnerable and have been consumed by the pursuit of ... health, wealth, material pleasures and sexuality... It [terrorism] is happening because God Almighty is lifting his protection from us."

"I think George Bush is going to win in a walk. I really believe that I'm hearing from the Lord it's going to be like a blowout election of 2004. It's shaping up that way. The Lord has just blessed him.... I mean, he could make terrible mistakes and comes out of it. It doesn't make any difference what he does, good or bad. God picks him up because he's a man of prayer and God's blessing him."

"Individual Christians are the only ones really -- and Jewish people, those who trust God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- are the only ones that are qualified to have the reign, because hopefully, they will be governed by God and submit to Him."

"When I said during my presidential bid that I would only bring Christians and Jews into the government, I hit a firestorm. "What do you mean?" the media challenged me. "You're not going to bring atheists into the government? How dare you maintain that those who believe in the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus and Muslims?" My simple answer is, "Yes, they are.""

"If anybody understood what Hindus really believe, there would be no doubt that they have no business administering government policies in a country that favors freedom and equality.... Can you imagine having the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as defense minister, or Mahatma Gandhi as minister of health, education, and welfare? The Hindu and Buddhist idea of karma and the Muslim idea of kismet, or fate condemn the poor and the disabled to their suffering.... It's the will of Allah. These beliefs are nothing but abject fatalism, and they would devastate the social gains this nation has made if they were ever put into practice."

"It is interesting, that termites don't build things, and the great builders of our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians have the desire to build something. He is motivated by love of man and God, so he builds. The people who have come into [our] institutions [today] are primarily termites. They are into destroying institutions that have been built by Christians, whether it is universities, governments, our own traditions, that we have.... The termites are in charge now, and that is not the way it ought to be, and the time has arrived for a godly fumigation."

[Flasch186]

I am a Christian and I totally disapprove of Robertson, or any other spiritual leader of my faith who gets into politics, but I can't stand when people make broad comments such as "the religious right" in a negative way. I, and many others are "religious" and lean slightly to the right, but also have have a mind of my own. I certainly don't agree with Robertson, or others of his type, about many things such as gay rights, the war on drugs, the death penalty, etc.

People think I'm defensive, and I am. People also tend to roll their eyes at me when I say that many Christians are being crapped on, but I think that's true. Lumping all Christians into the same category as people such as Robertson is insult to us, and to the beliefs we hold.


excellent. I wish all of the "religious right" AND his followers, whether or not theyre a part of that religious right, felt like you do about open mindedness and choices. I commend you.

[Dutch]

Just because you're occasionally willing to go against your side or occasionally willing to give into points on the other side doesn't mean you're still not horribly biased.

SI

I for one have never argued that the man isn't biased. But his viewpoints are simply not in line with extremism and their is plenty of hours of audio and tons of text to back that up.

I'm not so sure the same can be said for Sharpton or Robertson or Michael Moore.

[Joe Canadian]

Franken\Sharpton\Moore vs. Robertson\O'Riley\Coulter

How I would love to see this at the next WWE PPV...

I give credit to Team Left for being funny, although on Al's part it may not be on purpose but the other two at least sprikle their crazy with a few laughs. Team Right just strikes me as completly nuts... Bill going after the son of the guy who dies on 9/11, Robertson being God's attack dog, and Coulter arguing with a CBC reporter about wether or not Canada was part of the Vietnam war.

[Tekneek]

Coulter arguing with a CBC reporter about wether or not Canada was part of the Vietnam war.

Maybe we saw the same interview. She was interrupting so often that it was hard to not think of her as a complete bitch. I no longer cared what she had to say because she has absolutely no manners to speak of. Nevermind that she reminds me of The Cryptkeeper.

[Galaxy]

I can't stand Ann Coulter....She just has no credibility and no grasp on reality.

[flere-imsaho]

I'm trying to imagine what certain members of the board would say if Michael Moore suggested Al-Qaeda bombed Dallas, Texas.

[Joe Canadian]

Maybe we saw the same interview. She was interrupting so often that it was hard to not think of her as a complete bitch. I no longer cared what she had to say because she has absolutely no manners to speak of. Nevermind that she reminds me of The Cryptkeeper.

Forget her lack of manners, because I can sort of tolerate that if the person has a valid point to make... but she was arguing with a Canadian reporter telling him we sent troops to Vietnam. I loved his line after the interview when he was back in the studio... "for the record, Canada did not send troops to Vietnam."

[Glengoyne]

I'm trying to imagine what certain members of the board would say if Michael Moore suggested Al-Qaeda bombed Dallas, Texas. I'm actually surprised he hasn't. If he had I'd write it off to his standard absurdity. He'd be pretty hard pressed to marginalize himself anymore than he is.

As for O'reilly....I noted on the Foxnews site that O'Reilly was talking about San Francisco. Here is what he had to say.


Hurt Feelings in San Francisco

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

By Bill O'Reilly

http://www.foxnews.com/images/foxnews_story.gif

Hurt feelings in San Francisco, that is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo".

As you may know, voters in San Francisco by a 59-41 margin chose to oppose U.S. military recruiting in public schools there, including colleges. The vote is flat-out disrespectful, in my opinion, to the American military which is doing a magnificent job protecting us from terrorists and fighting to bring people to people in Iraq.

Now you may not agree with the Iraq War, but disrespecting the military is disgraceful. So on "The Radio Factor", I called San Franciscans on their vote.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

I hate to be picking on you guys in California. I hope you don't take it personally. One lady did yesterday. It isn't about you, the individual Californian. It's about how crazy your state is.

In San Francisco, they're voting on two initiatives. One would ban military recruiting. Hey, you know, if you want to ban military recruiting, fine, but I'm not going to give you another nickel of federal money.

You know, if I'm the president of the United States, I walk right in to Union Square, I set up my little presidential podium, and I say listen, citizens of San Francisco, if you vote against military recruiting, you're not going to get another nickel in federal funds. Fine. You want to be your own country? Go right ahead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

And then I went on to do a satirical riff with a serious point. Why should the USA protect San Francisco from terrorists if they, in the city, are trying to undermine the military? We posted the entire monologue on billoreilly.com (http://www.billoreilly.com/).

Predictably, some far left Internet smear sites have launched a campaign to get me fired over my point of view. I believe they do this on a daily basis.

This time, the theme is O'Reilly is encouraging terrorist attacks. Unbelievably stupid, but not unusual with these guttersnipes.

The San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/) picked up the story, but the reporter Joe Garifoli, realizing the absurdity of it, wrote a tongue in cheek article. Included in the article are foolish statements from Mayor Gavin Newsom (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:siteSearch%28%27Mayor%20Gavin%20Newsom%27%29;) and some other city officials.

Newsom's afraid to appear on this broadcast, but I have only one question for him: Hey, Mayor, are you proud of that anti-military vote? Are you? If so, why? Do you think there's one reporter in the city of San Francisco that would ask Mayor Newsom that simple question, just one? It hasn't been done so far. If somebody asks it, I'll put it on the air.

Finally, what did the citizens of San Francisco think was going to happen after they voted to oppose military recruitment? We're in the middle of a War on Terror and these loopy voters did something like this? And I'm not supposed to call them on it? Come on. Can you imagine this happening during World War II?

So I'm glad the smear sites made a big deal out of it because now we can all know who was with the anti-military Internet crowd. We'll post the names of all who support the smear merchants on billoreilly.com (http://www.billoreilly.com/). So check with us.

Bottom line, these San Franciscans who voted to deny military recruiters access are working against their own country, period.

And that's "The Memo."

I disagree with his assessment that the S.F. vote was an overt showing of disrespect for the Millitary. I think it is more a case of liberalism triumphing over common sense(In that it is a pretty harmless decision). The population there is so hung up on hatred of Bush and thereby anything he supports or anything that purportedly supports him, that they are looking for any way to let the rest of us know how they feel. This is just another little bit of rebellion, almost a case of civil disobedience.

My favorite political quote about San Francisco is from George Will who once described the population of San Francisco as being, politically speaking, "just to the left of the salad fork."

[Crapshoot]

Someone ought to tell O'Reily, for what its worth, that is SF stopped contributing to the federal taxpayers, the federal government would feel the pinch more than SF would. My numbers may be out of date, but unlike, say, the entire south, San Fran is a net giver to the Feds.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Someone ought to tell O'Reily, for what its worth, that is SF stopped contributing to the federal taxpayers, the federal government would feel the pinch more than SF would. My numbers may be out of date, but unlike, say, the entire south, San Fran is a net giver to the Feds.

Being rid of the consistent embarassment of SF behavior would be worth pretty much any monetary cost AFAIC.

Meanwhile, here's the latest I can find, only found it down to the state level in a quick search. http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/62.html

A word of caution about those stats though, seems you'd need to recompute some of the percentages to get a true read (specifically because of the retirement payments item, seems kind of hard for the state or the feds to control where people retire.)

[Crapshoot]

Agreed - retirement is an issue. That being said, it always bothers me when the Southern Republicans talk about the "Mass or California Liberals" increasing your spending - the "California Liberals" are certainly paying a hell of a lot more than those.

[rexallllsc]

No different than those insane clerics from the Middle East. Do away with all of em.

[Glengoyne]

No different than those insane clerics from the Middle East. Do away with all of em.
Well in some ways I agree with you, but Robertson really isn't telling his followers to kill those who believe differently than them.

He is just wishing them ill will. Not at all the most Christian of behavior, but decidedly different that ordering up the murder of "infidels."

[rexallllsc]

Well in some ways I agree with you, but Robertson really isn't telling his followers to kill those who believe differently than them.

He is just wishing them ill will. Not at all the most Christian of behavior, but decidedly different that ordering up the murder of "infidels."

Not so much in that sense, but in the sense that some of them have said that Katrina, for example, was sent against us because of what we've done.

Both sides are ridiculous, IMO.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Well in some ways I agree with you, but Robertson really isn't telling his followers to kill those who believe differently than them.

He is just wishing them ill will. Not at all the most Christian of behavior, but decidedly different that ordering up the murder of "infidels."
Wait. Didn't Robertson call for the assassination of Hugo Chavez just a month or two ago? That doesn't seem to be all that different from "order the murder of [an] infidel."

[Huckleberry]

In 1998, Robertson warned the city of Orlando, Florida that it risked hurricanes...
Must be lonely out on that limb.

[Glengoyne]

Wait. Didn't Robertson call for the assassination of Hugo Chavez just a month or two ago? That doesn't seem to be all that different from "order the murder of [an] infidel."
I must have missed that. So he apparently might be closer to the extremist than I would have thought. Of course we'll have a better comparison if some 700 clubbers got together and took him out. Until then, while in no way defending Robertson, I'll still with my assessment that he is not as far gone as the extremist muslim clerics calling for our elimination.

[sterlingice]

Must be lonely out on that limb.
Did he claim wicked California might feel the wrath of earthquakes and Buffalo might get hit by a blizzard, too? ;)

SI