Every now and then I hear a snippet of Bill O’Reilly’s radio show, and today was one of those snippety times. I admit I am not an O’Reilly fan, and I try to take my bias into consideration when criticizing him.
Today, he was talking about presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who has refused to appear on O’Reilly’s TV show. “Her staff has told her I’ll ask the hard questions and make her answer,” O’Reilly said. “She doesn’t want to look stupid.”
Since I’m not necessarily a fan of Senator Clinton, it seemed “fair and balanced” — to use a phrase — to write about why I wouldn’t go on that show either. Here, Mr. O’Reilly, are my reasons and none of them really has to do with politics.
First, the few times I’ve watched your show you interrupted your guests more than once to disagree with them. When you thought they were being too long winded, you also interrupted, sometimes with a snide remark. You have told guests they can have the last word and then one-upped them. In other words, you interject yourself and your opinions (Even if you’ve done research to support those opinions, they are still just opinions.) into every conversation I’ve watched. Basically, you’re rude, so I would have no reason to engage in a conversation that was a hardly a discussion, much less a dialogue.
The kind of talk shows I’d like to watch are ones where the host (That’s you.) invites opposing points of view (Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, etc.) and asks insightful questions that allow viewers to make up their own minds. It’s difficult to do that when your opinion is so prevalent on every topic you present.
It’s possible Senator Clinton may object to being on your show for the same reasons as I do and not because she’ll look stupid.
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