O'Reilly: GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt bears responsibility for deaths of American soldiers in Iraq

[Amerigo Vespucci]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/18/AR2008051802313.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

Feud Fuels Bill O'Reilly's Blasts at GE



By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 19, 2008; Page A01

Bill O'Reilly, the Fox News star, is mounting an extraordinary televised assault on the chief executive of General Electric, calling him a "pinhead" and a "despicable human being" who bears responsibility for the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq.

On the surface, O'Reilly's charges revolve around GE's history of doing business with Iran. But the attacks grow out of an increasingly bitter feud between O'Reilly and the company's high-profile subsidiary, NBC, one that has triggered back-channel discussions involving News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch, Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, NBC chief executive Jeff Zucker and General Electric's CEO, Jeffrey Immelt.

Ailes called Zucker on his cellphone last summer, clearly agitated over a slam against him by MSNBC host Keith Olbermann. According to sources familiar with the conversation, Ailes warned that if Olbermann didn't stop such attacks against Fox, he would unleash O'Reilly against NBC and would use the New York Post as well.

Both Fox and the Post are owned by Murdoch, who complained about Olbermann's conduct in separate calls to Zucker and Immelt.

The high-level appeals failed, and O'Reilly has escalated his criticism of GE in recent weeks, declaring, "If my child were killed in Iraq, I would blame the likes of Jeffrey Immelt."

[Faygo Kid]

1. Yeah, O'Reilly is batshit crazy. He will go nuts tonight on this and the Gillespie tirade.

O'Reilly is a scary dude, and now he's got the White House backing him up.

Flagrant attempt to censor Keith Olbermann, but GE isn't buying it. I can only guess how pissed off Immelt must be. Big time omnipotent CEOs like Immelt don't take criticism kindly, especially from a rat's ass like O'Reilly.

[malaise]

2. Tell BillO that Bush sent them to

Iraq.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I smell another worst person in the world award

LOL

[movonne]

4. No it is bush that is responsible for the deaths of American soldiers

killed in Iraq...and no one else

[high density]

5. Wow, O'Reilly whining is page A01 news??

Give me a break.

[Earth_First]

6. Oh geez Bill. Ordinarily I would agree with this point, however I see riiiight through this one. n/

[C_U_L8R]

7. When O'Reilly comes after you

it's like a badge of honor that you've gotten to him.


“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Mahatma Gandhi

[Amerigo Vespucci]

10. How true!

I think O'Reilly's primary frustration with Olbermann is that he can't retaliate on any level.

Olbermann pretty much does one thing, and one thing only when it comes to O'Reilly...he plays clips or offers transcripts of exactly what O'Reilly said..

When removed from the comfort zone of O'Reilly's "Fox Fans," his own words are more damning than anything Olbermann could throw at him...and, to his credit, KO knows this.

:patriot:

[C_U_L8R]

14. That darn truth is a powerful weapon

no wonder the rightwingers hate it so much : - )))

[tularetom]

8. Immelt may indeed be Mr Corporate Asshole

But O"reilly doesn't care about that.

He's getting beaten up and humiliated on a somewhat regular basis by KO and he lacks the brains and/or the balls to respond. So he snivels to his boss and together they come with this idea to attack Olbermann's boss.

To Immelt's credit he didn't bite.

[zbdent]

9. Doesn't BS O'Lielly realize that GE is a defense contractor?

Hmm ... I wonder how BS would like a tank parked on his BMW, with the turret aimed at HIS loofa ...

[northernsoul]

11. Refresh my memory - didn't Haliburton deal with Iran too?

Just wondering.

[and-justice-for-all]

12. Oh what's the matter billo...

dont have the balls to blame the liar n' thief? perhaps if you did not vote to re-elect your king, GE would not be profiting for the GOP warmongering campaigns.

[emdee]

13. Well, ain't that "fair and balanced"??? Haha

Ailes warned that if Olbermann didn't stop such attacks against Fox, he would unleash O'Reilly against NBC and would use the New York Post as well.

So very fair and balanced, isn't it?
O'Reilly has lost his tough-guy persona and has turned into a whiny little boy who can only get body language "experts" on as guests! The comedian body language expert on Olbermann examining O'Reilly's body language was hilarious!!

emdee