the economy. no more excuses. vote democrat in 2012. [ laughter ] >> bret: starting early. thanks for inviting us into your home tonight. that's it for this "special report," fair, balanced, and unafraid. see you tomorrow. >> bill: "the o'reilly factor" is on. tonight: >> i was wondering if you are now hopeful that a decision in the ksm case might happen somewhere. >> we have been working on it. >> bill: is the owe ma'am administration in retreat. now comes word they may not try him until after the next presidential election. also looks like the president will extend the current bush tax code to everybody. wow. brit hume and i will analyze. >> hold on, i don't know where you heard that but this trip is not costing $200 million a day.

>> that's not what glenn beck says. >> bill: "saturday night live" sides with glenn beck against president obama. >> he was right about buying gold. [ laughter ] >> bill: and hell has indeed frozen over. >> every time before i go on the air i hear the technical guys back in new york going okay governor palin, you are on with bill, good luck. >> bill: also is sarah palin's new reality program helping her in the court of public opinion? >> why do i need luck before i talk to bill o'reilly? >> bill: caution, you are about to enter the no spin zone. the factor begins right now. ♪ >> bill: hi, i'm bill o'reilly. thanks for watching us tonight. the president in retreat. that is the subject of this evening's talking points memo. things did not go well in the far east last week. now the president's home and immediately has to deal with the

bush tax code. as you may know the president wants to hide taxes for the affluent but that is an up popular strategy and talking points believes the president will pull back and extend the bush tax code for everybody. that, of course, will infuriate the far left which desperately wants income redistribution in this country. also the "the washington post" reporting that the obama administration has folded on khalid sheikh mohammed and how to prosecute him. you remember attorney general eric holder wanting to try the mastermind in new york city that turned into p.r. fiasco and now the post reports mohammed will remain in guantanamo bay indefinitely with some believing he will not be put on trial until after the 2012 presidential election. now, i wrote all about the khalid situation in my book pinheads and patriots saying the president was crazy to go up against public opinion on the issue. just try him in front of a military tribunal, mr. president, that's all you need to do. there is no question the obama administration is now in retreat. apparently the president finally

understands his power position has been severely weakened. i mean when "saturday night live" begins to ridicule you on a regular basis, you know things are tough. >> we were so surprised to see you embark on this 10-day vacation to asia. that is costing $200 million a day. >> hold on. i don't know where you heard that but this trip is not costing $200 million a day. >> that's not what glenn beck says. >> again, let me be clear. glenn beck has no idea what he is talking about. [ laughter ] >> he was right about buying gold. >> bill: just think about what you just saw. the wise guy at snl siding with glenn beck against president obama. they are, indeed, wearing ear muffs in hell. finally, it is hard to see how mr. obama will make a comeback but i believe he will to some extent. the president is a man who is not going to go quietly into the

night. and that's the memo. now for the top story tonight. does brit hume think the obama administration is in retreat? he joins us now from washington. what say you, mr. hume? >> i think the administration is in retreat. and i think the key thing to do is not to watch so much what he says but watch what he does. this retreat and this movement, which i think he will make gradually, to the center will not be announced. it will not be -- it will not be forecast by him. but i think as he confronts each issue as it comes to him he will realize that the only tenable position will require him to shift ground and you will see him do it. as you pointed out in the talking points memo on extension of the bush tax rates the so-called bush tax cuts, you saw that they're making peace with reality as well on the whereabouts and timing of the ksm trial. so those are two examples. >> bill: all right. but we're not exactly sure that president obama is in going to go for the extension of the tax

cuts. this is what is widely being reported. >> no. he has already signaled that he is really open to negotiating about this. it may be only a temporary extension. >> bill: right. i think that's a compromise. >> they simply have to pass something or everybody's tax goes up. that's untenable situation. he doesn't have the votes to just extend some of them. so i think he will give in on that. i think the signals have been sent. axelrod all but said it and then he had to walk it back. david axelrod his political advisor all but said it and he has walked it back a bit. my sense is this is going to happen. >> bill: i think so, too. if it weren't then the white house wouldn't have said no comment today when the reporter said hey, are you going to extend those bush tax cuts even into those people like brit hume? they singled you out and i thought it was unfair. >> you think it's lost on me when you are always talking about this money you are giving

away. >> bill: i'm giving away money trying to buy my way into heaven is what i'm trying to do. >> aren't we all? >> bill: now, i believe that and i felt sorry for barack obama, and let's be honest when he was in asia because he didn't get what we needed. he didn't get the korean trade agreement. he didn't get the chinese to stop flouncing around their currency. what it tells me and you are in a position to congress here, -- correct me if i am wrong here. i expect you to do this. world leaders feel this is a weakened president. they don't have any incentive to do business with barack obama the way he is now inside this country. that's what that told me. >> well, i don't think they feel they have incentive to do business on strictly his terms. is he presiding over a weak economy which makes the world more nervous. the world was more comfortable with the american economy was the engine of worldwide growth or much of it and the world

economy led the way and the more sway in the world. with the economy weakened that's not the case with the enormous amount of debt held by china chief among them. this is inevitable part of the circumstances of his presidency. remember, this there was a free trade deal that had been negotiated with south korea and by the bush administration was ready to go and he scuttled it to renegotiate it now he is having trouble doing that. >> bill: opinions for the for the u.s. labor unions. >> there you go. >> bill: it's worth it for the rest of the world to help america's economy because then it dovetails back to everybody else. because we're the engine that drives the world economy. but i saw there -- what i saw over there was angela merkel and a bunch of other people actually making fun of him, actually saying, hey, your big spending policies, trying to spend your way out of this recession, that's exactly the opposite of what we're doing, particularly in germany. you're crazy.

i saw a lot -- it wasn't disrespect. it's t. was this guy is just not up for the job. i think that's what's going on. >> i can't psycho analyze those people to know for sure. i think is he operating from a weakened position. in all fairness, it goes a lot to the weakened condition of the u.s. economy. >> bill: everybody saw the vote. the vote says listen, mr. obama, the american people are not with you anymore. he may get them back. he absolutely may get them back. >> i agree with that. >> bill: people counting them down for the count right now are wrong. he is a tough, smart guy. but, there is no question this khalid sheikh mohammed thing. this is a centerpiece of my book. it is just inexplicable that president obama would put his currency on the line to this thug and get the beating in the public arena that the president has taken because of this guy when he could have put him in front of the military tribunal and kissed him off. that's amazing. >> bill, i think this is an example and a number of others

that this is a president to ho for all his talent and all his charm didn't know enough to know what he didn't know. and for this administration to have plunged ahead as it did into this morass with the khalid sheikh mohammed trial, the closing of guantanamo and these other things, which didn't get into the posture they were in for no reason, for them not to be able to foresee that was a sign of political knive at a which i think was striking. >> bill: brit's series airs sunday night at 9 p.m. here on fnc. ted koppel, remember him? he lashes out at cable news. later, congressman charlie rangel walking out of his hearing on ethics violations. wait until you sñ÷ç@

>> bill: impact eggmentment tonight, ted koppel not a big fan of cable tv news he says quote: daniel patrick moynahan moynahas well, this is a fact-based news analysis broadcast here. and the fact is that we have invited mr. koppel on the factor more than a few times. we want to discuss his ongoing

beef. but mr. koppel is not up for the challenge or so it seems. so there is no question that the fox news channel has acliffed some of the traditional news agencies as far as influence is concerned. bolivia that is what is bothering mr. koppel. as always, i could be wrong. joining us now is tammy bruce in los angeles and with us in new york ellis henican columnist for news day. to me it sounds like sour grapes. i know there are abuses in cable television as there are in any industry. there are on the air who bloviate and make up stuff and spout lies. i worked in network news and there were no pristine organizations over there i was at nbc when ted koppel was there and it wasn't. i'm getting sour grapes there what are you giving. >> nobody gives up monopoly willingly. it's more fun when you are running the street. >> bill: he is out of the game. >> clearly he identifies with the old version of television news. i'm not here to trash it, incidentally.

i think there is a place for objective news reporting. i don't think there is a place for point of view journalism. >> when you say the shepard smith program, bret baier program, megyn kelly program during the day, wouldn't you say that's objective journalism? there are reporters. >> i might have slightly different reactions to he each of those. listen, there are were traditions of what i would call old journalisms when i grew up. in covering cops and courts and city hall and all that stuff in balanced way. >> bill: we do that. >> that's different. that is fund mentally different and has different rules. >> bill: we do that. do you not know that? >> clearly we do. >> bill: right. >> but there is also a place in the world today and i think this show is an example of that where point of view is expected -- is expressed at a very -- >> bill: me and a bunch of other people just lying and making up facts, tammy. i submit to you that ted koppel could not sit in the chair where ellis is, nor would he want to, and sustain my questioning. he couldn't give me examples of me lying on the air. using an opinion not based on

fact. he couldn't do it. and if he could, he ought to come in here and do it and shut me up for good. >> that's the problem here is that what they are seeing is americans, they are realizing seeing alternatives to what they claimed was the best thing ever which was their princely pontifications every night with no contradictions. now they are realizing as americans see what real thoughtful coverage is with the variety of opinions like on this panel, they are getting embarrassed. really, he talks about ritual in the article. >> bill: why would they get embarrassed? they make a good living. all the network newscast make money. morning programs do very, very well. i don't understand koppel's beef. nightline without koppel was more successful than was with koppel. >> look, this is about the elitist snobbery, monarchy realizing the commoners have taken over. that's a thing they can't stand.

it's happened to politics and it's happening here. >> bill: everywhere a bar baron has taken over you are looking at it. >> irish. all of us are irish. >> tammy, i don't think we need to choose here. legitimate ways to run news organization. >> bill: koppel doesn't think so. >> koppel is wrong about that. >> bill: say that again. >> koppel is wrong about that you should listen to me but don't get in the frame of mind of thinking there is something out motive. >> bill: would you concede that koppel is smarter than you. >> i wouldn't say that. >> bill: i would at least is he my intellectual equal. >> i would agree with that. >> bill: is he desperately wrong according to you. >> he is stuck in the past. >> bill: stuck? >> he can only see one way of doing this game of the in fact, we have proven here and proven elsewhere in the last 10 or 15 years there is more than one way to play this game. >> bill: tammy, i don't know why a guy as smart as ted koppel is taking this position other than,

you know, as ellis points out he is stuck in the past, he won't -- just won't see it objective. >> no, they don't like, look. had this is one element. what they're seeing is maj cultural transformation midterm. >> bill: election coverage. >> katie couric was told -- told a reporter she was looking forward to going into the midwest to mingle with the unwashed masses. this is a group of people. >> bill: she said that? couric said that? >> oh, yeah. on the record saying she is going to go and wants to get to note unwashed masses. >> bill: where was that? i didn't see that tammy, is that true? >> it was either daily caller. >> bill: on the internet. >> the huffington post. >> bill: i'm not buying that katie couric would say that. >> believe me, it happened. the difference is that here we have got people who realize network news is dead and they're jealous. that's the other aspect of this

as well. >> please bathe -- >> a little unruly. >> bill: more than a little. mary and mary katharine are very clean people too. power in america. who has it and who does not. later the culture warriors on muslim women refusing to patted down at the airport. that controversy is growing and those reports moments away.

>> bill: personal story segment tonight, if is true the obama administration is in retreat and old guard media is being diminished, then there is a power vacuum in america. so who is benefiting? joining us now from washington fox news analyst mary katharine ham and juan williams. juan, new guard, old guard, who now is ascending in power?

>> well, i don't think there is any question if you just watch and listen today and read, there are people like michele bachmann, mike pence, even joe arpaio out in arizona the sheriff with the immigrants. those are folks who didn't get the time of day, any attention from the old line elite media in the country. and so all of a sudden they have voice where before they were silenced or even finished by the established media outlets in the country. i think this representation of the fact that the tea party has been the driving force over the last year and a half. since the whole health care, tarp, sim columbus argument -- stimulus argument started. nay sayers, people put down previously have been loud and have driven the independents. if you want to measure, this bill, look how independents moved away from the white house and away from the president. that's just not a good sign for the democrats. >> bill: the three signs that you mentioned and michele bachmann is a guy. i say everybody is a guy. are conservatives.

are you saying that the conservative movement is gaining in power? >> yeah. i think voices like that were marginalized previously or, you know, someone like arpaio treated as a pest or a nut, and now you know what? all of a sudden he gets to have his say, more of a diversity in this arena than there was before as a result. >> bill: all right. how about the media, mary katharine? again, there is a big shift going on in the way the people get their information. we just talked about ted koppel lamenting that fact. who is gaining in power? >> well, i think like juan says, certainly conservatives and folks who didn't get mainstream media coverage before in many cases are driving coverage. i think the the perfect distillation of what ted koppel is upset about is a facebook post by sarah palin which can sort of outblast everything on the internet and in media for at least a couple hours of a news cycle. that is -- it's not necessarily that she is the only one that can do that.

people in smaller ways are able to get their message out in ways they weren't able to before. >> bill: this is an interesting point. i want you to explain it a little bit more clearly. if sarah palin can go on the internet on her facebook page and she can say something provocative, all right? directly to the people. doesn't have to gone 00 abc news or the nbc news as they used to be able to have to do. so she can say unfiltered whatever she wants to say and you, mary katharine, are submitting that when she does that the reaction is so huge that nobody even cares what abc, cbs, nbc, or even some of the cables say about it they just want to react directly to her. >> that is true. she is a little bit of an outliar, obviously, that's a symbol for the way that the media has dvd diversified. ted koppel is longing for bays three or fewer white guys with the same careers background and opinions told everybody what news was.

he was in charge of feeding america intellectual vegetables. and i don't think he appreciates the fact that he can't do that anymore. >> bill: he is out of the game. i can understand him being annoyed. >> i believe earlier in this program you were giving him credit for being intellectual equal. let's say. this he was a wise man. wants to be seen as senior oracle looking down on the media landscape having come through it with great success. here is where he is right. he is right that people often tune in to networks or news programs, radio programs that simply confirm their preexisting opinions and prejudices. >> bill: that's right. >> the danger is let's say you are bill o'reilly you don't hear about some little kid living in poverty. you don't hear that kid's story. that kid is a thug, i don't like that kid. that's a danger if you are not hearing that kid's story. >> bill: you can lock yourself but that's only been the case though. you can lock yourself into a bubble world.

look at nancy pelosi. what world does she live in? go ahead. >> weaknesses to the new paradigm that's for sure. more voices are better than fewer. what koppel is going after in the column he talks about how the scc used to scare everybody into covering the right stuff. people would be scared they would have licenses yanked from them not covering the thing in the public service. getting away from that model is actually good. the profits of cable news and cable television in general given us c-span one of the most unbiased clear public services better than any single or number of journalists can offer you. that was made possible by cable. >> bill, what do you think about koppel's argument that there is less foreign news coverage, all the foreign bureaus at abc, nbc, cbs used to run is being closed down. >> bill: he is not wrong about it what kind of coverage were you getting in the first place? i we have to run but i served cbs, and abc, cbs much more so than abc overseas.

i will tell you what, you weren't getting the full story over there, juan. between -- >> it's important americans hear that they don't get it because they don't show the appetite. >> bill: you can't force people to pay attention to stuff they should pay attention to. >> ted koppel can. >> bill: plenty more as the factor moves along this evening. charlie rangel storms out of his ethics hearing in the house today is that allowed? we will show you what happened and it's bizarre. >> culture warriors on sarah palin. will her new tv program help her in the political arena? we hope you stay tuned to those reports. ;7xox

>> bill: factor follow up segment tonight be the factor has been very hard on the "new york times" as you may know because we believe the newspaper has taken its liberal editorial philosophy and allowed it on its news pages. it's annoying. that's about it also "times" columnist stacked 10 to 1 in favor of the left.

doesn't sound very fair and balanced. with us now is "times" watcher william mcgowan could set me straight. author of the gray lady down. what the decline and fall of the "new york times" means. we don't like the "new york times" we don't read it and care what they say. we know what the game is why should they read your book or why should you care or we care what they do over there. >> like it or not, the "new york times" is the most important media outlet in america. >> bill: let me stop you there more important than fox news? >> i would say that in certain policy circles, yes. >> bill: are you talking about the democratic party? >> well, of course the democratic party. without a doubt. but i'm saying in terms of serious policy circles when the "times" comes out on something, there are a lot of people who jump on to that herd. jump on to that bandwagon. >> bill: politicians business people because the folks don't care what the "new york times" say. >> i would say mostly the policy elite. >> bill: that means people in washington and state

governments. >> people in new york state governments, yeah. >> bill: decision makers elected judges, things like that, they still read the paper and take some cues from it? >> oh being absolutely, sure. it's a conformity machine at a certain level. that's unfortunate because there should be more hetero doxity in the times there would be more diversity in policy and intellectually. 's. >> bill: it's your hypothesis that the paper has declined. >> it's declined in a number of ways. one, it's allowed much more opinion into what should be gnostic, objective reporting. >> bill: it bleeds over into their stories. >> exactly. much more opinion. much more soft news. much more vapid consumerism, style. that is a back door toward counter cultural values. counter cultural celebration of the transgreive gressive over

the traditional. >> bill: gay rights, gay marriage, legalization of narcotics, big on that. they are using their pages not to report the news but to push causes that they think should be mainstreamed. >> i don't think they are doing it on purpose. i think they do live in this bubble as was mentioned in earlier segments. and that they think these are really important things. >> bill: they are important to them. but the circle could you circulation is going down. >> disconnect with the public at large. >> bill: business model is going down. "wall street journal" is going up they are going down. now, is there any -- look, they are free to run their paper any way they want to run their paper. you know, i have a lot of beefs with them. is there anything really wrong? are they doing anything really wrong over there. >> oh, yeah, absolutely. not only are they throwing off the debate on important policy issues like the war on terrorism, like the wars that we're fighting in afghanistan and in iraq, but you have tremendous journalistic faux pass where they have been hoaxed

and conned and defrauded. i can give you a dozen framples like for instance the woman held up of military massage is a she never left guam. >> bill: is that a alaska discipline. >> a lot of inexperienced reporters very well educated but unfortunately wet behind the ears. >> bill: they hire them why? shouldn't every newspaper reporter want to work for them? can't they get the best. >> i don't know why. these things come regularly and they come pretty flooredly. >> bill: your bottom line on gray lady down not what it used to be. >> it's a problem for america. we really need a neutral ground where both sides. >> bill: i think the "wall street journal" an excellent publication. >> die too. >> bill: thanks. when we come right back, the culture warriors on sarah palin's new tv show.

will it help her in the political arena? then, jon stewart defending the tea party? is that even possible? up next.

>> thanks for staying with us i'm bill o'reilly in the culture warrior segment tonight, anger growing over full body scans at airport security points. man in san diego took umbrage when he heard this. >> >> bill: that man did not get on a plane. they wouldn't let him take his

flight. in addition muslim groups telling women who wear head scarves not to subject themselves to any below the shoulder. you can see problems just in time for holiday flying season. lauren green in for margaret hoover tonight and "fox & friends" gretchen carlson. are you going to go through this full body scan deal? what are you going to do. >> i don't care about it that much. my 4-year-old on international flight back right after the christmas day bomber was given a full patdown i thought that was extreme. but, let's face it, americans are been clamoring for better security at airports so we don't have to keep taking off our shoes and traveling with liquids. now we appear to have it and now people have a problem with it that's upsetting to me. >> bill: you yourself and your family full body scan thing doesn't upset you. what about the muslim deal? this is getting into theology and getting into the belief system. you know, the muslim women not going to go in the machine. not going to get patted down, that means they don't fly.

>> well, you know the council on american islamic reels cair has put out advisory to women who wear the full head scarf basically saying to them before you are patted down be sure to tell the t.s.a. that they can only pat down your head and neck area. i have a problem with that because what other excuses are people going to come up with as to why they can't get the pat down? >> bill: look, the problem that you have or anybody else have really are beside the point, lauren because they're not going to be able to get on the plane. the feds aren't going to say yeah if you have a head scarf and muslim you won't are to go through. this everybody is going through it so therein lies court challenges and that's where it's going to wind up. how about you, green? you you know, you going through the airport? what are you doing? >> [ laughter ] iyo-yo mind being patted down. it's not like i like that sort of thing. nobody likes i object vaiveness of body scans and real pat down. nobody likes it embarrassing and disrespectful. that being said there is a difference between that john tyner case and muslim women.

we are talking about things that can be concealed. you can conceal a lot of things in their wardrobe. the other side of this that being said, bill, there is a constant tension between muslim groups who profess this desire for assimilation and this constant need for separation or appearing for special treatment. >> bill: that's their religion. they are not going to change it you know how they -- they are wearing veils. i mean, okay. i can see a real danger ahead at the airports. now, sarah palin got a new alaska program. she runs out and hunts and fishes and does -- climbs mountains and stuff on tlc. let's roll the tape and show everybody what she is doing. >> oh, god help me. okay. here guy. here guy, brian. >> i'm ready for you. >> i'm scared. >> just do it. >> okay. >> excellent. >> oh, okay. that's scarier than i thought.

>> yeah. >> every time before i go on the air i hear the technical guys in the booth back in new york going okay, governor palin, you are on with bill. good luck. that always scares me. why do i need luck before i talk to bill o'reilly? [ laughter ] >> i know the feeling. >> is he a scary guy. >> bill: i know. i'm a frightening guy. poll says that governor palin's approval 40. disapprove 52. is this going to help her approval rating, this kind of a program on every week? >> you know what i think it will do? i think it will flip them them. i think people who love sarah palin and fear her as a political power house will see her perhaps not on the lofty ivory tower that she once was and detract from her power house image. for people who don't like her, the liberals, the democrats who kind of see her as this polarizing figure, this may actually polarize her. this is a good thing for her. i don't know how it will work out in the wash. generally as a positive.

>> bill: all right, carlson, you see as it a positive or what. >> i see it as a positive. you will never change the minds of people who don't like sarah palin. i really believe that whether or not they think she is a great outdoors woman or great mom or former great governor, it all comes down to policies, bill there are some people in this nation who do not agree with her policies and those who do agree with her policies are going to love this show. as you can see from the ratings, tops of people watch this thing. >> bill: she is a star. everybody understands whether she got 5 disapproval rating doesn't matter. people are interested in her what and what she does. here she is running around the outback of alaska, climbing rocks and scaring bears or moose or whatever she is doing. >> you can't discount that. >> you can't discount. >> bill: i can't discount what? >> yeah. i think you can't discount the likability factor. if you watch tlc for an hour any time, you will see this promo for sarah palin's alaska run at least 10 times. even if you are not going to

watch this. >> bill: got her family out there, you know. they are cute kids. she has got a nice personality. if i were her, i would do it. rumor is they are paying her a ton of money to do it. i would stockpile the money in case she wants to get back into politics. go ahead, carlson. >> here is the interesting thick. people are pulling this apart after one episode. they are looking for any sign or signal whether or not this is a campaign for her presidency. i mean, for example, when she climbs that glasure and she is apparently scared of heights. they are saying that that particular scene shows that she is not really a quitter. that she did it on purpose. because she quit being governor of alaska that this shows she is trying to show the american public that she is not a quitter. come on, that is so deep thinking. i love to be a deep thinker but i think that's taking it a step too far. >> bill: you think so? >> she has a great deal of influence with the g.o.p. they love her and that's where she has the most political power. she may not even really want to be a candidate in the future. she has more power actually, you

know, endorsing candidates. >> bill: all right, ladies. we appreciate the conversation. thank you. reality check on deck. charles rangel splits from ethics hearing today in the house. pretty shocking. wait until you see it then bill clinton has a cameo in a raunchy movie. is that a good decision for the former president? we'll be right back with check as the factor continues all across the u.s.a. and all around the world.

>> bill: back ever the book segment tonight, reality check, we have a shocking development in check one. as you may know congressman charlie rangel in trouble for dodging taxes and setting up deals in real estate and doing other things congressman should not do. after long delays rangel's ethics hearing began today. he showed up without a lawyer and then did this.

>> with all due respect, since i don't have counsel to advise me, i am going to have to excuse myself from these proceedings because i have no idea what this man has put together over two years that was given to me last week. and i just hope that the history of this committee in terms of fairness will be judged for what it is. >> bill: why didn't the congressman get a lawyer? that's one question. now after he bolted, the ethics panel held the hearing without him. that is not a good sign for the congressman. and check will keep you posted. check two, the far left continues to slime the tea party by using the expression tea baggers. enter jon stewart who doesn't like that very much. >> what also comes out sometimes from the other side is tea bagger. now, that's, i think, derogatory. and i don't think anybody would

mistake it for that for anything other than that it's been used on this network quite frequently by hosts, by guests. >> you don't think it was funny that they were calling them -- they were saying tea bag the white house before it tea bags you. >> i thought it was funny for a day but not run it for guests for months. >> i didn't run with it for months but i got criticized forever months. >> you made more hay of it. >> took the joke too far? >> bill: okay. check three. movie hangover was a big hit. >> do you remember how many of us were here? >> i don't know. i think it was just you guys. definitely no baby. one other guy. >> that's our guy. was he okay? >> yeah. he was fine. just whacked out of his mind. y'all were. [ laughter ] >> we were messed up. >> all right. >> come forward and turn. all right.

and cough. [cough] >> bill: there you go. now there is hangover 2. we can only imagine. and former president clinton has a cameo appearance in it. he is not playing the guy you just saw. but, is that a good call? we report. you decide. check four. the far left absolutely crazed about the obama administration's decline in public opinion and michael moore in particular is really teed off about the president. >> i would like to say to him with all due respect to please take off your pink tutu because. [ laughter ] because it's time to put on the boxing gloves and go fighting for the people. >> woo! >> this has got. [ applause ] >> you are right. they are caving in on the bush tax cuts already. >> bill: here is a memo to both moore and mahre. you can pay more taxes if you want to. the treasury accepts donations.

just write the big check to them. andy rooney still going strong at age 91. >> a gallup poll says that president obama's approval rating was at an all-time low. gallup said that they surveyed over 90,000 americans for this one poll. i mean, where was i when they were calling people about president obama? the survey said that only 44% of us approve of president presides performance. well, i surveyed nine of my friends and 8 of them said they liked obama but didn't trust gallup polls. as far as i'm concerned, obama is doing the best job he knows how. and it's good enough for me. >> bill: well, that's interesting, andy. president bush did the best job he could do. did he not? was that good enough for you? check six. cindy and john mccain do not agree about don't ask, don't tell. >> our political and religious

leaders tell youth that they have no future. >> they can't get married. >> they can't donate blood. >> they can't serve our country openly. >> what's worse, these laws that legislate discrimination teach bullies what they are doing unacceptable. >> the government treats lbgt second class citizens why don't they. >> bill: currently doesn't support flipping the policy. that dinner table ought to be interesting. big mac under attack. right back with p and p.

"patriots and pinheads" in a moment. happy meal gets a reprieve in san francisco, but first factoid. dick morris, find out all kind of inside stuff in this chat. we hope you check out premium membership. can't thank you enough for buying our stuff on billoreilly.com. we know money is tight this holiday season so when you buy a copy of "patriots and pinheads" on the website you get three free gifts. you get all of that stuff free. tote bag, wheels book and we say merry christmas bumper sticker. this is the best deal we've ever had. all the money i get from the site goes to charity, which is why we do this stuff. okay? we're having a big season

there. now mail is still pouring in about my interview with president bush -- [ reading ] i didn't see clocks cleaning, madam. i thought the interview was fair and crisp. dawn, from bangor, maine -- [ reading ] >> greta: that is "your" interview, not "our interview." >> sean: that is my typo. [ reading ]

>> sean: i am thinking you are mad, mr. hatter. thank you very much. the bl toy.

i think it goes too far. >> sean: mayor newsome's veto could be overridden and we want to know if he is a pinhead or patriot for doing that? on the website, we posted cartooned done by our pal that featured me. we'd like you to look at the cartoons. i don't think i presented this well on friday and vote whether he's a pinhead or patriot. we'll have two results tomorrow. they're funny. check them out and vote. check out the factor fox news website.

talking point memo lives each evening. we would like you to spout out about the factor from anywhere in the world. oreilly@foxnews.com if you wish to opine. don't be truculant when writing to us. thanks for watching tonight. i'm bill o'reilly. the spin stops here. we're looking out for >> top of the morning to you. it's tuesday, november 16th. i'm gretchen carlson. thanks so much for sharing your time with us this morning. senator mitch mcconnell showing democrats how to compromise and supporting a ban on earmarks. this is big. will this set the stage for the rest of washington now to listen to the voters? >> and she's in the lead to be senator from alaska and she's already taking on the state's most famous woman, sarah palin. listen. >> i just do not think that she has those leadership qualities that