Thanks Bill!

Thanks Bill!
by Ted Lang, Associate Editor

September 12, 2002

Columnist Ted Lang Bill O'Reilly of FOX NEWS (FNC) If there was a need to understand why Republicans and President George Bush are proceeding in a direction opposite from that anticipated by many of their supporters, all one had to do was to tune in to Bill O'Reilly's FOX News show, "The O'Reilly Factor," last Thursday, September 5th [8:00PM EDT].

O'Reilly's first guest was billed as a "Republican consultant" or some such thing, a Cheri Jacobus. Even "burnt out" Republicans, those who came out and voted for Bush in spite of losing all interest in politics due to the unbeatable team of mud-slinging Democrats and their front line media, are not only going to retreat to their previous position of hiding under the bed, but might be as totally annoyed as I am and vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton to teach meandering Republicans a lesson.

Cheri Jacobus is every Democrat's potential nightmare - smart, articulate, female, young and pretty, and feisty Republican. But I'm sorry - she came off as yet another left-liberal, radical, breathless Clinton feminist that had no intention whatsoever of allowing anyone but herself to speak. And although a Republican, she was in reality defending Bill Clinton.

As Rush Limbaugh always says, "I'm not making this up!" Jacobus went way out on a limb to protect President George Bush, who is way out on a limb covering for Bill Clinton. I must add at this point, my sincere appreciation to Bill O'Reilly, for being the first major journalist to confront the issue of the incessant, annoying unconscionable, if not unconstitutional, actions taken by President Bush in covering up the crimes of Clinton and Reno. Thanks Bill!

I have on numerous occasions pointed out this proclivity on the part of President Bush. Bush early on initiated an executive order protecting "presidential papers," thereby making inquiry into Clinton's criminal activities more difficult, if not downright impossible. And this on the heels of Clinton and Gore's disappearing e-mails. Then, Attorney General Ashcroft engaged in some legal maneuvers making less effective the employment of the Freedom of Information Act to access government records by those pursuing Clinton.

So a week before this segment of O'Reilly's show, Bush directed the Department of Justice to refrain from providing a private citizen's legal activist group, Judicial Watch, from obtaining information by invoking "executive privilege." Judicial Watch's inquiries were limited to the DOJ, investigating the circumstances of the Marc Rich pardon. O'Reilly correctly pointed out that this isn't within the immediate administrative domain of the Office of the President, even though DOJ is in the Executive Branch.

O'Reilly couldn't understand why Bush is sandbagging Judicial Watch's efforts. Neither can I. Even Democrats were alarmed at Clinton's last minute stand to seriously injure America via his destructive pardon rampage. Those familiar with O'Reilly know his take: "The rich and powerful protect the rich and powerful." But here's an opportunity for Bush to placate all Republicans, and possibly some Democrats, to expose the depths of Clinton's despicable political depravity. Aren't thinking Republican leaders aware of the low opinion many Americans now have of both the Government and the Presidency as a result of Clinton's rampage?

Cheri Jacobus took stark exception to even a hint of O'Reilly's axiom. How dare he imply that the powerful protect the powerful! She is obviously one of those Republican Party contributors who just "want to move along and put it all behind us." Here's the misguided Republican notion behind it: "Bill Clinton is not worth it! Bush is trying to protect the image of the Office of President of the United States!"

Bush's own father long ago pointed out the severe damage done to the image of the American Presidency by Clinton. What more can be done to bring it down? Perhaps that is why almost all our former allies against Saddam don't believe anything Bush says about the need to attack Iraq. O'Reilly offered that the president's popularity ratings are falling, and according to a recent poll, a 12% of that drop is attributable to Republican respondents.

Going after Clinton doesn't impugn the Presidency; if anything, it would materially restore it as the highest law enforcement position in the Nation, which is what it's supposed to be in the first place. And Jacobus is off track completely in saying "Clinton isn't worth it." Is equal justice for all worth it? Are the American people worth it? Is the Constitution worth it? Are our children and grandchildren worth it? ***

Photo of Columnist Ted Lang courtesy of the author
Photo of Bill O'Reilly courtesy of FOX NEWS