To watch "The Memo" click here.
Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly. Thanks for watching us tonight.
Well, the Lindh family and its attorneys should be ashamed of themselves. That's the subject of this evening's Talking Points Memo.
Rarely have I heard so much nonsense and spin. The parents and brother of traitor John Walker Lindh were outrageous in their defense of the man's conduct after he plead guilty to taking up arms against his countrymen.
And his lawyer was just as bad. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
FRANK LINDH, JOHN WALKER LINDH'S FATHER: I think any father who knew John would be proud to claim him for a son. And I mean that. President Bush, Mrs. Bush, anyone who knew John would be proud to have him as a son. He's a really good kid.
I told John when he came back from Afghanistan, when I first met him, that Nelson Mandela served 26 years in prison. He's a good man like John.
CONNELL LINDH, JOHN WALKER LINDH'S BROTHER: I know my brother. I love him. I've always been proud of him. I'm still proud of him. He's behaved with total integrity, total grace.
JAMES BROSNAHAN, JOHN WALKER LINDH'S ATTORNEY: Who did John Lindh ever hurt? He never hurt anybody.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
Well, he hurt his country, counselor. And I suspect that concept might be alien to you.
The problem with the Lindh family is that their self-involvement makes it impossible to see the pain their son has caused other American families that have lost loved ones to the terrorists. John Walker Lindh was one of the brutalizers. He was fighting to protect the people that slaughtered 3,000 Americans on 9/11. He is a traitor to his country flat out.
But in the world the Lindhs inhabit, loyalty to country doesn't seem to matter. Their loyalty lies with their blood, a man who embraced terror at its highest level.
This may surprise you, but I admire the Lindh family for one thing, comforting the man. But it makes me ill that they excuse his behavior. It makes me angry that they insult the Spann family and thousands of others who are still grieving.
John Walker Lindh is not anyone to be proud of. He is not a good man like Nelson Mandela. He did not behave with integrity. He's a misguided enabler of murder, a man who perverted Islam and participated in military actions against his own country.
He, is family, and his attorney should be profoundly ashamed and should apologize profusely to the entire nation.
And that's "The Memo."
The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day
Time now for "The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day."
Did you know The Factor is big in Guatemala? Ridiculous to some, but not to us. We have been awarded the "La Ceiba de Oro Award" for excellence in public commentary. It looks like a big head of lettuce, but it's a really nice award. Ceiba is Guatemala's national symbol. It's a tree. And we appreciate the honor very much. Your humble correspondent has visited Guatemala. It's a very beautiful country. Misty mountains, deserted beaches. Once again, muchas gracias.
— You can watch Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 & 11p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
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