This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," April 16, 2010. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET!
BILL O'REILLY, HOST: In the "Personal Story" segment tonight: Catalina magazine, designed for Latinas, is published by a woman named Cathy Areu. Recently on CNN, Ms. Areu came down hard on Sarah Palin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHY AREU, PUBLISHER, CATALINA MAGAZINE: Sarah Palin could do no wrong for so many people. I mean, she is a female "Larry the Cable Guy," minus the class and intelligence. So, she could do no wrong. She's a Wal-Mart mom that's made $12 million since July.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Wow. With us now is Ms. Areu. What's your primary beef? I mean, "Larry the Cable Guy" without the class, that's pretty harsh. So what is your…
CATHY AREU, PUBLISHER, CATALINA MAGAZINE: She can take it.
O'REILLY: …what's your primary beef?
AREU: She can take it. I mean…
O'REILLY: She can take it. She's a big girl.
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: She makes a lot of money, but it is pretty harsh. So explain to the audience how you arrived at that conclusion.
Click here to watch the segment!
AREU: I really arrived at it because I feel like she does portray herself like a "Larry the Cable Guy," I'm just your next door neighbor. I'm your Sarah six pack. I can drink beer with you. And I don't believe she is. I believe she eats caviar and drinks champagne. I don't believe that she's been "Larry the Cable Guy," even though she wants us to believe that. I don't believe it.
O'REILLY: All right. So you think she's a diva?
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: Do you have anything to back that up?
AREU: She made $12 million since July.
O'REILLY: Well, just because you make a lot of money doesn't mean…
AREU: Come on.
O'REILLY: …that you eat caviar and drink…
AREU: She's not watching her pennies anymore. She's not going through the Wal-Mart line like I am. I'll wait at the Wal-Mart line and I'll hope…
O'REILLY: All right.
AREU: …that the next register is open.
O'REILLY: So is it just economics that are bothering you about her?
AREU: Well, maybe. And I feel that she was given this position on the presidential ticket that maybe someone like her shouldn't have had.
O'REILLY: Well, you know, her Alaska approval ratings as governor are high 60s.
AREU: And she left. And she left.
O'REILLY: OK, but I'm just trying to explain the choice as vice president.
AREU: I'm sorry.
O'REILLY: High 60s…
AREU: Right.
O'REILLY: …for a governor in a recession year…
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: …is high, you know. It's pretty impressive.
AREU: OK.
O'REILLY: All right? Now you can say that all people in Alaska are "Larry the Cable Guy" dunderheads. That would be unfair.
AREU: I didn't say that.
O'REILLY: No, you didn't. But the numbers speak for themselves. She was a successful governor.
AREU: They like her.
O'REILLY: She got picked.
AREU: They like her.
O'REILLY: Yes.
AREU: She's pretty.
O'REILLY: She's attractive.
AREU: She looks good.
O'REILLY: She's well-spoken.
AREU: Yes, well-spoken.
O'REILLY: Right.
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: Even though she doesn't drop the "g." But let's get back to the silver spoon charge. I know Ms. Palin. She's not a diva. I make a lot of money.
AREU: I know you do.
O'REILLY: Would you think I'm sipping champagne out of slippers?
AREU: I don't think…
O'REILLY: I mean, do you think I'm eating caviar here?
AREU: I think you could if you wanted to.
O'REILLY: Sure I could. I could do anything.
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: But you know, unfortunately for me, I have not changed since my upbringing in Levittown.
AREU: You are not standing in the Wal-Mart line waiting for the next cashier to open.
O'REILLY: I'm not standing in the Wal-Mart line, but my mentality is I'll buy the Wal-Mart stuff. I don't need to go to the — to Tiffanys. So I don't think that's fair.
AREU: But you could go to Tiffanys.
O'REILLY: It doesn't make any difference.
AREU: You could.
O'REILLY: It's doesn't make any difference whether you could. It's a matter of who you are, not what you could do. And here's why I'm a little disappointed, Ms. Areu. You're a self-made woman.
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: You are a self-made woman.
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: OK? And a successful professional…
AREU: Thank you.
O'REILLY: …who's earned what she has.
AREU: Right.
O'REILLY: Governor Palin is a self-made woman.
AREU: I agree. I agree.
O'REILLY: You and her have everything in common.
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: Everything.
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: Yet, you're slamming her, and I don't get it.
AREU: I'm not saying I could relate to someone who drives in the morning traffic and has to sit there behind the wheel and try to get to work because I take the subway. I don't have a car. I'm not saying I can relate to those people. She is saying she can. She's in a limo. She's not behind the wheel.
O'REILLY: But I'm in a limo sometimes.
AREU: Right.
O'REILLY: And can I relate to the folks. I mean, it doesn't matter…
AREU: I don't think she can. I don't think she can. I don't think she can relate to the folks.
O'REILLY: There's no evidence.
AREU: I think they believe that she can relate.
O'REILLY: There is not one shred of evidence.
AREU: Yes.
O'REILLY: And if there were, I would present it. That Sarah Palin today earning $12 million after her…
AREU: It has to change her.
O'REILLY: OK.
AREU: It has to.
O'REILLY: …is different than Sarah Palin three years ago…
AREU: Absolutely.
O'REILLY: There's no evidence that she's different.
AREU: She made $125,000 three years ago.
O'REILLY: It doesn't matter how much money you make.
AREU: Money changes a person.
O'REILLY: Not always.
AREU: I believe — all right.
O'REILLY: It has not changed me. I am living proof. I'm worse than I was, all right, when I was poor. I don't care about money. Money — you can't buy me. And I don't care about it.
AREU: Are you going and standing in line at Target and Wal-Mart with us?
O'REILLY: It doesn't matter where I'm standing.
AREU: You can't relate to me if you're not in line next to me.
O'REILLY: That's wrong.
AREU: You don't understand my problems.
O'REILLY: That's absolutely wrong. My historical frame of reference makes me understand exactly where you're coming from and my audience is coming from. I'll submit to you that Sarah Palin's popularity is based on the same experience. A middle-class, working-class upbringing…
AREU: I think (INAUDIBLE).
O'REILLY: …that I don't think she's thrown overboard. And I would tell you if I did.
AREU: You get in a limo, you might forget what it's like to drive.
O'REILLY: All right. So that — it's all economic-based. So Governor Palin…
AREU: Somewhat. She also claims she didn't know what she was reading when she was interviewed in the past. What do you read? I don't know.
O'REILLY: That was not one of her finest moments.
AREU: Thank you. And that bothers me as a writer.
O'REILLY: "Larry the Cable Guy" without the class.
AREU: He's a charming guy.
O'REILLY: All right.
AREU: Don't put down Larry.
O'REILLY: I'm going to — I appreciate you coming in.
AREU: Thanks for having me.
O'REILLY: For taking the fire. All right. But just rethink this, because if you want to go after Governor Palin, there are issues you can go after her on.
AREU: OK.
O'REILLY: OK? But the fact that she's earning some money, I don't think that's legit.
AREU: OK.
O'REILLY: All right.
Content and Programming Copyright 2010 Fox News Network, Inc. Copyright 2010 Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox