Thursday night here in New York City, the Wounded Warrior Project held its annual fundraiser. About 700 patriots showed up to support this very worthy organization.
Also on hand were celebrities Matthew Modine, Tony Sirico from "The Sopranos" and Bob Costas, who hosted the event.
Country singer Trace Adkins and I were given awards for helping out the Wounded Warriors.
For me, this was a great honor because the award was named after the late Tony Snow, who introduced me to the Wounded Warriors about six years ago. Since that time, "The Factor" has tried to do its best to help the organization.
Patriotic Americans need to think about the tremendous heartbreak of combat veterans whose bodies are shattered forever. There were about a hundred of these men and women at the event, and it's not only they who are suffering; it's their families as well.
The federal government cannot possibly support all the Wounded Warriors throughout their lifetime, so we have to do it, and we should do it. These men and women are the best among us.
In a few weeks, there will be a major battle launched in Kandahar, Afghanistan, which will likely result in horrific casualties. Some of our troops will lose arms and legs; some will be burned; some will lose their eyesight. All will come home to live out the rest of their lives. We must help them. There is no turning away from this.
On BillOReilly.com, we have a link set up directly to the Wounded Warrior Project if you would like to donate. But even if you don't have much money, you can lend them your time.
In addition, we are auctioning off another jacket given to me by the Reagan Library, size large. You may remember the last time we did this, a patriot named Van Merchant from Indiana won the jacket with a $25,000 bid, which I matched. We will do that again. We will match the winning bid.
So I hope you bid on the jacket on BillOReilly.com, and I hope you help the Wounded Warriors. I was honored to be in their presence Thursday night. Their sacrifice defines America as a noble nation.
And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
As I mentioned in the "Talking Points Memo," Trace Adkins and I were honored Thursday night by the Wounded Warrior Project, a very worthy charity. I received the Tony Snow Award and then said this:
Click here to watch some of Bill's speech at the Wounded Warriors fundraiser!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: So I'm very honored and humbled to get this award, but this evening is not about me. And I was thinking, you know, every night I do "Pinheads & Patriots" at the end of "The Factor." And I'm looking out at the room tonight, I'm going, "This is the only room in New York City where there are no pinheads! This is it! The only place!"
I don't think most Americans understand the depth of love that you have to have for your country to put your life on the line. You know, it's not like there's a draft. There isn't a draft. This is a choice. And it's not like you don't know what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. You know; it's hell. They know. They don't have to go; they go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Once again, info about the Wounded Warriors is available on BillOReilly.com.
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