Updated

By Bill O'Reilly

First of all, I promise never to say, "kick the can down the road." I swear. I will also never say, "move the goal posts." If I hear those cliches one more time, there's going to be trouble.

Now, last night, the Senate in the House approved a temporary spending measure. Talking Points predicted that would happen and it is a good thing. It avoids chaos in the marketplace and maybe, maybe these people will finally produce a responsible budget. I'm not optimistic but at least there is a chance.

In political circles, it is widely perceived that Republicans lost. As I told Dana Perino last night on The Factor, I don't believe that. Everybody in Washington lost. And President Obama knows it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: Now, there's been a lot of discussion lately of the politics of this shutdown. But let's be clear, there are no winners here. These last few weeks have inflicted completely unnecessary damage on our economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: Ah-ha, damage to our economy. The President is right about no winners but his reference to the economic picture is a ruse. He wants to convince you that if the economic state of the union gets worse it's because of the government shutdown it's not true the reason the economy remains stagnant is Obamacare.

As you know, may know many companies are cutting back because they fear high health insurance costs and it really is Obamacare that's driving much of the discord in America right now. Many Republicans despise the law so much they are willing to blow up the entire government. As I've said, that's wrong. Not good for the folks.

In fact, the folks will eventually decide whether Obamacare lives or dies. Once the new law kicks in, in January and the damage becomes apparent, I believe all hell is going to break loose.

But back to the shutdown. It's hard to believe that so many people said so many dumb things. Let's begin with the national media. A guy named Thomas Roberts who is an anchor at MSNBC, not a commentator, but a person who presents hard news -- allegedly. Mr. Roberts interviewed Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn on Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS ROBERTS, ANCHOR, MSNBC: When it comes to Obamacare do you hate Obamacare more than you love your country?

REP. MARSHA BLACKBURN (R), TENNESSEE: I've got to tell you something, I think that comments like that that you are making are just incredibly inappropriate. What we have to realize is --

(CROSSTALK)

ROBERTS: You don't think it's incredibly inappropriate to shut down our government and to take all the hostages of Americans that you've taken -- no, no it's not inappropriate because you've taken the government hostage to a shutdown and all the American people you are now walking to them to a cliff, the economy and you're going to push them over one by one based on the fact that you don't like the ACA. That's all it is.

BLACKBURN: Listen to yourself. Listen to yourself.

ROBERTS: You don't like the Affordable Care Act.

BLACKBURN: We didn't want a government shutdown. Just listen to the way you're sounding -- my goodness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: But why is Congresswoman Blackburn surprised? Did she really believe she'd get a fair shake in those precincts -- really?

The facts are clear, both Republicans and Democrats try to drive agendas in the federal funding debate. That's what usually happens in Washington. Both parties are responsible for the government shutdown and so is President Obama who didn't provide a clear leadership structure early on as he should have.

But when you devote your life to ideology, the facts really don't matter. Do they? Do you want proof of that? Listen to actor Robert Redford a ardent supporter of President Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REDFORD: I think he's a good man. I think he's an intelligent man, a compassionate man who can't function in that environment. I think what sits underneath it, unfortunately, is there's probably some racism involved which is really awful but I think just the idea of giving credit to this President, giving him credit for anything is abhorrent for them so they'll go against him.

Never mind that it's for the better good of the people. Never mind that they are supposed to be in office representing the interests of the public. They are representing their own self-interests which are very narrow and in some cases just bigoted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: And that's just sad. Robert Redford is an icon and a man who has done good work on the environment. But to accuse opponents of very liberal of being racists is simply vial. Redford has no evidence to back that up, he should know better and has diminished himself among those who valued fair play.

And finally, the rapper Nelly, he's apparently following the government shutdown deal from his showbiz perch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NELLY, RAPPER: And I'm trying to campaign since the government isn't working, we shouldn't have to pay taxes because we know paying taxes is supposed to pay for the government which in turn is not working. So if they're not working, I shouldn't have to pay taxes. And me being in the upper echelon of the tax bracket feel that the money that I could be saving over these next couple of days could be very vital to my survival. That's how I feel about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: Well somehow I believe Nelly will survive in the upper echelon. If Gloria Gaynor can survive, Nelly can, too. He should not be frightened. But his point about taxpayers paying federal employees who aren't there is somehow quite poetic if a tree falls in the forest. Never mind.

And that's "The Memo."