By , ,
Published May 18, 2015
Please, no more debates until the two presidential candidates square off. We've got it. Universal health care, comprehensive immigration reform, repairing America's image abroad. We have absorbed all that.
Now last night a few interesting things did happen, but only a few. And "Talking Points" will now run them down.
First, Tim Russert was good. I'm not sure what Brian Williams is doing, but Russert zeroed in, especially on Hillary Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLP)
TIM RUSSERT: I was reminded of your campaign in 2000 in Buffalo, my hometown, just three hours down Route 90, where you pledged 200,000 new jobs for upstate New York. There's been a net loss of 30,000 jobs.
HILLARY CLINTON: What happened in 2000 is that I thought Al Gore was going to be president. And when I made the pledge, I was counting on having a Democratic White House, a Democratic president who shared my values.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Oh, well, that explains it. The only other headline concerned militant Louis Farrakhan, who endorsed Barack Obama. That's important? That's important? But NBC News made a big deal about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSSERT: Do you accept the support of Louis Farrakhan?
BARACK OBAMA: You know, I have been very clear in my denunciation of Minister Farrakhan's anti-Semitic comments. I think they are unacceptable and reprehensible.
RUSSERT: Do you reject his support?
OBAMA: Well, Tim, I can't say to somebody that he can't say that he thinks I'm a good guy. You know, I have been very clear in my denunciations of him and his past statements. And I think that indicates to the American people what my stances on those comments…
RUSSERT: Are you suggesting Senator Obama is not standing on principle?
CLINTON: No, I'm just saying that you asked specifically if he would reject it. And there's a difference between denouncing and rejecting.
OBAMA: Tim, I have to say I don't see a difference between denouncing and rejecting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Can you just see Al Qaeda and the Taliban going, "What is that all about?" Denouncing, rejecting.
So enough already. Let the voting begin in Texas and Ohio and move the process forward. The horse race between Obama and Clinton is fascinating, but it's getting repetitive now and sometimes dopey.
Also, the press "gotcha" game is boring, tedious and does the country no good. When the mocking on "Saturday Night Live" becomes more interesting than the real debate, it's time to take a rest. Please.
And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
The February ratings are in, and the FOX News Channel is the third highest-rated cable network in prime-time America, which is amazing considering most of the others are entertainment vehicles.
MSNBC came in 27th. A disaster, as usual. "FOX & Friends" up big, as is the Kelly and Hemmer program at 9 a.m. And just about everybody else on FNC had a good month, because we are patriots.
On the pinhead front, these cheesy reality programs are all over the place, and now a marriage may be over because of it.
Lauren Cleri, 26, appeared on something called "Moment of Truth" and disrespected her husband and herself. And the husband is a New York City police officer.
Mrs. Cleri apparently said she slept around. Very nice. The woman said she embarrassed the man, her husband, to try to win money on the program.
Ms. Cleri is a pinhead, and we feel very sorry for the officer.
— You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads and Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
https://www.foxnews.com/story/debate-fatigue