There's no question the Democratic National Committee (search) is using political books to spread its message that President Bush is deficient and others who don't toe the liberal line are flawed and should be scorned. Word is the DNC has purchased thousands of copies of Hillary Clinton's book. That's understandable.
But the DNC is also peddling some of the smear books that defame Americans in the worst possible way. The Factor asked DNC press secretary Tony Welch to tell us just how many of these books the Democrats have purchased. He said, "Thanks for asking, but as for the totals, we will hold that to ourselves."
Now the danger is that DNC Chief Terry McAuliffe is using and paying professional hit men to demean and denigrate political opponents. That's exactly what President Nixon did when he used the plumber's union to harass his opponents.
That, of course, was rightly exposed and condemned by the press. Yet McAuliffe's sleazy activities are being given a pass. There's no question the DNC chief is a controversial figure, even when in his own party.
Congressman Benny Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi said this Thursday: "Terry McAuliffe is out there on his own agenda, which does not involve the south."
Talking Points has been told that some Democratic presidential contenders despise McAuliffe, who obviously does the bidding of the Clintons, sometimes to the detriment of other Democrats.
A political party jacking up book sales of dubious people is bad enough, but using the publishing industry to advance political power is disgraceful. The bestseller lists are full of political books. And that's fine. My book isn't political, but "Who's Looking Out For You" is an enormous success. So we obviously don't have a problem with the publishing industry putting ideas into the marketplace.
But what's going on over at the DNC is much more than that. McAuliffe knows the Democrats could never say defamatory things about President Bush without coming under tremendous scrutiny, but he can pay weasels all over the country to do the defaming without his puppeteering being exposed, until now.
For a $75 donation, the DNC will send you a smear book. That's pretty dignified, isn't it? Why don't they buy Alan Colmes' new book, which doesn't smear anyone but put forth the liberal cause?
To be fair, we called the Republican National Committee. It doesn't promote any political books on its Web site.
Talking Points once respected Terry McAuliffe, but that's no longer the case. I now believe the man is using devious tactics that are a disgrace to the Democratic Party. All good Democrats should demand that McAuliffe open the DNC's books. And let's see who's being paid.
And that's The Memo.
The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day
An appeal to all you kids out there. The Factor is putting together a project involving students age 10 to 16. We want to know what the biggest problem is in your life.
Would you please e-mail us at oreilly@foxnews.com, and tell us what the biggest problem in your life is, all right? And, of course, name and town, name and town, name and town, if you wish to opine.
That's kids 10 to 16.
Also, we'd like to invite everybody to go to billoreilly.com where no-spin elves are standing by in our all-inclusive Christmas/Hanukkah/Holiday/Anything You Want Store. Get a jump on holiday gift giving.
Whatever you want, we have, with the exception of "Spin Stops Here" lingerie. We had to draw the line somewhere. To not do so would be ridiculous. No "Spin Stops Here" lingerie.
--You can watch Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points Memo 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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