This is a rush transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," February 2, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
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BILL O'REILLY, HOST: In the "Impact" segment tonight: more lies from The New York Times over illegal immigration.
As you may know, The Times and other far-left entities favor amnesty for illegal aliens, primarily as a way to gain political power. As you may also know, most Americans reject blanket amnesty, as was demonstrated when the immigration bill of 2007 crashed and burned in Congress.
Click here to watch the video.
So Sunday, this man, Times editorial page director Andrew Rosenthal, printed a vicious piece of propaganda called "The Nativists are Restless." In this smear, The Times implies that I and others are racist because we oppose amnesty. The editorial says:
"It is easy to mock white supremacist views as pathetic, but racism has a nasty habit of never going away, no matter how much we may want it to. And thus, the perpetual need for vigilance. It is all around us. Google the words 'Bill O'Reilly' and 'white Christian male power structure' for another YouTube taste of the FOX News host assailing the immigration views of 'the far left' (including The Times) as racially traitorous."
Of course, you can post anything on YouTube. Any lie you want, any distortion, and Google can highlight the smear in the blink of an eye. There are no rules.
For example, I could post that Andrew Rosenthal completely distorted Bill O'Reilly's view on illegal immigration because Rosenthal is a dishonest far-left zealot who uses hateful tactics like implying people with whom he disagrees are racist. I could post that, and then you could Google "Rosenthal" and "illegal immigration" and it would be there uncensored.
Now if Rosenthal doesn't know that, he's stupid. If he does know it, he's dishonest and is intentionally misleading Times readers.
So here's the truth. I have always been consistent in calling for a fair and responsible immigration plan which protects both American citizens and illegal aliens, who are often exploited, sometimes brutalized. My words have been very clear:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: I've always said if I were a poor Mexican, I would try to cross the border and earn money here and send it back to my family. I don't blame the illegal aliens. I blame the federal governments of both Mexico and the United States of America.
I'm pro-immigration. I believe America should offer opportunity to foreigners who obey the rules and want to work hard. I want to continue our tradition of welcoming people who believe America is the land of opportunity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Yeah, that sounds like white supremacy, doesn't it? Only to a dishonest loon like that guy at The New York Times.
Now the reason The Times is demonizing me and others who oppose blanket amnesty is to intimidate and harm. For those radicals, it's all about the votes, as I told Senator McCain, himself the victim of a Times smear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: The New York Times wants open borders. They want all the 12 million illegal people who will be legalized to bring in their extended families, not just wives and children, but moms and dads, brothers and sisters. This would lead to, by my calculation, 40 and 50 foreign nationals being absorbed into the United States in the next 12, 13 years. That would sink the Republican Party, I believe, because we'd have a one-party system and change, pardon the pun, the whole complexion of America. Am I wrong?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, R-ARIZ.: No, you're right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: And I am. Now, that simple explanation drives The Times nuts because it exposes their true agenda. They want a one-party system in America. A liberal fiat.
Now I believe voters, not illegal immigration, should have the power to change the equation in this country. But The Times doesn't trust the voters and wants to gin the system. And they hate being outed on it. So they use hate accusations to distract folks from their true agenda.
As Steven Camarota said Monday on "The Radio Factor," for the good of the country we have to go after these people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN CAMAROTA, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES: Well, you are going to have to stand up…
O'REILLY: Yeah, absolutely.
CAMAROTA: ...because, otherwise, there's just going to be a lot more thoughtful people who are going to be intimidated by this kind of racial McCarthyism. And it is effective, I have to say. So, in that sense you have got to give them credit. They know what works.
In America, there is no greater sin than to be considered a racist. And so therefore, if you — no matter how bogus, no matter how ridiculous the claim — you still, if you charge people with that, it does tend to silence people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Now intelligent honest debate on illegal immigration is badly needed in this country, and we will continue to support sane, fair policies. We're also going to continue to hold The New York Times and others responsible for the vile dishonesty they are pedaling. It is simply disgraceful. There is no other word to describe it, ladies and gentlemen.
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