This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," October 28, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
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BILL O'REILLY, HOST: In the "Factor Follow-up" segment tonight: As we reported last night, Congressman Alan Grayson, a Democrat from Orlando, Florida, has said a number of irresponsible things. The latest outrage, calling this female lobbyist a whore. Grayson apologized for that, saying: "I did not intend to use a term that is often seen as disrespectful to women."
But the fact remains that Grayson seems to be out of control. He sees himself as a tough guy. His Web site is CongressmanWithGuts.com. But when we call Grayson repeatedly to come on "The Factor," somehow the guts kind of disappeared. He ran and hid, literally. But after two days, "Factor" producer Griff Jenkins caught up with him.
Click here to watch the confrontation!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFF JENKINS, "FACTOR" PRODUCER: Hi, Congressman, Griff Jenkins with Fox News. How are you? Quick question: I wanted to ask you what you meant when you said, when you called Linda Robertson a "K Street whore"?
REP. ALAN GRAYSON, D-FLA.: You're going to have to make an appointment with our press secretary.
JENKINS: Let me ask you, I saw a letter you apologized to Ms. Robertson. Will you now apologize to Vice President Cheney for saying that blood drips from his teeth when he speaks?
GRAYSON: I think I just answered your question. You're going to have to make — you know the rules as well as I do, and you're violating the rules.
JENKINS: I'm with the press. I'm just asking you a question. Why won't you answer my questions? What did you mean…
GRAYSON: You need to make an appointment.
JENKINS: What did you mean when you said Fox News and some Republicans are the enemy of America?
GRAYSON: Do you know what it means to make an appointment, sir? Do you know what that means?
JENKINS: Yes, sir, absolutely, but could you just answer my…
GRAYSON: Then why don't you make one? Can you do what I suggested, which is you make an appointment?
JENKINS: Sir, we have a news story here, a lot of news coverage about your calling Linda Robertson a "K Street whore." I'm just asking you for clarification on the story.
GRAYSON: And I'm asking you to do what every other reputable news source does, which is to make an appointment.
JENKINS: What is your reaction to Congressman Weiner saying that you're one fry short of a Happy Meal, sir?
GRAYSON: Listen, I don't understand why you don't understand something this simple. Everyone else makes an appointment when they have questions. Why don't you do the same?
JENKINS: Sir, can I make an appointment and talk with you tomorrow morning?
GRAYSON: You can speak to my press secretary and we'll see if we can slot you in.
JENKINS: Again, will you answer my question? What did you mean by calling Linda Robertson…
GRAYSON: Will you make an appointment and follow the rules that everyone else follows, expect for Fox?
JENKINS: And what did mean when you called Fox News an enemy of peace, sir?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: With no due respect, Grayson, you know, we have called this man 10 times. He's not going to give you an appointment, Jenkins. Here's Griff Jenkins from Washington. He's not going to do that. He's just — I'm not going to call the guy a name, because that gets down to his level. But it's just outrageous. It is an outrage that this guy will refuse to answer questions that are absolutely legitimate, and I applaud you for keeping your cool and asking the questions in the face of that filibuster.
Now, we tried to get this guy. You had a really hard time tracking him down, right?
GRIFF JENKINS, "FACTOR" PRODUCER: That's exactly right, Bill. And by the way, we're still waiting to get slotted in with my appointment.
O'REILLY: Yeah, I know.
JENKINS: I tried everything from phone calls to e-mails to actually doing the old fashioned diplomacy, just to show up in his office and say, hey, listen, this story has changed. The press secretary has put out two different statements in apology, first trying to spin it and, you know, not getting anywhere. Maybe go in and just say would you just comment for us? He wouldn't.
But we have gone to a hearing earlier, Bill. It's a financial services committee hearing. They're voting on pieces of legislation to protect investors. Surely, he would show there. He snuck in at the last moment to vote. He had House votes. We tried near the Capitol. He snuck around there. We couldn't get him. He clearly has decided he didn't want to be out talking about this.
And the story changes, I said, a couple times a day. We had questions that I thought were accurate, and so we staked out of his office and said listen, we're going to stay here until he comes out. Give us a comment. You're absolutely — no rules violated whatsoever. And that's an important point to make. The hallways are public. At one point, Congressman Grayson actually called the Capitol Police to his office. They checked with us and said you guys are OK, you and your cameraman are not doing anything wrong. No tripod here. We're going to talk to the congressman. You could hear audibly just standing in the hallways, Bill, the congressman at a shouting level, "Why won't these people leave? Why can't you make them go away?" And the police officer, a woman, saying sir, they have a right to be there. The hallways are public, and the only way I can make them leave is if the building closes. And the police officer came out and said, you know, this is 7:30 at night. I spent the majority of the day hoping to have it.
O'REILLY: Right.
JENKINS: She had run into him.
O'REILLY: He…
JENKINS: And by the way…
O'REILLY: Go ahead.
JENKINS: …you see interviews with congressman and senators in the hallways all day because…
O'REILLY: Sure.
JENKINS: ...that's how it's done.
O'REILLY: That's how it's done.
JENKINS: That's where reporters…
O'REILLY: You were absolutely within your rights. But I'm happy you kept him there 'til 7:30, because he usually goes home at 3:30 or 4:00. So he's hiding in his office, hoping you get tired. You waited him out. The nation sees what kind of guy he is.
But look, he's welcome here, Griff. We've invited him 100 times, but he doesn't want to be held accountable for his actions. Griff Jenkins, everybody. Thank you.
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