By Bill O'Reilly
As mentioned last week I had a very nice talk with Nancy Pelosi and her husband at the White House in December. I had never met the Congresswoman before. She was charming.
As part of the conversation, I gently asked whether she would be willing to talk with me on camera, she said absolutely yes and invited me to do the interview in her office. That took place in front of a number of witnesses.
But now, Mrs. Pelosi is reneging.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATTERS: I know you're a woman of your word and I'm asking you if you're going to be honoring your commitment --
Pelosi: But I didn't make any commitment to him. We were having a social conversation. In fact, it was at the White House. First time I ever saw him because I never see him on TV.
WATTERS: Your husband was there next to you when you said you would do the show.
PELOSI: One of these days, this is open-ended. One of these days maybe I will. I was not pleased with the disrespect that he showed to the President. So that wasn't like a warmer upper.
WATTERS: What was disrespectful?
PELOSI: Well it speaks for itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: "Talking Points" agrees with Nancy Pelosi, the interview does speak for itself. Now, I asked Mr. Obama the questions that I believe are important to the country. I did so in a respectful way and he answered the way he wanted to. That's what an interview is supposed to be.
Unlike Nancy Pelosi, President Obama honored his word to me. As I have stated, he did not have to do the interview. But he was man enough to do it. Now, it's troubling that the questions I asked were not asked before. I mean what the heck is the national press doing?
One of the reasons pertinent questions about the IRS, Benghazi and Obamacare were not asked is that many in the media are protecting President Obama.
Fox News Anchor Geraldo Rivera was actually offended by the interview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: The offense was profound and it was to watch it was in some ways unsettling to me because I think of let me -- and I don't want to -- I don't want to play race here. He is the President, the fact that he is the first black president, to me the way I have been brought up in the civil rights movement, you really want to make sure that you accord him all of the respect and dignity you would to George W. Bush.
O'REILLY: All right here is -- here is where you're desperately wrong. It's not my job to be a social scientist or to please you Geraldo Rivera.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: In just a few moments Bernie Goldberg will analyze my discussion with Geraldo. But the truth is there is enormous pressure from supporters of the President not to put him on the spot. Two White House correspondents FNC's Ed Henry and ABC's Jonathan Karl are exceptions to the rule. They do ask hard questions. One aside, the President seemed to be fine with the interview and even posed a picture afterward in front of the American flag.
But I do know that some of his advisors were not pleased. One of them sarcastically saying -- why didn't O'Reilly ask him about his birth certificate? That's the mentality that some working for the President have that he is not -- not to be challenged. Well that's not the mentality here.
You all know I respect the office of the presidency but it's my job to ask the toughest questions I can think of to everybody.
And that's "The Memo."
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