Down to the Wire...

Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly.  Thank you for watching us tonight.  The last weekend, thank God, that is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo.

Terrorists are now weighing in on the election.  We'll have that for you in a moment.  And here at home, ideologues are running wild on both sides as the campaign staggers to an end. The elite media is pounding the missing weapons story in Iraq, even though nobody knows what actually  happened there.

Talk radio is pounding Kerry into putting, TV pundits are foaming at the mouth, and the most frightening thing about Halloween is all the political bloviating.

"Talking Points" can't predict the election, but we can predict the bitterness that will descend next Tuesday.  Nobody is going quietly into the night this year.

Let's recap what "Talking Points" has said on the record. President Bush will win Florida and that will make the race go down to the wire. Ohio is leaning Kerry right now, but a big Bush turnout can turn the state. This race can't be called, but if Kerry loses Ohio, he loses the election.

The president will win all of the western states, including New Mexico  and Colorado.  Kerry will win most of the eastern states, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  Thus the upper Midwest, states like Wisconsin and Minnesota and Michigan are crucial for both candidates.  And who knows what  will happen there?

If Kerry wins, it will be by a whisker.  But if Bush wins, he could have some comfort.  If there's any advantage right now, the president has it.

This election will be decided over the weekend as Monday is really a regrouping day. "Talking Points" can't predict the race and will not endorse a candidate.  We're looking out for you and believe you're fully qualified to make your decision without our help.

Finally, a spirited election is good for the country, but after election nonsense is bad for it.  So we're going to watch the crazies closely.  And any post-vote chicanery will be exposed immediately.

Please watch “The Factor” all next week -- no matter who wins -- because we're on it.

In the end, it's important to remember this. The Islamic fascists want to kill us, and they don't care who the leadership is. So even though we're divided on the election, Americans must come together afterward to face this deadly menace.

Giving peace a chance is no longer an option, unless you want to give death a chance.  We're in the middle of World War III and we all should  know it. So in voting next Tuesday, take a deep breath.  Accept what happens, united we stand, divided we're in big trouble.

And that's "The Memo."

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

No ridiculous item today because I want to thank all of you  once again for supporting me through a very difficult time.  My statement on the ordeal was posted on billoreilly.com in case you missed it  yesterday.  We are glad it's over, and that is the understatement of the  century.  Overall, you have looked out for me, no question. Hopefully, I'll return the favor for many years to come. -- [The Web site] billoreilly.com has it.