Fair and Balanced Swift Boat Coverage

Fair and balanced swift boat coverage, that is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points" memo.

I told my staff today they've done a great job in researching the swift boat business. For the past month, The Factor has been dead on about what is fact, what is false, and what is opinion.

In fact, on the radio, I asked for callers who felt differently, who felt we had been unfair in some way. Few did and the Radio Factor has more than one million listeners every minute we're on the air according to Westwood One (search ).

Also The Factor mail indicates that our TV audience sees it the same way. Yes, we've gotten some letters from viewers angry we didn't hammer Senator Kerry (search). But we're received far more letters from people thanking us for dealing with the facts without partisan spin.

As always, we want you to decide about the swift boat deal. And we respect your decision, whatever it is. But zealots on both sides do not respect that point of view. The left wing media has totally ignored The Factor's swift boat coverage and continues to unfairly hammer Fox News over this issue. In fact, the only positive mention was by David Gergen in "The Baltimore Sun," who called my analysis honorable. And I appreciate Mr. Gergen stepping up.

Some on the right, including our pal Ann Coulter (search), have criticized me for not taking a stand, but that's ridiculous. I have taken a stand.

To be fair, let me ask you a personal question. Do you believe the anti-Bush media wants fair coverage of the swift boat controversy? Do you? Do you believe Ann Coulter and other anti-Kerry people want fair coverage?

If you do, if you think The New York Times and Ann Coulter are going to give you straight talk on this subject, please take a drug test right away.

The Fox News slogan is fair and balanced. Fair is defined as being impartial and honest. The Factor has been totally fair. And our swift boat coverage and the transcripts prove it. I'm proud of what we've done.

By the way, our billoreilly.com poll was interesting. The question was are you tired of hearing about the swift boat controversy? More than 30,000 of you logged on to vote. 62 percent said they want more. 38 percent say they are sick of the whole thing. Count me among those ranks. And that's the memo.

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

As most of you realize, political correctness has gone off the chart here in America, and here's another example. The Krispy Kreme doughnut company in Palm Beach, Florida offered to give students who earn good grades doughnuts as a reward. For each "A," they get a doughnut. But no, school board member Deborah Robinson doesn't like that, because doughnuts may lead to obesity.

Well, I say it's better to be chunky than dumb, Ms. Robinson. Wise up and let the kids earn a treat. To not do so would be ridiculous. I do eat Krispy Kreme (search), and I'm not obese.