Jesse Watters Confronts Maxine Waters
'Factor' producer grills congresswoman over criticism of Fox News and Tea Party
This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," September 20, 2011. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
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BILL O'REILLY, HOST: In the "Back of the Book" segment tonight: "Watters World." As you may know, Congresswoman Maxine Waters from California has been an outspoken critic of Fox News and the Tea Party, saying members of the Tea Party should go to hell or something. For years we've been trying to get Ms. Waters on the program, unsuccessfully. So having nowhere else to turn, we summoned Jesse Watters from the bullpen. And so it is, Watters vs. Waters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSE WATTERS, "FACTOR" PRODUCER: Hey, congresswoman. Hi, Jesse Watters with Fox News. Now, you said that Fox News chokes us and lies to us. Who's "us," and what are the lies? Congresswoman? You said that Fox News lies. Could you name a lie? Congresswoman, you said you weren't afraid of anybody. You're not afraid of me, are you? You also said that the Tea Party should go straight to hell. You don't really believe that, do you? That's not very nice rhetoric.
I'm Jesse Watters with Fox News. How are you? How do you think President Obama's handling the economy right now?
BILL GATES, CO-FOUNDER, MICROSOFT: I'm not here to do interviews. Sorry.
WATTERS: You don't have an opinion about how he's managing the economic situation?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not going to happen.
WATTERS: What about "The O'Reilly Factor"? Do you ever watch "The Factor"?
Jesse Watters with "The O'Reilly Factor." How are you?
REP. CHARLIE RANGEL, D-N.Y.: Where's that pretty girl?
WATTERS: Now, that was a little bit of a controversy. Do you have anything you'd like to say about that pretty girl situation?
RANGEL: No. I have managed to forgotten that incident.
WATTERS: I don't know if she forgot.
RANGEL: Well, I hope she does.
RANGEL: I wish I could help you with a story 'cause I could use a little good help.
WATTERS: Remember she was guest-hosting "The Factor," and you guys got into it a little bit?
RANGEL: I remember it well.
WATTERS: What did you call her, pretty little girl?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'REILLY: Well, at least Rangel was nice, you know?
WATTERS: Yes, not a bad guy.
O'REILLY: So there was some news on the congresswoman today, correct?
WATTERS: Yes, she was named one of the most corrupt members of Congress by CREW, which is a nonpartisan watchdog group. And it's based on something she did. She orchestrated the Treasury Department to bail out a bank that her husband owned stock in, allegedly.
O'REILLY: That was a big thing, but it's never really come to anything. But this CREW deal, they say she's corrupt. We're not saying that. We want to be clear. We don't know. Did you see the Newsweek magazine article?
WATTERS: Yes. I happened to see that.
O'REILLY: Newsweek magazine writes, you know, about "Killing Lincoln" and me and in the body of the piece calls Jesse Watters a star reporter. Now, we -- we complained right away. Come on.
WATTERS: That is the most accurate piece that Newsweek has ever written.
O'REILLY: OK. You say it's accurate that they called you a star reporter?
WATTERS: It's probably the most -- it's probably the most credible bit of reporting Newsweek has ever done.
O'REILLY: But here's the thing: They misspelled your name.
WATTERS: I know.
O'REILLY: How accurate is that?
WATTERS: One "t."
O'REILLY: They thought it was somebody else.
WATTERS: They thought it was Maxine Waters. One "t," two "t." I've got to get a retraction.
O'REILLY: So they think you're a star, and they don't even know what your name is.
WATTERS: Everything else in the article was true.
O'REILLY: All right. You can check that out on DailyBeast.com, and Watters is -- he carries it around with him.
WATTERS: Yes. I'm thinking about writing a book actually.
O'REILLY: Yes. Don't. All right. Jesse Watters, everybody.
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