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Talking Points

Talking Points Memo

By Fox News
Published | Updated

Well, I'm back and I'm angry. — I'm not crazed, but I am annoyed. — That is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo."

So I'm sitting there in Barbados (search) watching FOX News because it was raining every day, and up pops John Kerry, who says this in a speech to his campaign workers...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I want to personally thank you for what you did in this past election. You rewrote the book on grassroots politics, taking control of campaigns away from big donors. No campaign will ever be the same or we certainly hope so. You moved voters, helped hold George Bush accountable, and countered the attacks from big news organization such as FOX, Sinclair Broadcasting (search), and conservative talk radio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Can you believe this guy? Eighty percent of the media favored him, and he's whining about FOX and Sinclair? —Made me want to mess up the senator's hair.

Now that soundbite demonstrates why Kerry lost. He's clueless. Let's look at the FOX News Channel primetime line-up, for example. — I gave John Kerry every benefit of the doubt. And everybody knows it. — Finally when he dodged all the tough media venues, I criticized him.

Sean Hannity favored Bush, Alan Colmes voted for Kerry, Greta Van Susteren certainly gave Kerry the benefit of the doubt as well. — If that's not a balanced presentation, I'm Howard Dean.

Now I know Senator Kerry is yesterday's news, but this is annoying, Senator, come on.

Also last week, Dan Rather (search) announced he's leaving the anchor chair at CBS News in March. My latest column is about that. Please check it out on billoreilly.com. And Tom Brokaw (search) is packing it in this week. He told the press, "As long as we provide a broadcast that is relevant to people's lives, I think there will be a place for the evening news. We're a long way from going out of business, because we still have a substantial audience. I think Bill O'Reilly has two and half million, maybe three on a good night."

Well, maybe five on a good night, Tom. But hey, never let the facts get in the way of a good soundbite.

Mr. Brokaw does what most press people do, instead of adding up our three runs here on “The Factor”, he uses just one —another way the truth gets lost.

There is no question that the traditional news operations fear FOX News. I believe another three years, we will be the network of record for the news on TV, in the USA.

Now the reason is that we provide analysis in a very complicated world. And we have the time to do that. Remember "The Nightly News" is 21 minutes in the early evening when many Americans aren't even home yet.

We are all living in a very complicated and dangerous world. And straight talk is desperately needed. That's not something the network news is good at. Diplomacy and caution rule over there.

But here, we are growing fast and providing service millions of Americans believe in. I respect the old guard, but their day of dominance is over. And you can decide whether or not that's a good thing.

And that's "The Memo."

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

Some housekeeping because I was gone all last week. The Wounded Warrior Project has raised close to $1 million. Details on billoreilly.com. It helps our soldiers wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq.—Very nice of all of you.

Brian Kilmead's book, "The Games Do Count," debuted at number ten on the "New York Times" list. Congrats to Brian. His first book.

"Who's Looking Out For You?", the paperback edition, has been on the "Times" list for two months, and "The O'Reilly Factor for Kids" is the fifth bestselling children's book in the country according to BookScan (search). Thank you all very much. Lemony Snicket (search) is ahead of us. Who's Leminy Snicket? I do not know. Anyway, "The Kids" book is a perfect stocking stuffer.

Finally, the elves at billoreilly.com's holiday store are standing by. Remember, we ran out of some stuff last year. So get on it, less than four weeks until Christmas. Can you believe it? To not get on it would be ridiculous, and now you are up to date.