Updated

Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly.  Thanks for watching us tonight.  Before we get to the "Talking Points Memo," I have something very important to tell you. All litigation has ceased in that case that has made me the object of media scorn from coast to coast. Today, lawyers issued a statement saying there  was no wrongdoing in the case whatsoever by anyone. Obviously the words  "no wrongdoing" are the key.

On a personal note, this matter has caused enormous pain, but I had to  protect my family and I did. Some of the media hammered me relentlessly because, as you know, I'm a huge target, as is FOX News.  All can I say to you is please, do not believe everything you hear and read.

The good news is that "Factor" viewers and listeners seemed to have given me the benefit of any doubt when some in the media did not. You guys looked out for me and I will never forget it. This brutal ordeal is now officially over and I will never speak of it again.

And now the "Talking Points Memo."  The media strategy to elect John Kerry.

(VIDEOTAPE OF KERRY)  There he is in the Red Sox cap.  As you know, the Red Sox won the  series.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

And as you also know, the senator is the overwhelming choice of  most major newspapers and the TV networks.  And every news organization has  a right to its editorial opinion.  Certainly, we give ours here.

But the trend this year is to use hard news stories to advance a  political cause. That is stealth journalism and it's corrupt. In the  remaining five days of this campaign, you can expect a bevy of reports on how bad Iraq is. These stories will be well timed and well positioned. The media knows that Iraq could sink President Bush. So it will be all  Iraq, all the time.

The problem for those of us who want to be fair is that Iraq is a  mess. There's no question. It's a difficult fight. Very nasty stuff happening every day. But Iraq is a complicated story because there are many good things happening there as well.  And we don't know what's going  to happen in the long run.

But during the next few days, you will not hear about any good things. "Talking Points" believes there could be a backlash against the pro-Kerry press because it's so relentless.  Folks don't want media people jamming stuff down their throats. It's possible that all the anti-Bush reportage  will actually make this cocky president look sympathetic.

This is the most intense election of my lifetime.  I've never seen so much bitterness and hostility. But in the end, the folks, not the media, will make the call. As I've said before, I believe both Bush and Kerry are  patriots, but I also believe that many in the media are now suppressing the  truth in order to advance ideology. And that's dangerous and troubling, no matter who wins the presidency.

And that's "The Memo."

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

If you  read the comics in your local newspaper, you may have seen this in the  "Mallard Fillmore (search)" strip.

John Kerry -- there he is -- saying, "Now that I'm president-elect,  maybe I should explain that by taxing the rich, I was, of course, including  the almost rich, those who want to be rich and those who know a guy named  Rich, also those who watch “The Factor."

We love "Mallard." Cheers to Bruce Tinsley, the cartoonist, who is  seldom ridiculous..