A "Talking Points Memo", what you the folks think about Guantanamo Bay (search). As you know, the left-wing press has been relentless in pounding home the theme that the U.S. is torturing suspected terrorists. Almost every day, we hear that in the media.
Now there's a new Rasmussen poll out on the issue. The question, what do you think of the treatment detainees have been given at Gitmo? Just 20 percent of Americans say it's been unfair. Thirty-six believe it is better than the detainees deserve. And 34 percent say the treatment is about right.
Obviously, a huge gap between the anti-Bush media and what they believe and what everyday Americans believe. Somebody alert the Minneapolis Star Tribune (search ).
Most Americans understand the danger the terrorists pose to the USA and the difficulty in fighting said terrorists. Also, most Americans know there's a difference between dissenting from how the war on terror is being fought and undermining the war on terror.
My brand-new column, just posted on billoreilly.com, deals with that and pinpoints how some Americans are undermining the terror war. I hope you check it out.
Now this morning, there was a fascinating exchange on Iraq between Ted Kennedy (search), a major war dissenter, and Donald Rumsfeld (search ). Roll it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: You basically have mismanaged the war and created an impossible situation for military recruiters who put our forces and our national security in danger.
In baseball, it's three strikes, you're out. What is it for the secretary of defense?
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: First, let me say that there isn't a person at this table who agrees with you that we're in a quagmire and that there's no end in sight.
KENNEDY: There have been a series of gross errors and mistakes. Those were on your watch. Those are on your watch. Isn't it time for you to resign?
RUMSFELD: Senator, I've offered my resignation to the president twice. And he's decided that he would prefer that he not accept it. And that's his call.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BILL O'REILLY, HOST: Now, I kind of like that questioning. Kennedy's right in holding Rumsfeld accountable for what's happening Iraq. The problem for Kennedy is, he doesn't have a strategy to fight terrorism. Or if he does, he's keeping it a secret.
Now you can decide whether Donald Rumsfeld has been effective. That's your job as an American. But I was very pleased to see the poll on Guantanamo Bay. That place is there to protect us. And according to the poll, most of us now know it. You've made your decision.
And that's "The Memo."
The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day
As you may know, we have been demanding justice in the murder case of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford (search). We have reported that the local Citrus County, Florida, authorities have botched the case. And the St. Petersburg Times (search) newspaper has covered up for those authorities.
Well, today, new documents were released. The Associated Press says, quote, "Jessica Lunsford was buried alive in garbage bags after investigators missed a chance to save the 9-year-old when they visited the house where John Couey (search) was keeping her in a closet." Couey, 46, told detectives he fed the girl for three days until he buried her alive.
As you may know, three other people were in the house during that time. Prosecutor Brad King has refused to charge those people.
Now, on Monday, we will have new information for you. But at this point, I can tell you that we will call for Brad King (search) and Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy to resign and the St. Petersburg Times to apologize to Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (search), and its own readers, the paper's readers.
If the paper does not do so, we will call for a boycott of the St. Petersburg Times. Fair warning.
Ridiculous? Off the chart. No American should suffer the way Jessica Lunsford suffered. This case has to be completed.
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