August 7, 2010

Rachel Maddow explains the difference between ad hominem and ad populum attacks, both of which have now been done by Bill O'Reilly who is not only saying he's correct because he has more viewers than she does but calling her names as well in his recent column Only far-left loons scared of Fox News:

But let’s get back to Letterman. Speaking with far-left MSNBC News commentator Rachel Maddow on his program, Dave listened as she put forth the preposterous theory that Fox News wants to frighten white Americans by reporting negatively about black Americans.

“Scaring white people is good politics on the conservative side of the spectrum, and it always has been. The idea is that you sort of rile up the white base to be afraid of an other, to be afraid of scary immigrants or scary black people.”

In the past, paranoid, dishonest rants like that would have been dismissed as fringe speak. But not anymore. Without a shred of evidence, a guest on Letterman’s “Late Show” (which by the way gets trounced in the ratings by Fox News Channel every night) defines an entire news organization as a racist enterprise. And Letterman goes along with the program, adding: “These people are continuing to fan this flame, and ... that is cancer.”

Please. The only people Fox News is scaring are far-left loons who see their shining city on the hill on fire. For 18 months, the United States has been governed from the left, and things are not going well. I’m sorry if this analysis frightens some folks, but when you spend a half-trillion dollars trying to stimulate the economy and create just 600,000 jobs, well, people are going to notice

Rachel had a bit of video evidence to rebut Mr. O'Reilly with. As she said even though he continually dismisses her she must be getting under his skin since he feels the need to respond. I say good as well. He treats Media Matters that same way but there's no doubt that they drive him insane just by documenting what he does day after day. Al Franken drove him nuts just by recording his radio show and playing back parts where he'd say one thing one day and try to deny it the next and they'd mock him for it. I say the more of us that get under his skin the better. I know we wear it like a badge of honor at Crooks and Liars if someone gets a mention. If he's mad we're going our jobs since he can't seem to stop lying on the air and apparently in print either after reading his column.

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