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Clinton vs. O'Reilly: The Interview

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April 29, 2008 1:20 PM

ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Hillary Clinton vs. Bill O'Reilly - it's finally going to happen.

First reported exclusively by the Drudge Report, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., will appear in a pre-taped interview on Wednesday's edition of "The O'Reilly Factor" on FOX News.

Neither Clinton nor Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., have appeared on the conservative talk show host's popular program although an Obama staffer famously tangled with O'Reilly at a New Hampshire event in January.

Marvin Nicholson, a veteran of Sen. John Kerry's, D-Mass., 2004 presidential campaign, put his 6' 8" frame between O'Reilly, his cameraman, and Obama.

Upset with Nicholson, O'Reilly maneuvered around a steel gate barricade, yelled expletives, and called Obama's national trip director "low class."

Secret Service quickly stepped in and told O'Reilly to get back. After the commotion, Obama shook hands with O'Reilly but has yet to go as far as Clinton, agreeing to appear one-on-one with the often combative host.

O'Reilly did attend a Clinton rally on the same day as the aforementioned Obama incident.  The Democratic crowd booed but Clinton complimented him on his willingness to show up at the event.

The much anticipated interview will take place via satellite with Clinton in South Bend, Indiana, on Wednesday.

ABC News' Sunlen Miller contributed to this report.

April 29, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (232)

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Where is your courage John Edwards. Your wife likes Hillary's health plan. Her plan would be good for America. Come on John, get on board with your wife and support Hillary. You know it will be impossible for Obama to win NC, but Hillary just might do well in your state in November.

Posted by: Jake | Apr 29, 2008 3:16:49 PM

You know I really despise Bill O'Reilly, but the fact of the matter is that in order to bring people together, someone has to be willing to budge. Hillary Clinton has been shrugging off her ego and giving both sides a chance to talk with her. How does Obama, who claims he is a uniter, thinks he can do this by writing off people that don't agree with him? Hillary has even been able to work with the same people that tried to impeach her husband. It is because she cares more about helping the country than inflating her own ego, unlike B.O. who seems unable to function unless he hears people chanting his name.

Posted by: Andrea | Apr 29, 2008 3:22:38 PM

When Obama got on Fox news Sunday, all the Hillary supporters complained Obama was legitimizing Fox. Now that Hillary is on O'reily they claim Hillary is the one with courage because Obama only goes to friendly media (of course ignoring the Sunday Fox interview).

Posted by: X marks the spot | Apr 29, 2008 3:37:08 PM

tomdavie, people including Newt and Karl Rove believe that Wright is now in Hill's camp, that is the concern every smart politician has to think off. They were asking Obama if he was black enough because his mother is white. So Hill and Bill have convinced Wright to support them and let down his adopted son. That is crual even in politics. But Hill the Bosnian General is unelectable, that is the reality she has to face. But life is always difficult gfor leaders who want to unite and easy for leaders who want to divide. Obama is in the first category which is Great leaders and Hill the Bosnian General is in the second category of leaders. God bless America and God bless Obama.OBAMA08.

Posted by: BKMC | Apr 29, 2008 3:37:53 PM

X marks the spot -- I didnt see Clinton people do that; if so they were wrong. BUT, when Clinton met with and got an endorsement from Scaiffe, and news reports showed that Fox had been more sympathetic to Clinton, Obama's supporters said that's because she wants to legitimate them and she is a rightwingnut.

Posted by: tony | Apr 29, 2008 3:42:37 PM

Obama's interview on fox was the biggest SOFTBALL LOVEFEST I have seen on fox since Hannity interviewd Mc Cain.

Oreilly is not some softball interviewer. Hillary has the guts to go on there and Obama wont.

Obama doesnt do well when confronted away from the telepromted answers.

Oreilly will press Obama for SPECIFICS. Challenge him on inconsistencies. Obama doesnt do well under those circumstances.

I dont think Obama will ever agree to it.

What should Obama do?

Go on Hannity and Combes and try to fake his way thru that one. Perhaps Hannity will take it easy on Obama because he is an extremely fractured candidate.

Then again. I doubt it.

Obama needs to go back to Obermann and his lovers on MSNBC.

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 29, 2008 3:49:43 PM


I actually think Clinton supporters are either better educated or have a better grasp of the issues. Obama supporters seem to engage more in personal attacks of Rush, Clinton, McCain, Bush -- anybody.

I guess that, if you can't justify your candidate, you resort to whatever means it takes to make you feel good about him. Still, there's something amiss when a person can't discern or discuss issues.

Posted by: Aston | Apr 29, 2008 3:54:10 PM

Anyone who expects to be President needs to speak with even those Americans with whom they strongly disagree if they truly are going to represent the people. I applaud her for having an interview with him as I would hope McCain would do with those at MSNBC. I want to hear each candidate, Obama, Clinon, McCain have to deal with answering questions in an uncomfortable format and not just those who will provide softball questions.

We know that if they cannot even confront opposition news media in this country how do we expect them to deal with hostile foreign governments and hostile foreign press?

Posted by: Allen | Apr 29, 2008 3:56:15 PM

Please, at this point it's hard to distinguish MSNBC, CNN, Huffington, and Daily Kos from O'Reilly. They are all so unfair and imbalanced, its ridiculous.

"I'm disappointed that Hillary is going to give legitimancy to this neocon shill. He represents the lowest element of the non-news, conservative, propaganda channel FOX. Shame on you Hillary for pandering to this creep."

Posted by: tony | Apr 29, 2008 3:56:20 PM

tony

Apparently Hillary has more confidence in herself than you do of yourself.

Posted by: Aston | Apr 29, 2008 3:57:45 PM

I think Fox News is changing to try and stay relevant. I doubt O'Reilly goes after her much; I think Fox realizes the country is shifting away from the politics they were preaching.

On the other hand, I think it would be silly to presume that any lovefest with Senator Clinton by Fox News would last past the nomination.

It seems she has finally come to peace with the 'vast right wing conspiracy'. Good for her... That is unless this is being done for political expediency, but she is not known to do that, right?

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 29, 2008 3:58:40 PM

Agree with you Allen...

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 29, 2008 4:02:06 PM

The interesting thing is that for a large part of this campaign, the media were fixated on how Obama inspires, and that he has a message of "hope" and "change" and that he wants to bring a "new kind of politics." His surrogates and supporters were running around talking about not wanting Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton, and that he represents a return to Camelot. NONE OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH POLICY! But it made him look good, and he did not complain. Now, that nonpolicy stuff is hurting him, all I hear are pleas for policy. Sounds like a flip flop. When Clinton complained that we need to look at specifics and that you govern in prose not poetry - she was called a cynic. Now everyone wants to talk policy all of a sudden. Why?

Posted by: tony | Apr 29, 2008 4:05:32 PM

@X marks the spot:

It seems that supporters on all sides seem to wear blinders when it comes to their candidate.

The election/nomination seems to be slipping once again into "do not vote for X candidate" rather than "here are the reasons to vote for X candidate".

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 29, 2008 4:11:24 PM

tony

Why?

Because people are coming to realize that the 'hope' Obama uses to inspire is void of substance. People are now looking for a direction and a candidate that can lead the nation through the labyrinth.

Posted by: Aston | Apr 29, 2008 4:11:42 PM

Please, like this is some big surprise. The conservatives are the ones donating to her campaign. She made a pact with Rupert Murdoch and Richard Scaife, the big conservative media men, If they will lay off her, she will help them in destroying Obama. And this is the first case where she has ever been true to her word.

Posted by: Eileen from Maine | Apr 29, 2008 4:25:00 PM

@X marks the spot: Absolutely. I tend to think that most Americans don't follow the small stuff. I also think many people have visceral reactions to candidates that dictate their vote; then the process is "intellectualized" to justify the decision. It's also easier for people to vote against someone than "for" someone, as the latter requires a personal investment or commitment.

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 29, 2008 4:32:38 PM

LOL, this is just a broke Hillary trying to get free airtime. Obama is running a better campaign and doesn't need to sacrifice himself to O'Reilly. Hillary is no longer controlling her campaign and is begging for debates and trying to get as much airtime as she can.

Posted by: Mark | Apr 29, 2008 4:59:46 PM

She is one tough cookie. I give her credit for not running away from her problems. (I'm watching Obama running on the TV).

Posted by: Bob | Apr 29, 2008 5:02:10 PM

Go HRC!
Obama is trying to backpedal on the Wright issue at last. A little late, Senator.

Posted by: Bea | Apr 29, 2008 5:07:34 PM

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