Fox News commentator and human lightning rod Bill O'Reilly is considered one of the most polarizing and partisan talk-festers on TV – or at least that's been his reputation until now. All that may change on Sunday, when the combative conservative's Parade magazine piece carried in newspapers coast to coast hits front lawns and porches all over America.
Titled "What President Obama Can Teach America's Kids," O'Reilly prefaces his essay with an assertion that few reputable sociologists would quarrel with – that "the disruption of the American family" is adversely affecting millions of the nation's young people. "Our modern age presents vast challenges to children, and they need to learn lessons quickly in order to prosper," O'Reilly adds. "And who better to teach them than the President of the United States?"
O'Reilly takes note of Obama's own "tough" childhood, one characterized by a nomadic single parent and bouts of loneliness. He avers that Obama's ability to turn these constraints into a life of singular achievement provides a wonderful lesson for all of America's young people.
"His achievement presents five important lessons for all children," Reilly states. The five traits identified by O'Reilly – traits embodied in Obama's life story – are the following:
Forgiveness
Respect
Persistence
Hard work
The idea that in America, anything is possible.
The last lesson is especially applicable. Indeed, the list of examples proving that "anything is possible" in this country might include a certain essay published on Aug. 9, 2009. That will go down as the date when Bill O'Reilly put down his boxing gloves, disarmed his critics, lauded a liberal Democratic president, and did Fox News proud in the process. And it wasn't even Father's Day.
Wow...Bill O Reilly has a soft side to him...? Or at least thats what seems to appear. I think that was very smart and considerate of O'Reilly to recognize the Difficulties Obama went through and to use it in an essay to inspire the younger generation to do the same, to rise up from what you came from and do the best of your abilities to be the best you can be. Kudos to Bill!
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Philip
2:07PM Aug 7th 2009
obama is the worst thing to ever happen to this beattiful country and should be kicked out of office for all the money he is throwing out the window!
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Richard Clement
2:35PM Aug 7th 2009
There are a large number of people in the U.S. who have worked hard and risen from their childhood status and poverty to have achieved remarkable goals. The biggest concern is that Obama's philosophy is to tax and socialize our future such that the dream is lost except for those who have already socked away enough so that the future taxation of income does not affect their lifestyle. I always said (for the last 43 years since grad school) "If I had as much money as the Kennedys, I would be a liberal too!" Best of luck to you young people, Obama is taking away your ability to dream. Aldous Huxley be proud.
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slocey
2:27PM Aug 7th 2009
I say a big AMEN to your comments!
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rcrenfroe
2:28PM Aug 7th 2009
As a viewer of the factor I am not surprized. After all Bill is looking out for all of us. He disagred with Bush many times and supported Obama when he was wright. Bill uses common sence . I wish congress would.
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Scott
2:28PM Aug 7th 2009
Don't let him fool you. All that trouble that he claims to have gone through has created a chip on that mans shoulder......he is after whitey and you can not win with this man. He is the most dangerous man to ever enter American politics.
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Pasdequoi
2:51PM Aug 7th 2009
Philip--I couldn't disagree with you more. Where were you when Mr Inept (Bush) was in office? Apparently, in la la land. At least, the current president is putting money into GOOD causes--unlike the one who kept dumping money into questionable wars. Did you also happen to catch wind of the fact that we are actually pulling OUT of a recession? On a similar tangent, it seems to me that for a country that's in a so-called 'horrible recession', we're still doing a great job stocking up on things we don't need. Whenever I go to any given store, I see people buying like it's going out of style. I think some people are good at blowing this recession out of proportion.
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austinjensen19
2:53PM Aug 7th 2009
yeah talking about obama's past and how he was adopted and is not a citizen! read Hussein Obama's book that he wrote and it tells you! He was brought up great by his white grandparents! But we still dont have any real papers that shows his immigration back into the States!????? Liberals are brainwashed
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txllw
2:53PM Aug 7th 2009
BIL JUST SOLD OUT PERIOD. WHO IS HE TO TO SAY ARE KIDS NEED TO LOOK UP TO OBAMA, THERE MILLION OF GOD FEARING CHRISTIEN CHILDERN RAISE BY GOOD FATHERS AND MOTHERS, WHY DON'T HE SAY WE NEED MORE OF THEM, NOT SOME ONE FOR CAN'T EVEN PICK A CHURCH TO GO TO OR EVEN KNOW WHAT PASTOR PREACH ABOUT FOR 20YRS. NO BILL YOUR LOOKING AFTER YOUR SELF, SO DON'T LOOK AFTER ARE KIDS. YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR THE CHURCH who fOllow CHRIST TEACHING .
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impalambon
3:04PM Aug 7th 2009
This did not come as a surprise to me. O'Reilly always want to look like the "nice guy" while stirring up controversy. Apparently, he knows the Pres. Obama as he presented himself to us. I think O'Reilly should read Obama's book "Dreams From My Father". Pres. Obama did not get to the top through personal perseverance. It started with "Frank". Read about the "little guys" he eliminated from the state senate race (in Illinois). I am so disappointed with O'Reilly. I think I gave him more credit than he deserved. It's all right. I was getting sick and tired of listening to him pushing his book on his show.
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Nancy!
3:19PM Aug 7th 2009
This is genious............it places a bigger responsibility and higher expectations on Obama. Now he has even a higher bar to acheive and increased probability of failure. Good job, Bill.
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cat
3:34PM Aug 7th 2009
This one of the few times I am Disgusted with O'Reilly---Obama had a much better upbringing than the majority with $$$ behind him ...if telling kids that disavowing half of their heritage (the half that supported him), going to school on the government (taxpayer), pretending to work (on the taxpayer), organizing deadbeats for votes, supporting illegals, and let's not forget putting this country in unbelievable debt is OK...then I'd rather kids didn't learn....
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eweber3538
3:31PM Aug 7th 2009
Too bad O'Reilly, a self proclaimed Catholic, doesn't ask the president why he supports the death of over 50,000,000 children since Roe vs Wade passed. Maybe someone can ask O'Reilly about Partial Birth Abortion, where a fully developed child is born with only the head reamaining in mommy. The doctor then sticks scissors in the back of the head and sucks the child's brains out. Forgiveness, Respect, Persistence, and Hard Work are certainly evident in this brutal act, but the real truth of what O'Reilly said is that if Partial Birth Abortion is acceptable to Obama, then anything is acceptable/possible.
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regazzo36
3:36PM Aug 7th 2009
Don't trust this ploy for one second..........Frankly that piece flimsy and and doesnt't begin to give this president the respect that he deserves. Funny how the repubs think the country must categorically rally behind a president when its thier man in office and can spend 24/7 tearing one down when its not. The idea that liberals shouldn't have a voice and don't matter and are less than in every way...patriotic, intellect, caring, financially prudent etc. etc. is so fundamentally disgraceful I think its treason! All I can say is you all republicans can go pound _ _ _ _ for the next 8 years. I will never show an ounce of empathy for this side as they show none for anyone else but themselves.
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colby0015
3:43PM Aug 7th 2009
This just pushed me over the edge with O'Reilly, he might as well just tell everyone he's a Lib now. I can't even watch this guy any more. The ironic part about his "lesson for kids" is that if Obama gets his way with America my kids that aren't even born yet won't even be able to pick what flavor tooth paste to use, let alone persevere through life's hard times, because the government will have mandated it!
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DONNELLYS
3:45PM Aug 7th 2009
Bill O'Reilly is correct. Obama worked hard to get where he is. The problem is, Obama doesn't realize that he is actually hurting the people of our great country by forming a big government to give handouts to everyone, this will only form lazy people and they will feel cheated no matter what you give them. Obama needs to remember how working hard is what makes you happy in the end. He needs to stop with the handouts.
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birac32
3:47PM Aug 7th 2009
Thank God that someone at Fox news has recognized that our president is a reputable American, that emerged from humble beginnings to run the greatest nation in the world. Congratulations on Mr. O'rielly as who has now found a new viewer to his program.
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milklady
3:52PM Aug 7th 2009
Let's hope Bill-O means what he says in the article and we won't be hearing the crap he usually dishes up on Fox News. It's doubtful though, more likely its a ploy to try to demonstrate that he respects the person, but will trash everything he tries to do.
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gar
3:58PM Aug 7th 2009
I smell a skunk in the wood pile for sure. OReily is not that nice of a guy. Next we will have Hannidy saying nice things, yeah right.