The ignorance of David Letterman

I am a fan of David Letterman, I think he is very funny. I would much rather watch him than Jay Leno. His monologue on his first show after 9/11 will go down in television history as one of the greatest moments in TV history. I also think Letterman is pretty fair in his trashing of each political party.

Usually.

Lately, however, he is beginning to sound more and more like a lunatic lefty. As evidence I submit his interview with Bill O'Reilly from his Tuesday night show. You can see the video of the appearance here. Notice how when presented with facts Letterman changes the subject and answers a question with completely irrelevant question. Typical of someone on the left. It's unbelievable how someone can be so ill-informed on the facts during an interview with someone like O'Reilly. Here you can find a transcript of the interview.

Some of the low-lights of the interview;

O'REILLY: Yes, you weren't aware of the big, giant controversy over Christmas? You didn't hear that?

LETTERMAN: Well, it doesn't really affect me. I go ahead and do what I want to do. And you know - I mean, but isn't this the kind of thing where like once or twice every 20 years, somebody gets outraged and says, oh, by God, we got to put diapers on horses. Isn't it just about - is this like so what, let it go, it'll take care of itself?

O'REILLY: No. There is a movement in this country by politically correct people to erode traditions.

LETTERMAN: I don't think this is an actual threat. I think that this is something that happened here and it happened there. And so people like you are trying to make us think that it's a threat.

O'REILLY: Wrong.
(APPLAUSE)

Memphis, Tennessee, Bible belt, library, they have a little display where you can — say you are in a duck hunting club. You can bring in a dead duck and put it there and advertise your duck hunting club.

There was a church that wanted to advertise a Christmas pageant. So they brought in the manger scene. And the library said you can have the manger scene in Memphis, Tennessee, but you can't have the baby Jesus, Joseph, or Mary, or the wise men. We're not sure about the shepherds. That was the big debate. Now how stupid and crazy is this?

LETTERMAN: Yes, I don't believe you.

O'REILLY: It's true!

Presented with facts Letterman's only response is "I don't believe you." Good come back Dave!

LETTERMAN: I just don't believe you. Let's talk about your friends in the Bush administration. Things seem to be darker now.

O'REILLY: It's pretty rough, you know, but they're not my friends in the Bush administration. I mean, they're not kicking the door down to be on my show.

In fact, you have an easier time getting President Bush to come on here than I have in getting him on "“The Factor”." But I think that the Iraq thing has been full of unintended consequences.

The simplistic stuff about it, hating Bush or he lied and all this stuff does the country no good at all. Our philosophy is we call it as we see it. Sometimes you agree. Sometimes you don't. Robust debate is good.

But we believe that the United States, particularly the military, are doing a noble thing.

LETTERMAN: Mm-hmm.

O'REILLY: A noble thing. The soldiers and Marines are noble. They're not terrorists. And when people call them that, like Cindy Sheehan called the insurgents freedom fighters, we don't like that.

It is a vitally important time in American history. And we should all take it very seriously, and be very careful with what we say.

LETTERMAN: Well, and you should be very careful with what you say also.

O'REILLY: Exactly.

LETTERMAN: Have you lost family members in armed conflict?

O'REILLY: No, I have not.

LETTERMAN: Well, then you can hardly speak for her, can you?

Again, change the subject and go for the cheap applause line. The point O'Reilly was making was that Sheehan has called the terrorists "freedom fighters" and Letterman had no response for that whatsoever. Cindy Sheehan takes it upon herself to speak for the American people every change she gets. And if somone like Bill O'Reilly wants to challenge her on her statements than I say Bravo! She has shown herself to be completely incapable of handling a tough interview by repeatedly either walking out, hanging up or not showing up at all for them.

O'REILLY: Well, I'm not speaking for her.

(APPLAUSE)

All right, let me ask you this question.

LETTERMAN: Let's go back to your little red and green story.

O'REILLY: Wait, wait, wait, this is important. This is important. Cindy Sheehan lost a son, a professional soldier in Iraq, correct? She has a right to grieve any way she wants. She has a right to say whatever she wants.

When she says to the public that the insurgents and terrorists are freedom fighters, how do you think, David Letterman, that makes people who lost loved ones by these people blowing the hell out of them, how do you think they feel? What about their feelings, sir?

LETTERMAN: So why are we there in the first place? I agree to you — with you that we have to support the troops. They are there. They are the best and the brightest of this country.

(APPLAUSE)

There's no doubt about that.

And I also agree that now we're in it, it's going to take a long, long time. People don't expect it to be solved and wrapped up in a couple of years. Unrealistic. It's not going to happen.

I'm very concerned about people like yourself who don't have nothing but endless sympathy for a woman like Cindy Sheehan, honest to Christ.
O'REILLY: No, I'm sorry. No way a terrorist who blows up women and children is going to be called a freedom fighter on my program.

(APPLAUSE)

Ah, thats why Letterman doesn't try and argue the facts because when he does he gets bitch-slapped back! Good job Bill O'Reilly! And notice the typical "we support the troops" line followed up by the "but why are we there" meme. If you don't know why we are there by now than you are beyond hope.

LETTERMAN: I'm not smart enough to debate you point to point on this, but I have the feeling — I have the feeling about.

O'REILLY: You (INAUDIBLE).

LETTERMAN: I have the feeling about 60 percent of what you say is crap, but I don't know that for a fact.

O'REILLY: Sixty?

LETTERMAN: Did I 60 percent? 60 percent, that's just — I'm just spit balling here now.

O'REILLY: Listen, I respect your opinion. You should respect mine.

LETTERMAN: Well, I — I - yes, OK.

(APPLAUSE)

But I think you're.

O'REILLY: Our analysis is based on the best evidence we can get.

LETTERMAN: Yes, but I think there's something — this fair and balanced, I'm not sure that it's — I don't think that you represent an objective viewpoint.

O'REILLY: But you have to give me an example if you're going to make those statements.

LETTERMAN: Well, I don't watch your show, so that would be impossible.

(LAUGHTER)

O'REILLY: Then why would you come to that conclusion if you don't watch the program?

LETTERMAN: Because of things that I have read, things that I know.

Give me a break. He thinks 60% of what O'Reilly says is crap but he then admits he can't debate him point by point because he doesn't watch the show. WHAT? He has formed his opinion based on what he as read about O'Reilly.

Brilliant!