saying that bill o'rielly represents american political debate is like saying ozzy osbourne represents the christian community. bad example, jim.

provide a better one.

(o'reilly's show is the most popular cable news-talk show. it's not like i'm using wally george's hot seat as my example.)

The Mclaughlin Group. I just think that by giving O'Reilly as the primary example of American debate you're saying that all Americans berate anyone who disagrees with them. I think that there are better examples of American debate that are far more productove than O'Reilly. And i should also mention that the Glick interview was one of O'Reilly's worst and that he has had some good debates with people on his show.

here's a dissenting view on the mclaughlin group. but is the mclaughlin group any more representative of american political debate than o'reilly's show?

alright i had a really good post earlier that spelled out my case but i guess i forgot to hit the post button or whatever but the skinny of it was that no one show can represent the diversity of an entire politcal system especially one as complex as the one here in america. and that, by the way, is what's called a run-on sentence

the difference between americans' view of debate and those of britishers is evident in their political system. yes the system itself. british politics incorporates debate as part of its process - american politics sees it as a sort of formality, there are only a few per election.

o'reilly's reaction is disgusting but not surprising.

no, i think what we're really trying to say is that the american media is a sensationalist set of idiotic baffoons who can't ask any critical, difficult, or meaningful questions to the individuals that they interview. a country that thinks highly of an uncle tom like colin powell is headed for the toilet.

"no one show can represent the diversity of an entire politcal system especially one as complex as the one here in america"

Haha, that's really funny. How did "diversity" get to describe the american political system? I think you forgot some negation in that sentence!

Even "left right and center" has been getting pretty bad the last weeks; it was today anyway. Gah. It is sad.

- ask

But debate is alive and WELL on the internet.

Hah!

British political debate. TONY BLAIR: [....] I think it's my duty to tell it to you if I really believe it and I do really believe it. I may be wrong in believing it but I do believe it. JEREMY PAXMAN: Prime Minister, thank you. And thank you all and goodnight from the Baltic Centre. American political debate. O'REILLY: Man, I hope your mom isn't watching this. GLICK: Well, I hope she is. O'REILLY: I hope your mother is not

O'Reilly, like many conservatives are often dismissed as overbearing, intolerant, and closed-minded. I don't think that O'Reilly berates everyone that disagrees with him. I think he just bullies people into not "beating around the bush." In politics people love to talk in riddles and make wish washy stances. He asks very direct and specific questions and when people try to answer some different question he calls them on it. I hate it when people come on TV with an agenda to push...and then they get aske questions and go on talking about something completely different. Its like they have a prepared speech that they are determined to fit into their answers.