Kristof challenges O'Reilly to visit Darfur with him

[Thom Little]

In Sunday's New York Times, columnist Nicholas D. Kristof challenges Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly to take a trip to Darfur with him to see "a real war against Christmas values," RAW STORY has learned.

Kristof offers "prayers" that O'Reilly and "other money-changers in the temple" will realize that the spirit of Christmas is about helping the needy and that fighting against genocide is a more worthy cause than "hectoring people to say 'Merry Christmas,' rather than 'Happy Holidays.'"

Excerpts from Nicholas D. Kristof's "A Challenge for Bill O'Reilly" follow:

So I have a challenge for you, Mr. O'Reilly: If you really want to defend traditional values, then come with me on a trip to Darfur. I'll introduce you to mothers who have had their babies clubbed to death in front of them, to teenage girls who have been gang-raped and then mutilated -- and to the government-armed thugs who do these things.

You'll have to leave your studio, Bill. You'll encounter pure evil. If you're like me, you'll be scared. If you try to bully some of the goons in Darfur, they'll just hack your head off. But you'll also meet some genuine conservative Christians -- aid workers who live the Gospel instead of sputtering about it -- and you'll finally be using your talents for an important cause.


http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Kristof_challenges_OReilly_to_visit_Darfur_1217.html

[DesEtoiles]

1. [e-mail]

[e-mail]

[Time for change]

14. That's terrific n/t

[buddysmellgood]

2. Talent? That was truly giving.

[Miss Chybil]

3. Amen and nominated. nt

[MadisonProgressive]

4. How long before his head would be hacked off - 5 minutes?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. He wouldn't even get out of the States.

[Up2Late]

5. They have it at Editor and Publisher now too

Nicholas Kristof/Bill O'Reilly Feud Heats Up

By E&P Staff

Published: December 18, 2005 11:45 AM ET

It all started exactly one week ago when New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, taking note of Bill O'Reilly's focus on keeping the Christmas in Christmas, suggested that the Fox personality might honor the season better by exposing the continuing genocide in Darfur, which the TV host has allegedly "ignored." O'Reilly responded by denouncing Kristof as a "left-wing ideologue."

Today, in his column, Kristof replied in kind, while disclosing that he puts up a "Christmas" tree himself, not a "holiday" tree.

"Perhaps I'm particularly sensitive to religious hypocrites because I've spent a chunk of time abroad watching Muslim versions of Mr. O'Reilly - demagogic table-thumpers who exploit public religiosity as a cynical ploy to gain attention and money," Kristof explained. "And I always tell moderate Muslims that they need to stand up to blustery blowhards - so today, I'm taking my own advice."

Then he went on to call O'Reilly "a self-rightheous bully in the style of Father Coughlin or Joe McCarthy," suggesting that perhaps he was a leftwing plant meant to make conservatives look bad.

<http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001700329>
(more at link above)

[The White Tree]

19. That really tells it like it is.

That is something I really like about Kristof. I think he does his best to tell it like it is.

[1 Progressive]

6. Don't You Know, Falafel O'Reilly is a Coward

He can talk trash and never back it up.

And the thought of him having sex with anyone is enough to make me :puke:

or do this:beer:

[lolly]

26. Hi 1 Progressive!

Welcome to DU!:hi:

[MidwestTransplant]

7. I hope we send this to whichever O'Reilly lovers we know.

[NightOwwl]

8. Go on Billy, why don't you take Nicholas up on his offer?

Because you are a coward, that's why.

You know it, Nicholas Kristof knows it, we all know it, too.

[tomreedtoon]

10. Who's the bigger coward: O'Reilly or the NY Times?

I don't need a crystal ball to know O'Reilly's response. More invective. If Kristof sticks to his guns, and even sets up a plan to travel to the free-fire zone himself (with an invitation for O'Reilly to accompany him) then everyone can call the Falafel King a coward.

But we'll never know it, because the New York Times now forces people to subscribe to their pitiful service in order to read their columns. (Which, by the way, is not required at DU. Or at Salon, if you are willing to watch ads - which appear all over the Times page anyway). They're afraid that the biggest boost to their rag's respectability will end up costing them money.

So it's a tie between the Times and the Falafel King. (If you think you falafel now, just wait 'till you see his show.)

[namvet73]

11. BILL O'GRINCHLY....

is the one that's stealing or ruining Christmas.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

12. O'Reilly's selective quoting would leave the column looking like this:

Mr. O'Reilly: you really defend traditional values. I'll introduce you to teenage girls who do these things.

You'll like me. If you try to hack your head off, you'll finally be using your talents for an important cause.

[dietbubba]

13. Love to see it happen

But we all know it would never take place. Chickenhawk blowhard.

[ClintonTyree]

15. I'm certain Mr. O'Reilly has "other priorities"...........

like he and so many other of his Reich-Wing pals had during war-time. No, you won't see O'Lielly leaving the safety, warmth and luxury of his home to travel half-way around the world to see REAL suffering. He's much rather pontificate about it, sit in his FUX News pulpit and tell people what they should be thinking and doing this "HOLIDAY" season.
The only thing that can match O'Lielly's big mouth is his total lack of nerve, he'd never accept this challenge in a million years.

[hobbit709]

16. I sent an email with this

"Let's see you put your money where your mouth is and go to Darfur with Kristof."
So what do you think will happen?

[speedoo]

17. Good. Always happy to see O'Reilly called out.

He's just a punk-bully-loudmouth. And people like him invariably cower when they are called out.

[tanyev]

18. Hey, Bill, I'll chip in for a couple cases of Depends for you.

Call me.

[emald]

20. sent off a quick email

thanks to #1 up there for the address. Invited him to see Darfur, tell us all about it, do some real reporting. Guess that won't happen.

what a puke.

[sweetm2475]

21. I just wrote Bill this letter

Hey Falafel Bill,

Why don’t you take Mr. Kristof up on his offer? Instead of sitting there spewing the normal crap that you do every night, further infecting the minds of the stupid people who actually watch your brand of propaganda, why don’t you take a trip to Darfur? Maybe meet a real Christian? You know that will never happen as well as all the rest of us thinking American’s know it. It will never happen because you are a coward. You have no balls, the only thing you possess is a falafel and more right wing fake Christian rhetoric than you know what to do with. So when it comes to your pathetic attempts at trying to smear Mr. Kristof who did nothing more than call you out for the coward that you are, why don’t you take your own advice and “SHUT UP”! Nobody’s listening to you anymore, Bill. There is no war on Christmas. There were no weapons of mass destruction. Saddam had no ties to Al Qaeda. The ACLU is not a communist organization. The United Nations are not out to get us. France isn’t a bad place. And liberals don’t hate America or the troops. Games over buddy, and YOU lost. So do America a favor, when you leave work today, check yourself into the nearest asylum which is where you belong. I will make sure to send you all the falafels you can eat, and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sincerely,

Melissa H.
New Jersey

[SemperEadem]

22. knowing the P.A.B. that Oreilly is

he'll either ignore this challenge or he will cry ad nauseum on his show about how unfairly he's being attacked for making a non-issue an issue.

















P.A.B.= punk ass bitch

[stanwyck]

23. That column made my day yesterday

I had a Christmas Party to attend full of smug Republicans. After reading Kristof's column, I had a warm glow that didn't leave me all day and kept me smiling through the evening full of overstuffed wingnuts in their reindeer sweaters.
Thanks You, Nicholas Kristof. You are the real St. Nicholas.

[maxsolomon]

24. will it even be mentioned on his show? i doubt it.

bill only picks fights he knows he can win. that's what bullies do.

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

25. Come on, Bill. Take the challenge.

I fear O'Reilly will resort to his usual tactics on this one, though. Kristof should stay on him until he least gets a response.