Donald Trump and Bill O’Reilly went head to head last night on Fox News, and the showdown was another Trump success.
by Joey Clark
[dropcap size=small]L[/dropcap]ast night I relented to my gluttony for punishment. The new year has brought new habits– trading pizza, bacon, and other decadent dishes for healthier alternatives– but despite my new-found success in the dietary realm, I find failure in other trades. I exchange former vices for new indulgences. Actually, “new” isn’t exactly the right word. Let’s call it a comeback instead. For much of my early twenties, I was a cable news junkie–that is, I was stuffed full of information from the alphabet soup of networks comparable to a morbidly obese binge eater full of junk food. The news certainly provides a smorgasbord of information, but it is mostly misinformation. Eventually, I was able to kick to habit. I stopped watching loud mouths and started reading far and wide with a skeptical (if not cynical) eye. But now I am sad to report, as I find myself jumping off the literal gravy train (with a shrinking waist to show for it), I have relapsed back into my old habits of consuming pulp news. And my brain feels bloated.
My mind feels especially pudgy this morning after watching Bill O’Reilly’s interview with Donald the Orange. The interview was scheduled last week–before Trump pulled out of the Fox News GOP Debate in Iowa– but Trump kept to his word and sat down for a public chat in the “no spin zone.” Of course, O’Reilly is a master of spin, and last night he sought to spin a web of heartstrings to tug on the billionaire’s fealty for the people.
O’Reilly started the interview saying he would stick to the issues and stay away from the farcical tiff between Fox News and the Donald. When I heard this, I knew Bill obviously would not stick to the issues. “Good” journalism rests on saying one thing and doing another, and O’Reilly was true to form. What I did not expect, however, was O’Reilly’s deference to Trump. Bill is known for his grizzly bear growl and hot temper, but rather than a mighty bear, what I witnessed last night was a pussy cat groveling for a bowl of milk from the richest guy on the block.
After many attempts to convince Trump he is making a mistake by missing out on an opportunity to talk to “the folks,” O’Reilly made matters personal, saying, “I bought you so many vanilla milkshakes. I bought you so many vanilla milkshakes — you owe me. Will you just consider? I want you to consider, all right? Think about it.”
Trump did not seem to take the bait. He maintained he wasn’t walking away but “pushed away” from the Fox News GOP debate by the actions of the network. If Trump shows up in the debate, I will be greatly surprised, but for now, Donald Trump drank Bill O’Reilly’s milkshake–literally and figuratively.
So, I sit here now thinking I can’t believe this is the state of American politics. The media is making us all gluttons for Trump. Maybe, it’s time we went on a media diet, but with 2016 being a presidential election year, I expect our brains will only become all the more flabby.
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