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Bill O'Reilly Supports Public Option

Surprise. Not only does FOX News' Bill O'Reilly disagree with the right-wing Heritage Foundation on health care reform ... he supports the public option.

"I want, not for personally for me, but for working Americans, to have a option, that if they don’t like their health insurance, if it’s too expensive, they can’t afford it, if the government can cobble together a cheaper insurance policy that gives the same benefits, I see that as a plus for the folks.

Does this make Bill O the "left of the left"? Last month, he called a government-run health care program "socialism."

Watch, WHEN YOU JUMP.

News: Louis Smith, Bill O'Reilly, Madonna, Vermont Marriage

· UPS will no longer advertise on anti-gay right-winger Bill O'Reilly's show on FOX News.

· Japan will recognize the marriages of nationals who legally marry same-sex partners outside the country.

· British Olympic gymnastics bronze medalist and Rod 2.0 fave Louis Smith warms up for Europeans. Smith took silver in the London Open and heads to Milan for the Individual European Championships this week.

· Bilerico.com shut down for 9 hours by hackers who targeted the popular gay blog for the past year and a half.

· Two victories for gay rights in Delaware. The legislature rejects "a proposed same-sex marriage ban and approving a bill to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation—though not gender identity."

· Spain considers a criminal case against six former Bush administration officials—including former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales—who approved torture.

· British children's charity to Madonna: "Please think twice before adopting another African child."

· More than 300 supporters of marriage equality rally outside the office of Vermont's Republican Governor Jim Douglas, who promises to veto a gay marriage bill expected to pass the legislature next week. "He met for about 10 minutes with a handful of same-sex marriage supporters, but they came away unsatisfied. 'I don't believe we made any headway," Sandi Cote-Whitacre of Georgia Center tells the Burlington Free Press. "We let him know we were terribly disappointed and we weren't going away." The bill passed the Senate earlier this week and is expected to pass the House. A two-thirds majority in both houses would be required override a veto and "it remains unclear" whether marriage proponents have the votes.

McCain Remains Silent on Hagee's Outrageous Homophobic Slurs

While much of the recent media attention on the outrageous Rev. John Hagee has focused on his right-wing Christian Zionist views and "militantly anti-Catholic rants", there has been relative silence on his anti-gay sermons and homophobia. Hagee has endorsed Sen. John McCain and few have pressed McCain on Hagee's anti-gay zealotry.

To his credit, last night on FOX News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly asked McCain about the "bad things" Hagee says "about Catholics and gays and other things like that." The Republican presidential candidate "rejected" Hagee's extensive anti-Catholic history and said nothing about "gays and other things like that." Transcript at Think Progress and YouTube below.

O’REILLY: OK. John Hagee is a guy…
MCCAIN: Yes.
O’REILLY: …that you sought his endorsement in San Antonio, Texas. He said bad things about Catholics and gays and other things like that. And your opponents are saying, hey, you know, McCain hangs around with Hagee. Obama hangs around Wright. No difference.
MCCAIN: I do not embrace a view that he stated about the Catholic church. I steadfastly reject it and repudiate it. I’ve never been in Pastor Hagee’s church. I know him, but the fact is that I accept his endorsement.

Only this week, Hagee reiterated his outlandish claims that Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans because it was "planning a sinful" "homosexual rally." Newsweek reports McCain sought Hagee’s endorsement "for more than a year." Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and social conservative Republican presidential candidate, campaigned at Hagee's Texas mega-church and reportedly raised money by passing the collection plate.

Some Background ...
Huckabee Will Speak at Anti-Gay, "Anti-Catholic" Texas Mega-Church [R20]

Judge Rules Kwanzaa Celebration Can Be Held in Memphis Govt. Bldg

On the first day of Kwanzaa, a judge in Shelby County, Tennessee, which includes greater Memphis, rules the seven-day African-themed celebration can be celebrated in the chambers of the County Commission. Probate Court clerk Chris Thomas filed the suit, "saying Christians, Jews and people of other faiths are being discriminated against because religious celebrations and symbols are not allowed on County property."

Judge Walter Evans' ruling finds the Kwanzaa celebration, which was organized by Commissioner Henri Brooks, who is black, "is not been shown to be a religious celebration." Thomas, who is white (and Republican), says he was the victim of discrimination but was not able to specify which religion or denomination celebrates Kwanzaa as a religious festival.

This is probably not very welcome news to right-wing Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly, who recently declared victory in the ridiculous "war on Christmas" that was contrived to increase lagging cable news ratings and profitability among retailers.

O'Reilly Visits Harlem: "Blacks Well Dressed" and "Not Screaming"

Fox News polemicist-in-chief Bill O'Reilly shares an interesting anecdote on his nationally syndicated radio show: On a recent trip to Harlem, he was delighted to discover "the blacks are well-dressed."

The trip uptown was taken with the Rev. Al Sharpton and the duo went to the legendary Sylvia's restaurant (Audio at Media Matters). The right-wing commentator "couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship." O'Reilly added: "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' "

O'Reilly also attended an Anita Baker concert at Radio City Music Hall and was also impressed with the lack of profanity, noting "the blacks were well-dressed. ... The band was excellent, but they were dressed in tuxedos, and this is what white America doesn't know, particularly people who don't have a lot of interaction with black Americans. They think that the culture is dominated by Twista, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg."

O'Reilly's obsession with defining rap music as the barometer of black "culture" is quite curious and dovetails with last week's discussion on Ja Rule's publicity stunt, and, the new BET special on hip-hop's influence on contemporary pop culture. He probably isn't aware that American Express, Time Warner, Boeing, Merrill Lynch, K-mart and Young & Rubicam are headed by black CEOs. That certainly isn't the norm, but, black families are more likely to have teachers, nurses, lawyers and civil servants in their families than rap music impresarios.

Bill O'Reilly: "No Difference" at Sylvia's [Media Matters]
Hip-Hop vs America [Keith Boykin]

Some Background ...
Home Depot Dumps Bill O'Reilly [R20]
Bill O'Reilly: "Insane" to Bring Children Near Gays [R20]

Home Depot Dumps Bill O'Reilly

Via Americablog: The Home Depot responds to strong pressure and announces it will no longer advertise on The O'Reilly Factor hosted by Bill O'Reilly on Fox News. O'Reilly has consistently mocked gays and global warming—not a good fit for an environmentally conscious retailer committed to diversity.

Apparently, the advertising ban extends to O'Reilly's website—good idea since the Secret Service is investigating BillOReillydotcom after for threats made against Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Last week, The Home Depot's major competitor, Lowe's, announced "the company’s advertising will no longer appear” on the The O’Reilly Factor.

Bill O'Reilly: It's "Insane" to Bring Children Near Gays

On yesterday's edition The O’Reilly Factor, host Bill O’Reilly blasted the San Diego Padres' decision to host a children’s hat giveaway and a gay pride night during the same baseball game. O'Reilly described the business decision as "almost unbelievable" and a "mistake" to "cluster" gay men and lesbians during a "hat giveaway for any kid under 12."

So thousands of gay adults showed up and commingled with straight families. Predictably, that caused some anger, some saying the promotions were inappropriately timed, and some parents echoing that...If you want to have a gay night, don't put a children's promotion along with it. That's just common sense.

It's interesting that on the same day two prominent "family values" conservatives are accused of sexual misconduct, O'Reilly's talking points would rehash cultural myths on gays and sexual predators. More than anyone else, Bill O'Reilly should know better.

Video at Media Matters