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At the Daily KOS Convention in the first weekend of August, current Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton defended fellow candidate Chris Dodd and her communications director, Howard Wolfson, for comments made on separate appearances on
"The O'Rielly Factor." The context of the New York Senator's words underscores the reason Bill O'Reilly will have an influence on the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

Mr. O'Reilly has a major problem with the website "The Daily KOS." He does not mind that it leans progressive and liberal, where about a million rant and rave about political issues. The question is in the manner of how they rant and rave. A good deal of those posts contain some of the nastiest and downright vile language seen on the internet. Some even directed at Hillary Clinton herself. There is no filter or guard preventing this trash, and in O'Reilly's view, "The Daily KOS" is 'just another hate site.'

Believing that an appearance by any candidate at the website's convention would be a major mistake, he invited both Dodd and Wolfson on his show to defend the issue. Each interview turned confrontational. Wolfson defended "The Daily KOS," and accused the host of having the same kind of hate on "The Factor." Democratic candidate Chris Dodd took the offensive when he got his chance and tried to change the debate to O'Reilly's political differences with the website. The result was a back and forth shouting match, where both held their ground.

I believe O'Rielly has a point, and these candidates may be legitimizing the nasty things that appear on "The Daily Kos" by showing up. All one has to do, as Bill says, is go to that website and see the hate for yourself. This very likely could come back and bite the Democrats in the 2008 election. We may have Bill O'Reilly to thank for that.

"The O'Reilly Factor" is cable's top rated news program, and has held that position for years. The host, who sees himself and a more of an independent, rather than as a the perceived conservative, sometimes comes off as disarming and arrogant in his presentation. If one watches his show regularly, he certainly does not spew hate and attack liberals exclusively, as some of those 'left wing websites' claim. The current conservative republican president has been criticized many times by him. One thing you can say about Bill is he does not let his guests beat around the bush. His viewers seem to like Bill's approach of 'sticking to the point.'

In the 2004 campaign, John Kerry refused to appear on "The Factor." O'Reilly has suggested it was one of the reasons why he lost. That may be over the top, but to say that Bill O'Reilly will have no effect what so ever in the 2008 political arena is ignorant and just plain wrong. With a large audience, his program is a vehicle for candidates to get their word out. For his his critics, his name is red meat and will polarize them. Bill O'Rielly is a player, with the rest of the media for 2008.

Learn more about this author, Michael Harkins.
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