'Anarchy' and 'Bull!' on 'O'Reilly Factor'

By
MONICA NISTA
April 6, 2007, 10:56 AM ET
2 min read

March 6, 2007 — -- The No Spin Zone had a couple of talking heads spinning Thursday night on Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor."

Host Bill O'Reilly and his Fox colleague Geraldo Rivera went head to head in a battle over a fatal drunken driving incident in Virginia.

O'Reilly recently interviewed the family of one of two teenagers killed in a drunken driving accident in Virginia Beach. The man charged with the teen deaths was reportedly an illegal immigrant.

According to O'Reilly, 22-year-old Alfredo Ramos of Mexico had three previous alcohol-related convictions in addition to an identity theft conviction, and had never been sentenced to prison.

O'Reilly called the mayor of Virginia Beach a "villain" for not deporting Ramos the first time he was caught. Virginia Beach is a sanctuary city, meaning the authorities do not report illegal immigrants to the feds.

O'Reilly, in "fair and balanced" Fox fashion, called on Rivera for a counter viewpoint.

Rivera cut right to the chase and said, "I think you have the story almost exactly wrong, my friend."

Rivera contended the story wasn't about illegal immigrants -- but about drunken driving -- and that the case shouldn't be used to further O'Reilly's anti-illegal immigration crusade.

Rivera added, "The only reason it's news on 'The Factor' is because the driver was an illegal alien."

That's one of the only things the two did agree on.

Rivera added, "Don't be the -- don't be the -- what's his name, Lou Dobbs' mom. Lou Dobbs has regenerated his dead career on the backs of illegal aliens."

O'Reilly stuck to his guns, saying, "When you enter this country illegally, number one, you have no right to be here, no right. That's the truth."

Geraldo accused O'Reilly of using the tragedy to make a "cheap political point."

And to that?

O'Reilly said, "This is justice," and that Geraldo wants anarchy.

The angry, loud exchange continued. O'Reilly shouted "Bull!" a few times before the confrontation ended.

Both attempted to end the debate on a civil note and with some laughter. O'Reilly said the people will decide who's right. Rivera took the opportunity to talk about how one of the "wonderful" things about Fox is that it's "fair and balanced."