So last month Fox News man Bill O'Reilly pretty much denied the existence of 200,000 homeless veterans. In the clip below he asks his guest that if he finds homeless veterans to bring them to Fox News so they can be taken care of.
Carol Gardener, who operates a home that takes care of homeless veterans and was insulted by O'Reilly's attacks on the homeless. She brought some veterans along with a petition signed by 17,000 people to present it to Bill O'Reilly. Bill would not take a trip down the elevator to receive the petition, Olbermann offers a report here.
FOX security wouldn't let the vets in the building. They also wouldn't accept the petition or promise that it would be given to BOR. The vets couldn't go up to speak to BOR. BOR wouldn't come down to speak to them. Some FOX brass came down (accompanied by security and police) to try to defuse the situation, but it didn't help. MSNBC, whose building is across the street from FOX's, saw all the brouhaha and sent over their own camera crew to cover the action. A press conference broke out right in front of the FOX building as reporters asked the vets questions. Even BOR's own stalkerazzi "producer", Jesse Watters, was sent down to assail the vets and change the subject - he wanted to know if the vets had seen the video of BOR's statements instead of focusing on the fact that BOR made them.After a long standoff, Carol and one of the vets was allowed into the lobby to drop off the petition, though there was no guarantee that BOR would actually receive it.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. O'Reilly should be held accountable for deliberate falsehoods. Like any advertiser, (this one happens to be pushing a right wing agenda) consumers should be able to sue for false advertising. A month ago our local newspaper's front page article was on a homeless vet and the plastic tent he called home. Surely no one is so dumb in the US that they don't know that many of the homeless are veterans. So I can only surmise it was another lie by O'Reilly, similar to the tale he told about not sexually harassing his co-worker. At least she won a settlement, the homeless vets should be entitled to their settlement.
Mike Drescher at 7:00PM on Feb 1st 2008
2. Well, let's see how many times the messanger of this blog is going to get insulted for reporting the truth and what kind of person O'Reilly is!
Patty at 7:08PM on Feb 1st 2008
3. Thanks for reporting what a lying dirtbag O'Reilly really is. You see he's not man enough to face the music when he's a proven liar, ONCE AGAIN.
Maybe if the lady would've told him she had falafel, he'd have come down.
M. at 7:23PM on Feb 1st 2008
4. Let's get our facts straight. O'Reilly was challenging Edwards statement there were 200,000 homeless vets sleeping under bridges and on grates. There may be 200,000 homeless vets, but there are not 200,000 homeless vets sleeping under bridges and on grates. There are many many shelters that have beds for anybody that needs one. I have worked with various charities over the past 20 years that help the homeless, and yes, many (if not a majority) homeless people (vets included) do have drug problems and/or mental issues. Instead of bashing O'Reilly for something he did NOT say, go out, volunteer and help out charities and contribute to a solution to this problem.
200K vets sleeping under bridges and on grates is BS.
Michael at 7:56PM on Feb 1st 2008
5. Ok Jeff Hoard, way to NOT give any background on this story.
The homeless veteran story is about Bill O'Reilly calling out John Edwards for implying that there are 200K homeless veterans "sleeping under bridges and on grates" each night BECAUSE the Economy is in a recession and we (the US Government) don't take care of our veterans. This was Edwards stump speech/battle cry during his election efforts in the past month. O'Reilly's argument is that the US Government does provide shelters (and over 150K beds) to veterans through various government (veteran) agencies. The problems is that 90%+ of homeless vets have substance abuse problems and must stay clean to take advantage of the shelters. O'Reilly had a person who runs these government shelter confirm this on his radio show.
Thus Edwards is not being upfront and truthful about the facts of the story by trying to attribute the problem to the economy. If Edwards was truly concerned he'd focus on the sustance abuse problems of homeless veterans.
Joe at 8:12PM on Feb 1st 2008
6. Nice post Michael - you have it exactly right
Joe at 8:14PM on Feb 1st 2008
7. Then why was he too much of a coward to come meet these vets that he's so concerned about? Because he's nothing but a blowhard phony. You apologists keep making excuses for this clown.
M. at 8:19PM on Feb 1st 2008
8. I am sorry to hear Joe that 90% of your homeless Vets have abuse problems, where did you get that figure? Either way, I think abuse problem or not all homeless (especially veterans, who are mentally damaged from war) should be helped.
And if you are this upset about the story, getting mad a me won't solve much, I just copy and pasted a video. If you are angry with the type of people who want to help the homeless, You should direct your anger towards Carol. As she is the woman from the video who attempted to confront Bill O'Reilly with Veterans and petitions.
Jeff Hoard at 8:24PM on Feb 1st 2008
9. M -
Exactly - why doesn't Edwards meet these vets he's so concerned about - that he integrated into his election efforts??? That's right - he's USING them!!!!
O'Reilly said he'd connect them with a shelter or pay their cab fee to Edwards mansion.
Joe at 8:52PM on Feb 1st 2008
10. Mr Hoard,
I'm not upset at Carol - she may not even have the facts and it's great that she's helping homeless people.
I'm upset with YOU because you are a skilled blogger with access to most if not all of the information on this story including the the Edwards information and homeless information and choose not to include in your entry. I'll get you some vet homeless stats ASAP.
Joe at 8:51PM on Feb 1st 2008
11. I apologize for overestimating ...
the number is "slightly more than 70% suffer from alcohol or other drug abuse problems."
http://www1.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=1
From the Department of Veteran Affairs
Edwards was trying to convince everyone that it is the economy that is causing the vet homelessness.
Joe at 8:52PM on Feb 1st 2008
12. The first time I heard Bill O'Reilly bash John Edwards about homeless veterans, my blood was boiling. I ran for my laptop and sent him an email explaining how I recently moved to North Carolina and was amazed how many homeless veteran I've seen panhandling on street corners. He never responded, the pinhead jerk never responded. He doesn't care.
Don B at 10:12PM on Feb 1st 2008
13. JOE great post
Edwards was saying that the economy was the cause of 200,000 homeless Vets. ORielly was pointing out that was false. Joe is correct over 70% of homeless Vets have alcohol and drug related problems. The VA have plenty of beds for Vets who are homeless. But, Vets are not limited to VA programs, there are Billions allocated in the Fed Budget who are homeless and not Vets. Those programs are also open to Vets.
It is very easy to FIND THESE FACTS ON THE INTERNET, IF ONE WANTS TO, or keep on presenting a slanted view and personal attacks on those who you do not like or agree with, such as Fox or ORielly.If you can dig up a story , update, like this you can just as easy gets the budget facts from the internet.
ROBERT OKANE at 4:21AM on Feb 2nd 2008
14. People like Jeff Hoard are the reason liberals have lost all credibility as a political entity, he is a liar, plain and simple. Bill O'Reilly never "denied the existence of 200,000 homeless veterans" and Hoard knows it, he just doesn't want you to know it. Left-wing loons like Hoard, John Edwards and the people at Daily Kos are destroying the Democrat party and they are the reason the next POTUS will be a Republican.
Robert Byngham at 4:44AM on Feb 2nd 2008
15. Great Posts Poster Jeffbobmikecarolinsane,oops!
This is indeed not to make light of a great plague across America, as Vet it is disturbing to us in one of my groups, no name, sure as hell hate war though, I do alot of research re; legislation, from Disabled Vets to Impeachment of bushII, cheney, mukasey(yes, the house CAN do this)just take a gander at that piece of paper we call the Constitution of the United States, bush et al calls and treats it as 'other', Article.II.Section.4.
The reason there are so many homeless Vets is because upon their return home, they are not properly diagnosed by the professionals necessary in the diagnoses of the effect of war on the Vet, in so far as PTSD, women Vets that have been raped, normally by a superior Officer, suffer from a delayed stress disorder due to rape by a superior they trusted as well as PTSD. The improper diagnoses lead to Discharges for the wrong reasons, purposely being underscored by the V.A., which limits the duration and amount of disability received, in turn affects the Vets need for long term therapy, psychology, psychiatry, medication needs being met, ergo they need money to eat and sleep, then it becomes to eat, then it is what it is. They no longer have a home, ergo homeless, ergo no address, ergo no help medically which leads the despondant Vet to self medicate which results many times in addictions. So it is like a snake swallowing his tail, never ending until they receive help, die or kill themselves. BOR knows best, though. WTF, does he live in a shoe box?(sorry, john cleese)
This link will lead to a place that provides economic, warm, sight pleasing(need it when feeling like mad sick), green and the color?, oh my, the color!
My other activist group emailed, she is from the South, she said,"I just woke up, opened that mail, and I screamed,'Oh Lord, they've built a Detainee Center just for us, and almost fainted!"
Please look at who, not just the 2 famous contributors but ALL of the contributions in so many realms of design and developement. Do it for a homeless Vet, any homeless, non-insured Citizen, go to this link, Jeffbobmikecarolnobrain!
http://archinect.com/features/article.php?id=68296_0_23_0_C
Don't be too alarmed, though, Senator Spector is demanding answers to charges re; illegal spying.
Too bad it is in regards to a F@@KING football team!
rhodalee at 5:25AM on Feb 2nd 2008