You read that right. Someone on "The O'Reilly Factor" said something offensive (no surprise) and then -- under pressure -- Bill O'Reilly acknowledged the comment was offensive. In a comment about the economic stimulus package, Dick Morris scoffed at President Obama, saying, "What he didn't quite explain to me -- and maybe I'm a little retarded about this -- is how are you going to get banks to give people car loans when the government is elbowing them aside?"
When this show aired, actor John C. McGinley of the TV show Scrubs, who has a son with Down Syndrome, was at the Special Olympics Winter Games, and he and several Special Olympic youth delegates let O'Reilly know how they felt about it. Watch their video.
O'Reilly heard them loud and clear. On his show, he said, "...McGinley...and the Special Olympics people contacted us objecting to the word 'retarded...' We understand that word stigmatizes millions of people... we are sensitive to the point. Shouldn't use that word." Read Tim Shriver's column on the incident.
2 comments:
It is still sad that it took public pressure from a high profile group of people to elicit the back-handed apology. Woldn't it be wonderful if someone on the show had actually called Dick Morris out about it right there on the air?
I've heard good friends of mine who know we have a special needs child say that word out of habit. They understand that it is inappropriate, and more and more people are not using the word. Yes, it would have been great if he'd have called out Mr. Morris on the air. However, I had no doubt in Bill that he would publicly apologize for his guest's comment. I fight for our special needs son, but I also dedicated years as a volunteer and alternative school teacher before he was born. We are foster parents. We are very familiar with the hardships of children in need and what hurts them most. And we still love Bill O'Reilly. He reports about charity and giving on his show. Bill gives thousands every year. I appreciate that this incident was posted but I don't appreciate the (no surprise) comment. I don't think it describes what I see on his show on a regular basis. Bill is very generous, and he gave $10,000 last year to our son's charity, which is like winning the jackpot for charities without much funding. I've heard plenty of insulting guests on many shows. The apology is what counts. Just shedding a little positive light on the subject.
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