Victor Davis Hanson: Did Bill O'Reilly Jump The Shark?

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Investors Business Daily:

Earlier this month, premier Fox newsman Bill O'Reilly became unhinged on live television. A red-faced O'Reilly loudly and repeatedly called his invited guest, Washington Post columnist and fellow conservative Fox News journalist George Will, a "hack" and accused him of lying.

 

It was a surreal moment, with stunned viewers no doubt muttering to themselves, "Is the jig finally up?"

 

Will had written a negative review of the fifth of O'Reilly's co-authored "Killing" books, "Killing Reagan." So O'Reilly dared Will to appear on his "No Spin Zone" hot seat.

 

Will did — and quietly punched some holes in O'Reilly's strange thesis that President Ronald Reagan had been metaphorically "killed" after a March 30, 1981, assassination attempt. According to "Killing Reagan," even years later the president may not have recovered enough to meet the demands of the office.

 

A number of outraged Reagan historians have questioned "Killing Reagan's" methods, sources and conclusions. So did Will. But Will added the stinger that the conservative O'Reilly and his co-author had played right into the hands of left-wing Reagan detractors. That heresy made O'Reilly go ballistic — shouting, interrupting and accusing.

 

Of course, the embarrassing treatment of Will was not something new for the host of "The O'Reilly Factor." But this time, O'Reilly bullied a fellow Fox News contributor who kept calm and professional. And the dispute was not just over history and politics, but raised questions about O'Reilly's ethics and decorum.