KIRSTEN POWERS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yes, I have to tell you that when this was first sent to me, this was yesterday I talked about this, I had to keep asking over and over again, are you sure this ran in "The Washington Post. I don't understand this. This guy works for NBC?"
Because this was the type of thing that you would expect to read on a far left blog. It has all the hallmarks of the basic far left arguments, which is, you know, the reference to our sons and daughters. We have to save our sons and daughters. The reference to — they're all pawns, they're all stupid. They don't actually want to be over there.
The reference that they only support the war because they have to. What else would they do? They couldn't get up in the morning unless they were tricked.
O'REILLY: Yes, they're too stupid to know what they do.
POWERS: Exactly. And.
O'REILLY: But what about Haditha and Abu Ghraib?
POWERS: Well.
O'REILLY: I mean, my God, you know how many hundreds of —
POWERS: Yes.
O'REILLY: ...thousands of U.S. forces went through there and behaved honorably and put their lives on the line?
POWERS: But I think - I actually think, not to defend him, I think his point was that they were bad apples and it was overlooked. I mean, I don't think that he was trying to say that...
O'REILLY: No, no, no. It was that the American people gave the benefit of the doubt to the military.
POWERS: Right. Bad apples.
O'REILLY: Well, maybe they shouldn't.
POWERS: Well, it was kind of.
O'REILLY: That's what it was.
POWERS: I really didn't read it that way.
O'REILLY: Read it again.
POWERS: OK.
O'REILLY: Read it - I've read it 15 times.
POWERS: But I thought it was - but overall, it was very condescending. And I mean, and the mercenary comment, of course.
O'REILLY: Ha.
POWERS: Was so over the top.
O'REILLY: Oh, my God.
POWERS: That it was just completely outrageous.
O'REILLY: What if you had lost a brother or a husband over there and Arkin, this despicable human being is saying he's a mercenary, he didn't love his country.
POWERS: Yes.
O'REILLY: He just did it for the obscene amenities we're sending. Oh, my God.
POWERS: But the thing that I thought was particularly strange about it is that when you look at what was said in the NBC report, there's nothing in it that should have incited this kind of anger.
O'REILLY: No, he's a hater.
POWERS: I mean, the people - these kids and these guys, these men, whoever they were, were actually saying we don't really — they sounded more hurt than angry that the American people weren't supporting the war.
O'REILLY: Look, and that is their opinion.
POWERS: Yes.
O'REILLY: And they're entitled to it. They gave that opinion to me. They gave it to Michelle. And if the soldiers over there say look, you know, we'd like you to support us. We feel — we here on the front lines feel.
POWERS: Yes.
O'REILLY: We're doing something noble, then you can dissent from the war. This isn't about war dissent.
POWERS: Yes.
O'REILLY: This is about insulting people who are trying — giving their lives to give freedom to other people.
POWERS: Yes. And also Bill, this isn't a good - he's not a good analyst.
O'REILLY: Oh.
POWERS: There are all sorts of good reasons to oppose the war. And it's not — you don't go and attack the soldiers.
O'REILLY: Michelle - I go to ask Michelle one more thing. What did you think of the NBC statement, Michelle?
MALKIN: I thought it was as weasely as William Arkin's interview with your producer.
O'REILLY: I mean, can you imagine.
MALKIN: Yes.
O'REILLY: All NBC News had to do was say, you know, we find that reprehensible.
MALKIN: You know, it would have been nice if they said we stand by the troops who were interviewed in that story.
O'REILLY: I mean, it is just — I am going to keep the ladies for another minute. So kill the music. Now how should we react to this? What should we do, Michelle? What do you think we should do? Michelle?
MALKIN: I think that putting pressure on "The Washington Post" board of directors, the editorial board, their media critics, and the NBC News management.
I think in addition to just how incoherent and illogical and embarrassing William Arkin's rhetoric was, it's also about how he abused these troops because he mischaracterized what they actually said. And he continues to stand by that. And that is a dishonest smear on these troops.
And I think if you really do support the troops, even if you oppose the war, you should get behind making William Arkin pay a price for his intellectual.
O'REILLY: Now he's got his little NBC cap on there. What do you think we should do, Kirsten?
POWERS: Well, I don't think - I mean, I think there's an argument to be made that it's good that he's out there saying these things, because I think it gives an airing to frankly a view that's not that uncommon.
O'REILLY: So you think that no, you shouldn't do anything?
POWERS: No, I have arguments with friends all the time that say - they don't — minus - take the mercenary thing off the table. The rest of it's not, frankly, that uncommon among a certain group of people.
O'REILLY: Yes.
POWERS: And so.
MALKIN: Elitism and snobbery.
POWERS: Yes.
MALKIN: Hostility towards our troops.
O'REILLY: We know.
MALKIN: Yes, let a thousand Arkins bloom so we can just see how naked their hatred of the troops is.
O'REILLY: Well, we'll let them bloom.
MALKIN: I agree with that.
O'REILLY: We — they can't bloom any more than they bloom right here tonight. Ladies, thank you very much. We appreciate it.
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