This reminds me so very much of the “I don’t play games” cultural phenomena of the ’60’s and ’70’s. (google: “song the games people play” or “john lennon lyrics just give me some truth”). What began as a serious attempt to get some straight talk from people - primarily the Nixon administration - quickly devolved into every “Right-On” slime-ball in any type of relationship (personal or business, but especially personal) insisting “I don’t Play games” which translated into “I don’t play by any set of rules except my own. I’m not going to tell you what those rules are. I reserve the right to change any of those rules at any time to my advantage. If you happen to discern any of those rules they don’t apply to me in any case.

O’Reilly’s take on that: “the “Facts” are what I say they are. I will not reveal those “Facts” to you, I will only make statements that allude to them. I reserve the right to alter those “Facts” as I see fit. If you happen to discern what lies beneath my statements, you may not use it to counter my arguments in any case, as you then are simply “spinning the facts”.

Reread Mark’s post with this in mind and the incongruities disappear.

I actually watched that interview, and I guess my frustration with Ron Paul was that, even with other concerns included, you still ought to be able to throw the comment in, “yes I am concerned with nuclear weapons in Iran, and I think (xyz) will happen if/when we leave, but…”

I really got no indication that he was going to do anything except complain about other related policies, all of which is relevant but not to the point.

He’s going to have to learn not to get flustered and find smoother transitions to what he actually wants to talk about. O’Reilly can get away with interrupting people like Ron Paul because, frankly, it sounds like dodging when you are asked one question and begin to answer another.

My two cents.

We’ll see what happens.

The worst part by far was Mr. O’s inability to let his guest answer a single question without him being cut off. I half wished that RP would have more or less side tracked the interview and moved it into a debate regarding Oreilly’s methods of operation. Ron did look very tired in the debate. It was the first thing I noticed as well.

I think this hurts more than helps, because the vast majority of people still watching Mr. O after years of watching his cowboy BS have lost to many brain cells to respond to anything over “shut up” and “cut his mic” jerry springer crap.