Round Four: Bill O'Reilly Hits Back at Nick Kristof

By: E&P Staff In round four of their heavyweight battle, Bill O'Reilly hit back at Nicholas Kristof on Monday, calling him "absolutely clueless" and adding that the New York Times columnist has "no idea what is happening in the country."

Earlier, O'Reilly had labeled Kristof a "leftwing ideologue" and the columnist responded on Sunday by calling O'Reilly a "bully," adding, '"Let us pray that Mr. O'Reilly will understand that the Christmas spirit isn't about hectoring people to say 'Merry Christmas,' rather than 'Happy Holidays,' but about helping the needy."

Today, in his Talking Points Memo posted online, the Fox News TV personality, syndicated columnist and radio host, wrote, "While I always appreciate prayers, Mr. Kristof, you are sadly misguided in your descriptions. As everyone who watches this program knows, we donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to the poor each year through proceeds from BillOReilly.com.

"In fact, the website was actually set up to help the needy, and I think it's safe to say that this year alone, I've donated more money to help the poor than you have in your entire life. What say you, sir?

"And if you're not an ideologue, please explain this absurd paragraph in your column:

"'Perhaps I'm particularly sensitive to religious hypocrites because I've spent a chunk of time abroad watching Muslim versions of Mr. O'Reilly - -demagogic table thumpers who exploit public religiosity as a cynical play to gain attention and money.'

"So I'm now Mullah Omar... right, Mr Kristof? And then you go on to compare me to Joseph McCarthy--the usual clich?d nonsense.

"The shame is that Nicholas Kristof has done good work on Darfur and the trafficking in human beings around the globe. He is not usually a character assassin like some other Times columnists. But Mr. Kristof is a committed secularist who seems to not understand the culture war, or that his team is intent on diminishing the traditions of Christmas and other Judeo-Christian hallmarks, and that is deeply offensive to most Americans."