Bill O’Reilly took on David Letterman last night. Advantage: O’Reilly. The Political Teen has video. Letterman recycled chickenhawk arguments, muttered “Honest to Christ!” when O’Reilly refused to back down from his criticism of Cindy Sheehan, and attacked O’Reilly’s show despite admitting he doesn’t watch it. Some highlights:

O’REILLY: No way that a terrorist that blows up women and children is going to be called a freedom fighter on my program. (applause)

LETTERMAN: I’m not smart enough to debate you point to point on this, but I have the feeling that about 60 percent of what you say is crap (laughter)…

O’REILLY: 60?

LETTERMAN: 60 percent…I’m just spitballing here.

O’REILLY: Listen, I respect your opinion. You should respect mine (applause.) Our analysis is based on the best evidence we can get.

LETTERMAN: This fair and balanced…I don’t think you represent an objective viewpoint.

O’REILLY: But you have to give me an example if you’re gonna make those–

LETTERMAN: Well I don’t watch your show, so that would be impossible. (laughter)

O’REILLY: Then why would you come to that conclusion if you don’t watch the program?

LETTERMAN: Because of things that I have read, things that I know…

O’REILLY: Aw, come on. You’re going to take things that you have read knowing what they say about you? (Laughter).

Newsbuster’s Brent Baker has more.

Lorie Byrd writes:

Another thing Letterman did was talk about how our decision to invade Iraq was based on this president’s intelligence service. There was no mention of the entire previous decade of the Clinton administration’s intelligence gathering that led to making regime change in Iraq our national policy. There was no mention of intelligence services around the world that came to the same conclusions. Nor of the UN’s position that Saddam had not destroyed WMD they knew him to possess. It was a pretty sorry spectacle and what really bothers me is that programs like Letterman’s and Leno’s and Today and GMA and The View are where many Americans (possibly even the majority) get their “news.” It is truly a sad thing to see.

What is sad is to see is someone in the media so ignorant (or brainwashed) about things that everyone should know. That John Kerry and Bill Clinton and so many other Democrats believed, and stated on record, the same things that George Bush believed about WMD is something that anyone with even a mediocre memory should remember. I really hate to say this, but I think the things I heard from Letterman (and that I hear from others like him) go beyond ignorance and poor recollection and come closer to brainwashing territory….Emotions rule, don’t confuse him with the facts.

Ace of Spades:

My friend Steve actually was in an argument with a college hippychick one time, and she said, “Well, I may not know all the (finger quotes) ‘facts’ but I just feel that…” At least she was 19 and not 87, or however old Letterman is.

***

Before O’Reilly came on to the set, Letterman stirred a guest mug of water with his pencil…and then watched O’Reilly drink from it as the audience snickered. I really hope this was a planned joke that O’Reilly was in on. If not, I hope Letterman apologized for such a sophomoric little prank. Crikey.

The Democratic Underground gave Letterman two thumbs up.