Will Bill O'Reilly be one of the "founding fathers" of the latest American political party, the Tea Party, which is being taken very seriously by many Americans?
It may well be. O'Reilly had two fellow Irish Americans on his show the other night to seriously discuss the formation of the Tea (Taxed Enough Already) Party, a hard-right group named after the successful mass rallies against President Obama's policies -- the events were called tea parties by participants.
O'Reilly pointed out that a recent Wall Street Journal poll showed that 35 percent of Americans lean Democratic, 28 percent lean Republican, but that a "whopping 41 percent support the Tea Party and its tactics."
His two studio guests were Mike Gallagher, a conservative Fox News contributor, and Ned Ryun, president of American Majority, an organization closely linked with the new movement.
O'Reilly suggested that the party should nominate Sarah Palin in 2012, and got an immediate ecstatic response from the two guests.
"All over it," Gallagher responded. "I would become the biggest cheerleader. Millions of Americans would, too. Bill, it's the perfect storm. Now's the time."
Ryun wanted to move even faster, and have the Tea Party take over the Republican Party itself. He believes it's possible in today's very volatile political climate.
O'Reilly said to his guests, "You want to basically overthrow the moderates, bring in the Tea Party philosophy and let that rule the GOP. It's very interesting, because that's what's going to happen on the other side, too."
Given that Sean Hannity, another Irish American, has been very active in pushing the Tea Party agenda, there may well have a full-fledged new political movement in the United States -- spearheaded on all fronts by Irish Americans.
The success of such a party is by no means out of the question. Imagine Palin as their candidate, and a split Republican Party in 2012. It could happen.
And don't be surprised if Hannity, in particular, is not somewhere on such a ticket.
"It's time for torches and pitchforks," Gallagher concluded.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.HeadHoncho | Dec 28, 2009, 02:45 PM EST
If the Tea Party People are to take over... they MUST assimilate with the Republicans. Otherwise, they'll split the conservative vote insuring that the spend-happy DEM's (Obama et.al.) will continue on their merry path. The DEMS are creating an entitlement society. Is that what JFK had in mind when he said, "Don't ask what your country can do for you..."? The DEMS don't get it, do they? R. Reagan envisioned a better path for this Nation.
graygoast52 | Dec 28, 2009, 11:21 AM EST
whats happening to United States? we have been brain washed we are being taken over by big money and spending on war tourn countries to buld up there economy and ours is going down the plans we sold f-14 jets to Iran years ago I know I worked for the company who sold then,why do we give weapens to counties later on is going to be against us. there was a catholic priest that said on tv that let the U.S. fight all the wars and run out of money than when we become a week nation and will be taken over by anothe nation .I really think our leaders want us to go there because they are tired of dealing with the american public and they do not know how to get us out of this mess. so let another nation try. think about it hard look at all the money you hear being give to iraq and afganistan isrial,and others to help keep them healthy.and we are getting sicker with all of a sudden thies new flues are coming out,is somone droping this stuff out of a plain, is our government useing us a ginny pigs and seeing how many people become sick ? they test people with the firat atomic bomb,on the after affects on them. there is a comsperisy going on.
graygoast52 | Dec 28, 2009, 10:52 AM EST
YOU KNOW THIS OLD MAN AT THE VA TOLD ME THERE IS GOING TO BE A REVELUTION AND I SAID AGAINST WHO AND WHO IS GOING TO FIGHT WHO,I CAN JUST SEE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE RUSHING OUT FOR WEAPONS IS THAT WERE WE ARE HEADIND TO? BILL I LOVE YOUR SHOW ,IM AN X VET NAM VET, I HAVE BAD FEELING ON ALL POLITICAL EVENTS,I WATCH THE HOUSE ALOT WHATT A BUCH OF PUSSEY ASSES,IM A DEM AT LEAST I WAS BUT I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH EVERYTHING THEY WANT TO PASS IN THE HOUSE I THINK OUR PRESEDENT IS GETTING THE IDEAS FOR SOMONE HIGHER UP THAN HIM HE IS TAKING ORDERS AND BEING BRAIN WASHED HIMSELF BUT NON OF IT IS GOING TO WORK OUT,TAXES ON HEALTH CARE, JOBS,I WISH SARAH HAD WON,I VOTE FOR OUR MAN BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE A BLACKMAN WIN,HE HAD GOOD SENCE WHAT HE WAS PREACHING,BUT THAN YOU CAN NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER, DOMINICK FROM OCALA FLORIDA
plasticpaddy | Dec 26, 2009, 06:39 AM EST
I would like to see evidence that most Americans don't want this legislation, alot of people on here claim that America is against it but I have yet to see a single shread of evidence. Typical right wing lies.
Pat Riley | Dec 25, 2009, 08:37 PM EST
I think Hancock is correct in his assessment. Obama is worsening the economy by forcing a health plan on the country that most Americans don't want. I am amazed that Letterman has lasted as long as he has. His show is about as entertaining as constipation,
Steve2350 | Dec 25, 2009, 01:37 AM EST
I believe it is time for a change. However, Please leave Palin out! I am very tired of hearing plitical junk and start geting someone in congress walk the talk and do what they say.
rubeinsky | Dec 24, 2009, 04:08 PM EST
I'm afraid is too late for another election. It is past time to run these crooks in Washington, District of Criminals, out on a rail....time to step away from the ballot box and step up to the bullet box. It is past time to take our banking system called the Fed. away from the Zionist who have deceived the American people and led us into the brink of financial disaster. Do it now!!
plasticpaddy | Dec 24, 2009, 08:06 AM EST
yes Irish and proud, they will however either ruin the Republican party - which would be a good thing, or make the dems stronger, they will alienate the moderate voter the conservatives need to win a countrywide election. They may however have some gains in local elections where they can successfully dupe undereducated individuals into believing their anti-intellectual drivvel
plasticpaddy | Dec 24, 2009, 08:04 AM EST
of course not, im sure she didnt know what communism was, also catmann are you going to be another of these crazy far-right people on here giving Irish people a bad name?
catmann | Dec 24, 2009, 05:35 AM EST
Communist are trying to take over America by Hook or Crook,I'm sure my Great,Great,Great Grandmother didn't come to America,on a wooden ship,while Pregnant, to have her Heirs sucomb to communism.
catmann | Dec 24, 2009, 05:30 AM EST
Don't trust O'Reilly.
IrishAndProud | Dec 24, 2009, 04:56 AM EST
Well, one can say whatever they will about this whole matter of the 'Tea Baggers'...but they are indisputably king of the hill now, when it comes to being the rebels against The System...the corrupt, political system.
hancock | Dec 23, 2009, 11:25 PM EST
slip of the tongue? If a Republican said it we would still here it on Letterman. 57 states? Goodbye Dems in 10, Goodbye Obama in 12.
plasticpaddy | Dec 23, 2009, 05:08 AM EST
ok halfirishann, youre just being silly, it was clearly a slip of the tongue. To insinuate he is anything other than very intelligent is just farcical, by the way I'm not a democrat or an Obama supporter. Also your muslim states comment is both incorrect and a blatant lie. You still have not adequately answered a single question I posed of you
halfirishann | Dec 22, 2009, 07:49 PM EST
Obama spent 1 and 1/2 years in the senate, and the majority of his voting record was "present." The man thinks we have 57 states----only 50. But, there are 57 Muslim states!!!
plasticpaddy | Dec 22, 2009, 02:52 PM EST
Critarun - What did the forefathers want? Also should it not be the aggregate of the wishes of Americans wishes that the government strives for, not the wishes of white privilged elitist men who lived hundreds of years ago. Constantly looking to the past is not what they did, they looked for somethign new and achieved something amazing, if you were to do the same you might come to a very different conclusion.
plasticpaddy | Dec 22, 2009, 12:44 PM EST
halfirishann - the reason I said all this is that Russia was not communist, it was a dictatorshio much closer in economic organisation to fascism than communism. I make my coments becasue people who have not read the core texts of any theory are damned to make the same mistakes you do. Also I would like you to do one thing for me, everythign you mentioned about a free country is pssible under socialism/communism - not one of your suggestions are exclusive to capitalism. Also please refrain from calling Obama an extreme leftist, that is just silly and really takes away form the real points you are making, I may not agree with your points mostly but I can respect them when they coem from a logical place. To suggest Obama is an extreme leftist is to ignore his educational background, a bastion of capitalism to which he is very much linked - Harvard, or his time in the Senate. I am a leftist, not a communist but I do pride myself on understanding the opposition, I have read all core capitalist text (most at least) people who criticise communism should do the same otherwise any opposition to said theory comes form a place of ignorance and not knowledge.
Crystalline | Dec 22, 2009, 12:03 PM EST
Why didn't we do this to George W. Bush when he raised the hell out of the middle classes taxes? I'm talking 10 billion to 12 billion dollars MONTHLY. The economy was in the deep doo doo, our stock markets always fell down a painful flight of stairs (still is, but is being stabilized). But we have to look back and look at the wonderful job he did scaring and working his fear mongering stick. Bill is hardly liked by his boss Rupert Murdoch, but only keeps him around for making money.
Critarun | Dec 22, 2009, 08:24 AM EST
I think the tea party is a wonderful idea I believe its time for the government to start working for us again not us working for them back to what our fore fathers wanted when they first made the constitution for our country
peteto1 | Dec 21, 2009, 08:20 PM EST
I'm sorry, but I don't think Sarah Palin is the answer to the Nation's ills. She's bright and moral, but I want a candidate that was the VALEDICTORIAN of their class, NOT the class jock/ popular kid. Mitt Romney WAS the valedictorian of BYU when he graduated and got a DUAL major at Harvard (MBA/ Law degree). In fact, he graduated in the TOP percentile of BOTH programs at the SAME TIME. Not to mention that he's highly regarded as a financial "turnaround" specialist. After Obama, I think we'll NEED a "turnaround" guy/woman. (Not to mention Romney doesn't lie, drink, swear, etc., being a Morman).....
halfirishann | Dec 21, 2009, 08:03 PM EST
Oh plasticpaddy, so you don't think I know anything about communism. I have been around longer than you think, and when I was in school, we learned something--not like today. I have lived through Kruschev pounding his fist, John Kennedy (a true anti-communist), Russia taking over Europe with their false promises, food lines in Russia, having a better life in Moscow if you were a possible olympian--and thrown out if you didn't make it. Have you read "Masters of Deceit" a book on the required reading list in high school? Do you know that people in a free country work hours upon hours to make a better life for their family. Your dreams can really come true! Taxes are not more than your net pay! It is up to you to give extra money to the needy, not the government's to take. You have the freedom to defend yourself, you can choose the schools you want your children to attend. You can choose your own car, and the type of energy it uses!!!! Obama is surrounded by some people who call themselves communists--and rightly so. Try getting on u-tube and look up some of Alan Keyes videos. All of us are not ignorant--at this time we can still think for ourselves and take advantage of the knowledge that was handed down to us. Soon, my generation will be gone, and then little by little (since the school systems run by the government--and all will be--will be teaching anything but the truth about communism, socialism, tyranny,etc. making all of it sound like you will be well taken care of. I remember the slogan "better dead than red." Perhaps you are a member of the communist party or not, but if you have not lived in America for 63 years, you just cannot defend our extreme left lying president because the majority of Americans know better!!
elscorcho | Dec 21, 2009, 05:53 PM EST
Palin would be great, but would she quit when things get tough like she did her govenorship of Alaska? Any political party that would want that kind of leadership stands no chance...and is further evidence of the dumbing-down of America. Compare Obama's background of public service and scholarship to Palin, O'Reilly and Hannity for more clarity.
jlmealer | Dec 21, 2009, 02:27 PM EST
Palin-Mealer 2012.. I can deal with that. JL Mealer Mealer Companies LLC http://mealercompanies.com America's Next Major Automaker & 100% Self-Regenerative-Fueled High Capacity Electricity Producing Device MFG
Liamkeyes | Dec 21, 2009, 02:09 PM EST
Go Bill and Sean...The Irish Mafia! It's time for a change and don't forget Sarah, We can do with a pretty face.
britfether | Dec 21, 2009, 01:52 PM EST
This is the greatest news I have ever heard come out of O'Rielley's big mouth. Go ahead Billy Boy, get this new party of ditto heads and agnrey sheep together and put Palin or anyone else up for President against Obama. Great idea!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see what it does to the Republican party and how it will split the vote up and guarantee that Obama wil win a second term. Is there any chance that you could hurry up and do it before the mid terms Billy Boy? That might work out even better. If you can siphon of a bunch of idiot Republicans and take all thos right wing religious idiots and radicals and roll them all in a carpet and have them vote for the tea party, then I challenge you to do that, you boundless source of bravado, lies and BS. If you push for Palin (that idiot quitter) to be President, maybe you could get your drug addict buddy Limbaugh to run for Vice President also?
stevorh | Dec 21, 2009, 12:16 PM EST
I think that starting off with Palin as the main candidate would be a VERY BAD idea because of her previous association with the GOP. It's best to have a fresh new party with a fresh new "leader". Otherwise, the Democraps will just consider it the GOP-light.
mollymcgee | Dec 21, 2009, 11:59 AM EST
Go Palin!!!
killowen | Dec 21, 2009, 11:53 AM EST
O'Reilly is an agent of the CIA and in time this too may be revealed to we sheep.
FastEddy | Dec 21, 2009, 11:53 AM EST
Innkeeper! Set up my daily dose and put it on the communist party tab. "The needs of the many", right?
fmliddy | Dec 21, 2009, 11:50 AM EST
I think that it is pure nonscene
plasticpaddy | Dec 21, 2009, 11:29 AM EST
communist. Really? your'e having a laugh right? Madeline, look up Communism, you have a capitalist government, to suggest otherwise is farcical. I am not suggesting you join this fictional communist government. As for the Chicago Mafia comment, good joke, seriously funny. halfirishann "He is for "one world government", one world currency, and for the fall of America" please provide any evidence for this statement! As for the website you suggested, please stop pushing your religion on the posts, this is not the place or the time and is highly inappropriate. Also can people who say this country is becoming communist explain to me what they believe communism to mean, because I am beginning to serioucly dobt that any of you have read a single book about the theory or have any knowledge on what it is atall. For the record I am not a communist but do worry about using something as a scaprgoat when it has nothign whatsoever to do with the situation you speak of.
TruthNow | Dec 21, 2009, 08:47 AM EST
About time O'reilly woke up.No fair and Balanced with the Chicago Mafia running the country. Investigate www.theobamafile.com Bill could end up being an American hero if he would lead this investigation and get the REAL TRUTH OUT ASAP. Palin/West ticket 2012 u-tube video on West www.wnd.com RETIRED MILITARY WANTS TO TAKE BACK AMERICA
PamelaJ | Dec 20, 2009, 10:44 PM EST
I think it is an outrage that some people expect to take advantage of the participants of the Tea Parties to advance their own agendas. The point of the Tea parties is that they consist of many people of differing political parties who join together for voicing their opinions on items of mutual concern. I have helped start a Tea party group in my city and I belong to two tea party groups and I have attended many tea parties, healthcare town halls and even the National March on DC on 912, but I do not look for a new party. I will not follow anyone taking advantage of the Tea party movement, by trying to hijack the tea party participants into their own personal ambitions of creating a new party. I resent these people expecting all of us tea party participants to blindly follow anyone.
Madeleine | Dec 20, 2009, 08:27 PM EST
I have written 3 posts here and they are not posting them, jus tone that is full of typos, the other ones did not go through so Irish Central, stop asking me what I think if you dont' want to know OK?
Madeleine | Dec 20, 2009, 08:04 PM EST
Plasticpaddy: I dont' see where americans have any choice except to distance themselves from the communsists that are running our Government now. Are you proposing we join them? I assum you are posting from Amrica so you must know what is going on here.
extractor | Dec 20, 2009, 01:37 PM EST
It would be a proud day in American politics if the "Tea Party" would completely take over the Republican Party field it's own candidates. The former Republicans (I am one) would easily support this. Most everyone feels let down by the Republican Party when they went against their core values and stopped representing the people that voted them into office. This has happened across the whole political spectrum in our country. The disenchanted people of both parties I believe can come together, take-over the Republican Party (just because of the election laws in our country), it is a party with weak leadership or next to none that could with miminal effort be taken over. We could field candidates in 2010 and get this country moving toward representing the people. Term limits should be the cornerstone of a revitilized party least we get back into the same shape we are now. I don't know about people across the whole country but I for one am afraid this country is slipping into communist control. Our politicans passing legislation that is unconstutional, spending money like crazy and totally ignoring the wishes of the people. We as a country need to do something and I don't think we have much TIME.
plasticpaddy | Dec 20, 2009, 10:31 AM EST
yes, divide, that will set the conservatives back another 10 years.