Yesterday the pre-game Super Bowl interview between Bill O'Reilly and President Obama covered many substantive issues, but much of the Twitter world and blogosphere was more concerned with O'Reilly's behavior in the interview. As can be seen in the video to the left, O'Reilly continually cut off the President in order to ask another question, redirect the interview, or simply make a statement. To many, O'Reilly's actions were disrespectful to Obama and, more importantly, the office of President of the United States. Of course, O'Reilly fans and conservatives have a much different point of view.
To a certain degree an improper interruption is all in the eye of the beholder, but numbers are objective. O'Reilly interrupted the President a total 22 times in a 15 minute interview. Many times O'Reilly did not interrupt to ask another question, but instead to insert a statement of his own. For instance, at one point after President Obama was explaining the justification behind the individual mandate in health care reform, O'Reilly stated at the (7:28) mark, "but you understand that a lot of Americans feel that you are a big government liberal who wants to intrude on their personal freedom." When President Obama tried to respond to that statement O'Reilly quickly cut him off again.
On average President Obama was given just 26 seconds to answer every question from O'Reilly. The maximum amount of time the President had to answer any question was 51 seconds. Often the President would be cut off within the first ten seconds of his answer. O'Reilly's questions often covered complicated subject matter, such as the transition to a new government in Egypt. O'Reilly also asked very personal and introspective questions, such as when he asked the President whether he has changed since being elected. After Obama reflected for a second and began to answer O'Reilly interrupted after ten seconds to tell the President how others think he has changed.
O'Reilly takes criticism for interruptions in Obama Super Bowl interview (Video) - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com
To a certain degree an improper interruption is all in the eye of the beholder, but numbers are objective. O'Reilly interrupted the President a total 22 times in a 15 minute interview. Many times O'Reilly did not interrupt to ask another question, but instead to insert a statement of his own. For instance, at one point after President Obama was explaining the justification behind the individual mandate in health care reform, O'Reilly stated at the (7:28) mark, "but you understand that a lot of Americans feel that you are a big government liberal who wants to intrude on their personal freedom." When President Obama tried to respond to that statement O'Reilly quickly cut him off again.
On average President Obama was given just 26 seconds to answer every question from O'Reilly. The maximum amount of time the President had to answer any question was 51 seconds. Often the President would be cut off within the first ten seconds of his answer. O'Reilly's questions often covered complicated subject matter, such as the transition to a new government in Egypt. O'Reilly also asked very personal and introspective questions, such as when he asked the President whether he has changed since being elected. After Obama reflected for a second and began to answer O'Reilly interrupted after ten seconds to tell the President how others think he has changed.
O'Reilly takes criticism for interruptions in Obama Super Bowl interview (Video) - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com
