Fox News host Bill O’Reilly brought on Jorge Ramos on Wednesday night, where the two got into a heated debate over Ramos’ role as an anchor at Spanish language television network Univision.
After the two discussed their disagreements over building a wall at the southern border and undocumented immigrants, O’Reilly challenged Ramos over his reporting style. The Univision anchor recently got kicked out of a Donald Trump press conference temporarily for asking the candidate a question without first being called on.
“You’re an anchorman. How could you possibly cover illegal immigration fairly when you’re an activist, when you’re a proponent of allowing them amnesty?” O’Reilly asked Ramos. “How can you possibly cover the story? You should excuse yourself from it, or recuse yourself from it. Or become like me — a commentator.”
“I’m just a reporter asking questions,” Ramos responded.
“You’re not! You’re an activist!” O’Reilly hit back.
But Ramos would not back down, pointing to O’Reilly’s style as a Fox News host.
“Mr. O’Reilly, I don’t think you are the right person to lecture me on advocacy and journalism when you spend most of your program giving opinions without asking questions,” he said.
“I’m a commentator, that’s what I do,” the Fox host said in response.
Then, when Ramos said that he “can be tough” with both President Obama and Donald Trump, O’Reilly said his his interview with Obama was “a hundred times harder.”
O’Reilly continued to tell Ramos to acknowledge that he is a commentator.
“We report, but we also have to challenge those who are in power,” Ramos said, defending the way he approaches his job.
Watch the debate, courtesy of Fox News. They begin discussing their roles at their respective news channels at the 5:25 mark.
And that’s what it’s all about.
American journamalists should take note.
Haven’t almost all major anchors had spots either during their news cast or on other shows where they give opinions?
Boom!!! O’Reily, you are also a hypocrite. I like Jorge. A lot. I wish more would do their jobs the way he does his.
O’Reilly’s response is exactly what I would expect it to be - a double standard.
As much as I hate Bill O’Reilly, he is right here. Ramos is a joke of a journalist. He is an advocate for illegal immigration. He can’t be a journalist and also an advocate for a position. He violates every journalistic creed, and is no better than O’Lie-ly.
As if O’Reilly is not an activist. But of the worst kind. .