Guess who else was a war correspondent!?
Feb 24, 2015, 7:11 AM | Updated: 9:12 am
(AP Photo/File)
After Brian Williams got in trouble for his Iraq War exaggerations, Fox commentator Bill O’Reilly was among the people saying the media must be held accountable.
“All Americans who love their country should think about other news agencies that are distorting the facts.”
Then Mother Jones Magazine, not a fan of O’Reilly, digs up a clip from 2013, where O’Reilly said, “Because I was in a situation one time in a war zone in Argentina, in the Falklands where my photographer got run down …”
Well, my ears perked up because, you know who else was in Argentina during the war 33 years ago?
Me!
But I wasn’t in the Falklands. I was where Bill O’Reilly was – 1,200 miles away in Buenos Aires covering another big story: The visit of Pope John Paul II. No one considered the city a war zone – otherwise I’m pretty sure the Pope wouldn’t have been there.
In fact, reporters were so frustrated they had printed up a T-shirt that said in big letters,
“I covered the war in the Falklands”
and then in smaller letters –
“from Buenos Aires.”
O’Reilly told talk host Hugh Hewitt he never said he was actually in the Falklands when his photographer was injured.
“Everyone knows – no one got to the Falkland Islands,” said Hewitt.
“Correct. And nobody said that I did. And I never said I did,” replied O’Reilly.
Hmmm. Really?
Because he did say, “One time in a war zone, in Argentina, in the Falklands …”
So I report, you decide.
But if being in Buenos Aires in June of 1982 counts as being in a war zone, I’m just going to quietly add it to the resume.
Please don’t tell anyone.