Previous Next Latest

Death Cab at the DNC: Resisting the Urge to Punch Bill O’Reilly

8/26/08, 9:24 pm EST

Photo courtesy of Chris Walla

On the stereo: “Late-Century Dream,” Superchunk

The level of meta-meta-meta-post-everythingness around this event has me a little rattled. There are 15,000 journalists here. Is there reason for every last one of them to be here? No. Probably not even a third of them.

The Pepsi Center itself is a labyrinth of caves and passageways, wired with miles upon miles of CAT-5 cable to accommodate all these bloggers, TV and radio types, thousands of cameras and laptops and passenger pigeons and every other media transmission type you can imagine. No one really knows where they’re going yet, and no one has enough time to get anything done quite the way they’d like; we did an interview (which went really well, thankfully) with Melissa Long for CNN, but the lighting director didn’t get the three minutes he was promised to do his thing, and he spent the minutes after the interview apologizing profusely for how we were gonna look on national TV. But, you know, we’re a rock band. No one cares how we look, least of all us. Ha! Not really. But kind of.

Last night was pretty incredible. Much has been written already about how moving the Lion’s speech was; how cute the Obamas’ kids are; how Michelle absolutely owned it. It was amazing to be here, and it’s why I was so frustrated with some of the commentary I saw afterwards. As in, what convention was James Carville at, anyway? I think he must have been in some other building. The thing I saw last night was far from a squandered opportunity. I doubt it’ll go down as a transformative moment in American political history, but I do think it caught the zeitgeist. It felt right. I hope he got some good sleep.

Bill O’Reilly walked into the lobby of the Grand Hyatt as Ben, Nick and I were standing there this afternoon. He’s very tall, maybe 6′3″, which surprised me, because he’s such a small man. I’ve never felt the urge to throw the first punch like I did at that moment, but I didn’t, because then I’d be “that guy.” But then again, I’d be “that guy”!! And wouldn’t that make me a kind of wingnut lefty superhero? Like, where Al Franken would make me lunch?

One other note: I caught up with Senator Leahy again this morning. I had him all wrong: He’s a huge Dead Head (in fact, GD drummer Mickey Hart was at the reception) and actually has a cameo in The Dark Night. We hung out for a bit. I might have to move to Vermont.

More Chris Walla Blog Posts:
Death Cab at the DNC: Chris Walla on “Badass” Patrick Leahy

Photo courtesy of Chris Walla


Previous Next Latest

Comments

William | 9/5/2008, 12:01 pm EST

You are ignorant if you think that Bill O’Reilly cares about you! He’s a true american hero, he tells it how it is just like McCain. Should the dems win this election, us repubs will take it back by force. Keep america safe! God Bless!

Harold_and_Kumar | 9/1/2008, 12:58 am EST

Bill O’Reilly is a twit… and as with anything on Fox Network, it should be taken at face value.

There “expert” analysis of the Oregon Primary referred to Lane County as the “Granola Belt” and called Oregon the most Liberal State in the country… it it’s explanation why Kentucky votes for Clinton and Oregon voted for Obama…

Infirmed and imbalanced… would you expect more from a producer who is a Republican operative??

Matt | 8/30/2008, 7:45 am EST

Ah yes, Chris Walla, the one-punch machine gun. I’m guessing when you express your fear of being “that guy,” you mean “that guy who just got his cheekbone crushed by a bloody insane fascist who’s got 50 pounds on him.” For god’s sake, please stick to writing flaccid twee pop for teen girls’ IM profiles. Please don’t give the impression that everyone of liberal bent fantasizes about going all Liu Kang on right-wing commentators with our pasty white arms. It’s embarrassing.

123 | 8/29/2008, 8:19 pm EST

I don’t like O’Rilley for many reasons. But I do choose to watch both Fox and CNN to see the differences in opinions, although it’s obvious what they are. Personally I don’t like either canidate and think both are flawed in there own way. I just hope the American people will choose who THEY think is right for the job. Not who the media wants it to be.

ThugBug | 8/29/2008, 11:22 am EST

Funny how such a liberal minded person like you would even “throw a punch” at all….maybe you should look into getting on at Halliburton?

O’Reiley would take you out - chump.
What a loser. What a complete and total loser.

You’re going to fight? How is that change? Have you had a conversation with anyone from the right - or are they just wrong all the time….kind of like you not liking certain people for their color?

You’re a bigot and are too ignorant to realize this….

Another example why half-rate musicians with 2-3 hits to their name (if that) have no business in politics…

Ryan in Bham | 8/29/2008, 3:37 am EST

Chris, you have more restraint than I. I would have taken that first punch.

phantasmictoto | 8/28/2008, 11:15 am EST

In regards to that embarrasingly hilarious photo of the protester: Real Americans don’t falsely question their fellow Americans’ patriotism and loyalty. Especially not on the basis of what media outlets one regularly views. Or on the basis of what political opinions one has. All of these people who, ever since 9/11, have questioned the patriotism of those who question the competency of our ‘leader’ Bush don’t seem to understand our nation’s responsibility of checks and balances. That’s not just the responsibility of our congress and courts, but also of all of us regular, everyday citizens of this nation. You CAN NOT have a strong, successful democracy when you (meaning ALL OF US) allow the one/s in charge to get away with everything they want without any checking-that’s NOT a democracy, but rather a monarchy. Unfortunately, our media (largely lead by the example of Fox News) and, fairly, also us as citizens have sat back and allowed our great democracy to turn about as close as it can get into a theocratic monarchy. This administration and it’s loyal supporters regularly charge that those of us who dare disagree with anything that has been done in the past 8 years are un-American and pro-terrorist. Well, by this philosophy, I guess about 68% (Bush’s most recent disapproval rating) of this nation hates their country, are not real Americans, and absolutely love them terrorists!

When is this disgusting behavior of patriotic supremecy, or whatever you want to call it, going to end? I seem to remember another leader who accused his dissenters and questioners with charges of disloyalty and love of the enemy. That man was Hitler, and these were some of the Nazi’s propaganda moves. Let’s not fall down that path.

Now, if you love Fox News, O’Reilly, and Hannity, more power to you. If you love MSNBC, Olbermann, and Matthews, more power to you. If you love CNN or PBS, more power to you. But for God’s sake, don’t go around claiming that all who disagree with you in some form aren’t real Americans. There is nothing more un-American than that.

Wil Drift | 8/27/2008, 6:11 pm EST

Does Anybody remember back in the 90′
s when some congressman got fed up and started punching his rivals, a couple while they were doing on air interviews on the street. Walla, made me remember that with his O’Rielly sentiment. Their record would probably go back up to number one immediately, for better or worse. Beyond that, Walla never said he was one of the journalists that needed to be there.

Anyways, this reminds me of when Politically Incorrect was on comedy central and they sent Chris Rock (and other smart alecks) to the conventions (maybe Ice-T) and it made for great TV. Nothing like injecting a little cultural diversity into the mix of self-serious insular politicos and hard-nosed journalists. At least that’s my opinion (and everyone who loves the Onion, Daily Show, and Colbert Report).

Jayson | 8/27/2008, 3:12 pm EST

Mr. Walla says he believes that maybe 1/3 of the journalists that attended the DNC should really have been there. I’d like to know, that as a guest journalist for Rolling Stone, what makes him believe he deserves to be there more than any of the others? Man, and I really liked their new song too…

mrwjd | 8/27/2008, 2:28 pm EST

Our next president will be chosen by “low information” voters–that is, pretty randomly. We can vote for a competent, creative, intellectual person who gets along famously with foreign leaders, or we can vote for an old curmudgeon with signs of not-so-early senility whose high moments include leaning across a conference table and grabbing a foreign leader by the collar in a fit of temper, while the victim’s military stood around with automatic rifles. …………

Between someone who, through intelligence and endeavor, came to fiscal solvency and the presidency from a financially struggling household, and married a competent, successful woman. Or someone who dumped his loyal wife after she was crippled in a terrible accident to whore around after everything in skirts, finally settling on an heiress who (when she isn’t too high on drugs) whips him around. …

Considering the ability of voters to distinguish between these two candidates, I’d say 15,000 reporters are scarcely enough.

The Graveyard | 8/27/2008, 1:27 pm EST

Ugh Thomas, that image of Bill O’Reilly wacking himself with a pocket rocket is going to haunt my dreams for years….eeeechhhh!

Reality | 8/27/2008, 11:19 am EST

Have you ever watched Bill’s show? Know anything about him other than what the right wing media is projecting?
Just Curious

thomas | 8/27/2008, 8:22 am EST

Bill (like Fox News itself) is completely dishonest in his posing as a politically “independant” journalist. You’d have to be delusional not to realize he’s a shrill for the GOP. Its the same tactics, smear by allusion, conjecture and plausible deniablily with “some people say”. There isn’t any honest discussion other than blame the Left/liberals/Democrats and if a guest disagrees then he behaves like a pompous child.
Even Limbaugh says “he’s Ted Baxter”.
Olbermann just holds his falsehoods to the light of day.
Besides the fact he’s a “traditionalist” who also masterbates with vibrator while calling women other than his wife…ewwwww.

Seth | 8/26/2008, 10:32 pm EST

Kinda like I need to resist the urge to punch Keith Olbermann. Snarky bastard.

InTheLionsDen | 8/26/2008, 10:27 pm EST

Is it O’Reilly’s show that grips you with such urges or have you spent some time with him?

Just curious ;)

Post A Comment

Caution: Off-topic comments will be deleted

Name:

Comments:



Advertisement

Advertisement