Bill O'Reilly on "The View" Calls Senator Obama a "Communist"

Labeling Senator Obama a Socialist -- New McCarthyism?

Bill "Papa Bear" O'Reilly appeared on ABC's "The View" Wednesday, Oct. 22, and millions might have missed it, but the subsequent viewings on the internet of the exchange between the controversial Fox Channel talk show host and the women of "The View" has got to have equaled or perhaps surpassed that number. And for good reason. The lively dialogue between co-hosts Joy Behar and Barbara Walters on one side and Bill O'Reilly on the other is an amazing display of partisanship and effrontery.

The volume of the dialogue began to rise when Elizabeth Hasselbeck, "The View's" conservative co-host, served O'Reilly a soft set-up, mentioning the "redistribution of wealth" issue that had come up on "The O'Reilly Factor" when Bill O'Reilly had interviewed Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama. O'Reilly called it a "socialist tenet" and when Hasselbeck stated, "When you asked him about redistribution of wealth ... he couldn't --", O'Reilly said, "Right. He's a communist." The crowd erupted in booing while O'Reilly chuckled and Hasselbeck laughed behind her notes.

O'Reilly told the crowd to lighten. "This is 'The View,'" O'reilly intoned pointing at the audience. "This isn't 'Sixty Minutes,' what's wrong with you?"

Joy Behar then spoke up, "You know what a red flag that is - Commie - in this country."

O'Reilly turned and in mock solicitousness, said, "Did I offend you?"

Behar told him that it was "just ridiculous."

He took back his term, then said, "Just socialist. He's not a communist."

The back-and-forth was engaged from that moment on. O'Reilly accused Behar of going after Senator McCain when he appeared on "The View." They called each other partisans. Barbara Walters asked if they could talk about him and, when he asked if she would be nice, Walters said, "Not necessarily."