Appearing on Thursday's O'Reilly Factor on Fox News, Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel slammed fill-in host Laura Ingraham: "Let me say this. That Bill O'Reilly told me he had a secret weapon, I didn't know it was just a pretty girl that he would bring in." Ingraham responded: "That's very condescending, sir. A pretty girl. These are serious questions." [Audio available here]
Ingraham was questioning Rangel on whether or not President Obama's economic policies have benefitted minorities. The New York Congressman dodged such questions as he continually blamed Republicans for unemployment remaining high.
At the end of the contentious interview, Rangel apologized, sort of, for his "pretty girl" comment: "I'm sorry I said you were attractive. I withdraw that completely." Ingraham shot back: "That's alright. I was going to make a joke about the condo in the Dominican Republic. I didn't make it out of respect for you. So I appreciate your time. He [President Obama] should have taken your condo instead of gone to Martha's Vineyard."
Here is a transcript of the August 18 exchange:
8:40PM ET
(...)
INGRAHAM: Colonel Allen West was making a very provocative point indeed. A lot of people have used a lot of colorful language over the years on the left and the right. I think both have. Maxine Waters is clearly very frustrated right now with the President. She let loose on him yesterday saying, 'Look, he is not coming into any black communities.' She's coming at it from her perspective. Allen West is coming at it from his. I would ask you: Has the President's economic plans, have they panned out for minority communities especially?
RANGEL: Heck no because the Republicans made up their mind and as soon as he got elected-
INGRAHAM: Okay. Go ahead.
RANGEL: Thank you so much. You know, your questions really sound like little mini speeches.
INGRAHAM: No, maybe you don't get real questions from real people. I don't know.
RANGEL: This is your show, but what about real answers?
INGRAHAM: You had a Democratic House, a filibuster-proof Senate and the White House in Democratic hands. Okay? You had that for the first two years. Can't blame Republicans for those two years or can you?
RANGEL: We can say what the man inherited if you would permit me to say it.
INGRAHAM: Those two years you guys were fully in charge. No Republican House. Did it work out?
RANGEL: We had two wars that we shouldn't have been in.
INGRAHAM: Okay, it's Bush's fault.
RANGEL: Let me say this. That Bill O'Reilly told me he had a secret weapon, I didn't know it was just a pretty girl that he would bring in.
INGRAHAM: That's very condescending, sir. A pretty girl. These are serious questions.
RANGEL: You have asked me 50 questions.
INGRAHAM: Right.
RANGEL: I'm begging you. OK, I'm begging you.
INGRAHAM: OK, let's hear an answer. You are not answering any of the questions.
RANGEL: I'm begging you to leave all the plantation stuff and this.
INGRAHAM: We have moved beyond the plantation.
RANGEL: Leave out Johnson and the poverty program.
INGRAHAM: But that's actually a serious question.
RANGEL: And just ask me one question at a time.
INGRAHAM: I have asked four questions and you haven't answered.
(...)
INGRAHAM: Thank you, Congressman.
RANGEL: I have to quit?
INGRAHAM: I wish we had the whole hour.
RANGEL: I welcome coming back. I'm sorry I said you were attractive. I withdraw that completely.
INGRAHAM: That's alright. I was going to make a joke about the condo in the Dominican Republic. I didn't make it out of respect for you. So I appreciate your time. He [President Obama] should have taken your condo instead of gone to Martha's Vineyard. In a moment…
RANGEL: The condo actually wasn't worth that much money.
INGRAHAM: Better than Martha's Vineyard.
