The spat began when O'Reilly jokingly asked Ingraham if she's going on a dinner date with Howard Dean now that he's bashing the Senate's version of ObamaCare.
Ingraham responded:
It's like you and Michelle Obama. We're like this...I'm gushing over your gushing last night about the Christmas party. I'm still trying to get over that.
From there, the floodgates opened (video embedded below the fold with partial transcript, h/t Tweep Cubachi):
BILL O'REILLY, HOST: Now for the top story tonight, how do conservative Americans feel about Howard Dean being on their side? Joining us from Washington, FOX News analyst and radio talk show star Laura Ingraham.
So I understand you and Dr. Dean have a dinner date tonight? Are you going to go out and.
LAURA INGRAHAM: Oh, yeah.
O'REILLY: Yeah?
INGRAHAM: It's like you and Michelle Obama. We're like this.
O'REILLY: Hey, Michelle and I have very, very close. Very close.
INGRAHAM: I'm gushing over your gushing last night about the Christmas party. I'm still trying to get over that.
O'REILLY: Wait, a minute. I'm going to call you - I'm calling you out on this.
INGRAHAM: Oh, man.
O'REILLY: I thought she was very nice at the party.
INGRAHAM: What do you think she's going to do to you?
O'REILLY: I thought she treated everybody respectfully. And you're giving me a hard time about that because I reported honestly.
INGRAHAM: What did you think she's going to do you? Not allow you near to the punch bowl? I mean, of course she's going to be nice to you.
O'REILLY: So what? She was nice. I reported what happened. And you have a beef with it?
INGRAHAM: I don't remember you gushing over Laura Bush.
O'REILLY: Well, then you have a bad memory, Miss Laura, because I said.
INGRAHAM: Yeah.
O'REILLY: When Laura Bush gave the initial speech at convention in 2000, I was the first broadcaster to say this woman gave an extraordinary speech on education.
INGRAHAM: I have one question for you.
O'REILLY: So you don't know what you're talking about. Don't call me out on that.
INGRAHAM: Bill, one question.
O'REILLY: Go ahead.
INGRAHAM: Did you eat an ACORN cookie last night?
O'REILLY: Oh, bull. You are a blind ideologue who even if somebody's nice to you, won't admit it because, you're, talking about a Kool-aid drinker.
INGRAHAM: I'm sure that.
O'REILLY: Come on.
INGRAHAM: Oh, come on.
O'REILLY: You have an ID attached to your arm on the Kool-aid.
INGRAHAM: They're a beautiful family, but let's talk about the health care bill.
O'REILLY: All right.
Like true professionals, they quickly let bygones be bygones, and got down to business.
For the record, this is what Ingraham was referring to from the previous evening's "Factor":
O'REILLY: Last night, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the White House media Christmas party, or as they say in San Francisco, "the holiday party." This is the fourth time I've attended the annual event. And I believe it's a privilege to go to the White House any time. The President and First Lady were very gracious to me. This is the first time I've spoken to Michelle Obama. And I was impressed. She's charismatic, articulate, and beautiful.
The President and First Lady could not have been nicer to everybody. The first Obama Christmas party was less crowded than last year, which, of course, was hosted by President and Mrs. Bush. Looking around, the decorations were not as elaborate. The tone of the party more subdued. And I think it was calculated because of the recession.
Nevertheless, everybody seemed to have a good time. And there was a good cheer in the air.
