WhereIstand blog

Another somewhat counterintuitive opinion that came across the whereIstand desk today was Bill O’Reilly’s apparent support for a public option:

But you know, I want that, Ms. Owcharenko. I want that. I want, not for personally for me, but for working Americans, to have a option, that if they don’t like their health insurance, if it’s too expensive, they can’t afford it, if the government can cobble together a cheaper insurance policy that gives the same benefits, I see that as a plus for the folks.

O’Reilly gets unfairly grouped in with the other clowns at Fox News. Yes, he is a clown; yes, he is a jerk but can be agreeable on a number of liberal issues. He supports same-sex marriage and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and believes government should regulate fuel-efficiency standards. He also supported Obama releasing the CIA torture memos and criticized John McCain’s mid-campaign call for suspension of a gas tax.

O’Reilly endorses the public option, which he previously called ‘socialism.’[Think Progress]

Recently-posted public opinions on whereIstand.com:

“I didn’t laugh once. The guy is unfunny. He’s corny. He looks like Popeye, I think, with these teeny eyes and his huge forehead.” Who is  Touré talking about?

David Brooks hopes Sotomayor gets confirmed.

Dave Winer says that without Steve Jobs, Apple is “empty.”

Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, on Radiohead’s experiment: “It wasn’t catered towards their musician brothers and sisters, who don’t sell as many records as them. It makes everyone else look bad for not offering their music for whatever.”

Sarah Palin said in an interview with Sean Hannity that socialism is where we are headed under current economic policies.

Separation of church and state need not apply to Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich.

O”Reilly finds an unlikely ally in Bill Press, who says “it’s wrong to call [him] a murderer.” Kathleen Parker agrees and, speaking broadly on accountability, says “you can’t blame anyone for a crime except the person who commits the crime.”

ESPN Radio’s Mike Greenberg says the French Open clinched the GOAT debate for Roger Federer.

“Outing closeted gays should be avoided in all cases” including gay Republicans, says Ana Marie Cox.

Recently-posted public opinions on whereIstand.com:

Barack Obama’s top advisor, David Axelrod, said Iraq was better off since the Saddam Hussein  regime was toppled.

Bill O’Reilly called President Obama’s message to the muslim world a “huge success.”

Both Roger Federer and Rod Laver – the two players most frequently mentioned in the Tennis GOAT debate – agree Federer isn’t the best. Ivan Lendl agrees.

Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen is getting Congress involved in the NBA’s minimum age requirement.

Laura Bush endorses Sotomayor as Supreme Court nominee and says she “sounds like a winner.”

Boston Globe’s Ellen Goodman wonders if “rhetoric can justify a crime in the mind of a fanatic” as she criticizes Bill O’Reilly’s past attacks on Dr. Geore Tiller’s abortion practices.

San Francisco Chronicle’s Bruce Jenkins writes that Roger Federer makes a “solid claim as the greatest player of all time” with his French Open victory yesterday.

Megan Fox said last week in an interview she hopes marijuana is legalized and when they do, “I’ll be the first person in line to buy my pack of joints.”