Talk show host Bill O’Reilly has blasted the University of Oregon for the preponderance of registered Democrats among its professors in political science, economics, journalism, sociology and law. See the video here:

Sound familiar? I could have sworn a certain Emerald columnist might have broached this subject in our pages back in June, then published an article about it subsequently in the Christian Science Monitor and the Oregonian. You know, scooping Bill O’Reilly by two months. But Lawton gets no mention in O’Reilly’s segment, despite being the man who did the legwork for O’Reilly by having the idea and going to the database to do the research.

We are, however, treated to a rather amusing “interview”/lecture by O’Reilly’s lackey Dan Bank on Provost Jim Bean.

Bank: Do you feel this is a fair educational system paid for by the taxpayers?

Bean: I don’t know if that’s true.

It is, of course, taken out of context (in true O’Reilly fashion), but amusing nonetheless.

Lawton makes valid points in criticizing the University’s political balance. And it’s also great to have concerns about the way our institution is run aired on a national news program. However, if the news program is national, and if journalism is still considered a public service, then it has a responsibility to try and put facts here in a national context.

But I didn’t see O’Reilly comparing figures here to figures at other state universities, which would entitle him to make bold assertions such as “In the country, there are twice as many conservative individuals as liberal in the country, OK? That’s what it is. And I think it breaks down in academia the same way.”

UO Matters is also questioning O’Reilly’s calling being a University of Oregon professor a “plush, plum job,” in light of the University’s dead, dead last finish in the American Association of Universities faculty pay stakes.

Anyway, it’s not the first time O’Reilly has called for heads at the University of Oregon. You can watch him give former Oregon Commentator editor Tyler Graf the straw man treatment over the Student Insurgent’s naked Jesus cartoons here:

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