O'Reilly bullshits about his french boycott

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-05-11 04:50am

FOX's O'Reilly fabricated evidence of success of purported boycott of French imports

Host Bill O'Reilly threatened Canada with a boycott like the one he advocated against France, then cited a phony statistic about the success of the French boycott. The threat came during O'Reilly's April 27 debate with Toronto Globe and Mail columnist Heather Mallick about Canada's harboring of two deserters from the U.S. military who have fled to Canada. From FOX News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor:

O'REILLY: Now if the [Canadian] government -- if your government harbors these two deserter [sic], doesn't send them back ... there will be a boycott of your country which will hurt your country enormously. France is now feeling that sting.

MALLICK: I don't think for a moment such a boycott would take place because we are your biggest trading partners.

O'REILLY: No, it will take place, madam. In France ...

MALLICK: I don't think that your French boycott has done too well ...

O'REILLY: ...they've lost billions of dollars in France according to "The Paris Business Review."

MALLICK: I think that's nonsense.

Media Matters for America found no evidence of a publication named "The Paris Business Review." A Google.com search revealed no mentions of "Paris Business Review," "Revue des Affaires de Paris," or any similar French name. A LexisNexis search for "Paris," "France," or "French" within five words of "business review" produced no relevant results. There is a journal called "European Business Review," which is published in England; however, over the past two years, "European Business Review" has not mentioned an American boycott of France.

Furthermore, contrary to O'Reilly's claim that France has lost "billions of dollars" due to an American boycott, American imports from France have actually increased since international tensions with France began in the months prior to the start of the war in Iraq in March 2003. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in February 2004, the United States imported $2.26 billion in French goods and services, up from $2.18 billion in February 2002.

Two days later, on the April 29 episode of The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly plugged a poll on his personal website, BillOReilly.com: "A new BillOReilly.com poll asks you the question will you boycott Canadian goods and services if that country does not return two American deserters who are being glorified by some of the Canadian media?'"

? G.W.

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-05-11 05:09am

Well I'm fucking shocked. NOT! Bill O'Reilly is like WWF; you know he's full of shit [well, you ought too by now], but the drama can be pretty cool.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-05-11 05:59am

BoredShirtless wrote:Well I'm fucking shocked. NOT! Bill O'Reilly is like WWF; you know he's full of shit [well, you ought too by now], but the drama can be pretty cool.

There's drama in the World Wildlife Fund ?

Vohu Manah · Post by **Vohu Manah** » 2004-05-11 06:06am

BoredShirtless wrote:Well I'm fucking shocked. NOT! Bill O'Reilly is like WWF; you know he's full of shit [well, you ought too by now], but the drama can be pretty cool.

WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), they lost the lawsuit filed by the World Wildlife Fund over their name.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-05-11 08:30am

http://www.iht.com/articles/104421.html

according to the international herald tribune, the numbers of Americans traveling to france dropped by 80% in the first half of 2003. much of that has to do with strength of the Euro.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/Worl ... 30616.html

abc news has slightly better numbers, although the decline is blamed on a perception amongst Americans that Parisians are <gasp!> arrogant!

Since 2000, the number of U.S. visitors has been declining steadily: from 3.5 million in 2000, to 3 million Americans in 2001 and down to 2.7 million last year.

http://www.euro-correspondent.com/ed16france.htm

even the French admit the decline... it's hard to hide a third of your customers vanishing.

whether it's because fo a boycott or a general dislike of French people, the dropoff is real. Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-05-11 09:07am

The issue is O'Reilly's laughable boycott, and his idea that the tiny viewership he commands could possibly cause France to lose billions of dollars- not tourism.

GySgt. Hartman · Post by **GySgt. Hartman** » 2004-05-11 09:27am

Col. Crackpot wrote:even the French admit the decline... it's hard to hide a third of your customers vanishing.

Care to back that up?

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-05-11 09:52am

GySgt. Hartman wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:even the French admit the decline... it's hard to hide a third of your customers vanishing.
Care to back that up?

um i did, did you click the fucking links to major media news sites and a european freelance journalist site that told of French hotels, resorts, restaraunts and stores desprately trying to attract lost American cutomers?

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-05-11 09:52am

Col. Crackpot wrote:Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.

And you were doing so well until this...

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-05-11 09:56am

BoredShirtless wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.
And you were doing so well until this...

it's true though... and i imagine it wouldn't be only Americans. Would you patronize a store where the staff was quite visible in their disdain for you?

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2004-05-11 10:03am

Col. Crackpot wrote:
BoredShirtless wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.
And you were doing so well until this...
it's true though... and i imagine it wouldn't be only Americans. Would you patronize a store where the staff was quite visible in their disdain for you?

Oh please. The French hate everyone and everyone knows it. Haven't you watched National Lampoons European Vacation? Do you think there arrogance is a new phenomenum? No. You outlined the possible reasons for the drop in tourism to France. To conclude with the sentance I snipped was short changing your own post.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-05-11 10:21am

BoredShirtless wrote:
Oh please. The French hate everyone and everyone knows it..

yes they do, and now they are reaping what they have sown.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-05-11 10:59am

Col. Crackpot wrote: whether it's because fo a boycott or a general dislike of French people, the dropoff is real. Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.

i dunno about that. lots of people still buy tommy hilfiger material, despite the fact he's a racist asshole.

TheDarkling · Post by **TheDarkling** » 2004-05-11 11:31am

Col. Crackpot wrote: whether it's because fo a boycott or a general dislike of French people, the dropoff is real. Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.

And the drop-off couldn't be due to other reasons? Is the 30% drop in overseas visitors to the US down to people thinking Americans dislike them? Or could it be that people just dislike spending half a day trying to get into the country? Simplistic views of a situation don’t always reveal the truth.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-05-11 12:10pm

TheDarkling wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote: whether it's because fo a boycott or a general dislike of French people, the dropoff is real. Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.
And the drop-off couldn't be due to other reasons? Is the 30% drop in overseas visitors to the US down to people thinking Americans dislike them? Or could it be that people just dislike spending half a day trying to get into the country? Simplistic views of a situation don’t always reveal the truth.

you are all messed up. The issue at hand is that France is experienceing a dropoff of 1/3 in it's largest tourist demographic: Americans. Not a 30% dropoff of overseas visitors to the US. People spent half a day getting to France for decades... why would they suddenly stop visiting a particular country. Other European destinations have not experienced a dropoff of similar magnitude... and it takes just as long, if not longer to get to other European destinations from US.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-05-11 12:22pm

I think Darkling was referring to airport security- hence the 'trying to get in'.

Plekhanov · Post by **Plekhanov** » 2004-05-11 12:50pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.

Which is why you don't buy anything from the Saudis...

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-05-11 12:56pm

Plekhanov wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:Americans won't buy stuff or patronize people who they believe don't like them.
Which is why you don't buy anything from the Saudis...

silly man, don't put things into context. Seriously though the Saudis have us by the balls. Many here, myself included, choose fuel effeciant vehicles to reduce that deathgrip.

Exmoor Cat · Post by **Exmoor Cat** » 2004-05-11 12:59pm

considering you fail to mention the issue of the falling dollar making it more expensive to travel abroad, I find it less of a patriotic and more of an economic argument.

Plekhanov · Post by **Plekhanov** » 2004-05-11 01:16pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:silly man, don't put things into context.

Sorry about that I couldn't resist, anyway I always considered the French’s unconventional attitude towards customer service part of their “Gallic charm” it a refreshing chance from all this “have a nice day” bs stuff that taking over in Britain anyway.

Seriously though the Saudis have us by the balls. Many here, myself included, choose fuel effeciant vehicles to reduce that deathgrip.

If only all those SUV driving morons would follow your example

Exmoor Cat · Post by **Exmoor Cat** » 2004-05-11 01:20pm

Switch to biodiesel, coming to a chipshop near you!

GySgt. Hartman · Post by **GySgt. Hartman** » 2004-05-11 01:38pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:
GySgt. Hartman wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:even the French admit the decline... it's hard to hide a third of your customers vanishing.
Care to back that up?
um i did, did you click the fucking links to major media news sites and a european freelance journalist site that told of French hotels, resorts, restaraunts and stores desprately trying to attract lost American cutomers?

Nothing there hinted at a third of their costumers. A third of their US customers, yes, but that is a huge difference.

Exmoor Cat · Post by **Exmoor Cat** » 2004-05-11 01:44pm

Which is more likely to be due to the fall in the dollar, making exchange expensive.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-05-11 01:45pm

GySgt. Hartman wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:
GySgt. Hartman wrote: Care to back that up?
um i did, did you click the fucking links to major media news sites and a european freelance journalist site that told of French hotels, resorts, restaraunts and stores desprately trying to attract lost American cutomers?
Nothing there hinted at a third of their costumers. A third of their US customers, yes, but that is a huge difference.

i clarified in subsequent posts. a third of their largest demographic: Americans.

TheDarkling · Post by **TheDarkling** » 2004-05-11 03:36pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:
you are all messed up. The issue at hand is that France is experienceing a dropoff of 1/3 in it's largest tourist demographic: Americans. Not a 30% dropoff of overseas visitors to the US.

No I got it, my point was that you seem to be over simplifying things, the articles you posted showed that tourism to France from the US had already been dropping for some time, even before the French dared incur American wraith by pursuing their own foreign policy. Yet on the other hand French arrogance is hardly a new occurrence so unless Americans were simply blind to it before the indication is that neither soley explains the decline.

Other European destinations have not experienced a dropoff of similar magnitude... and it takes just as long, if not longer to get to other European destinations from US.

If you have some figures showing no decline to other destinations that share Frances currency and stance on the war then it would seem to indicate French arrogance (and previous American ignorance of it), so I can see those figures?