Bill O'Reilly goes on 'Daily Show,' inevitable debate ensues - Los Angeles Times
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Bill O’Reilly goes on ‘Daily Show,’ inevitable debate ensues

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Jon Stewart’s favorite sparring partner, Bill O’Reilly, was a guest on “The Daily Show” on Wednesday and it didn’t take long for a debate to happen. A minute and a half, to be precise.

O’Reilly was on the program to promote his new book, “Killing Patton,” but Stewart had just one goal for his guest: to get him to admit that white privilege exists.

“If there’s white privilege, then there has to be Asian privilege, because Asians make more money than whites,” O’Reilly said.

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O’Reilly stated on his Fox News program, “The O’Reilly Factor,” back in August that he doesn’t believe white privilege exists. His comments came in the wake of racial unrest in Ferguson, Mo., after the shooting death of black teen Michael Brown by a police officer.

In O’Reilly’s original argument, he pointed to the success of Asian Americans as proof that whites don’t have an automatic advantage in society.

However, as the Washington Post reported, O’Reilly did add, “One caveat: the Asian American experience historically has not been nearly as tough as the African American experience. Slavery is unique and it has harmed black Americans to a degree that is still being felt today.”

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Stewart and O’Reilly’s ensuing debate became one of those on-the-Web extended interviews that happen nearly every time the two get together.

Stewart attempted to make his argument by pointing to O’Reilly’s upbringing in Levittown, the racially segregated planned community on Long Island.

“That, my friend, is what we call in the business, white privilege,” Stewart said.

It didn’t take long after that for voices to be raised. And as an added bonus, O’Reilly started yelling at the audience at one point.

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So did Stewart succeed in his goal? You can watch the full interview here.

Follow me on Twitter: @patrickkevinday

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