Oprah's Town Hall

Why does Bill O'Reilly say America is in the midst of a cultural war?

In Oprah's last town hall meeting, New York Times columnist Frank Rich discussed his book, The Greatest Story Ever Sold. In that conversation, Oprah asked how important or unimportant is the idea of truth in America.

After the show, many people strongly voiced their own opinions—including Bill O'Reilly of Fox News. Bill has five New York Times best-sellers plus a hit daily radio show and the number one cable news program, The O'Reilly Factor.

In his latest number one bestseller, Culture Warrior, Bill warns that America is in the midst of what he calls a vicious culture war between two factions.

Oprah: What is the war?

Bill: The war is between traditionalists like me, and I believe you, too, by the way, who think the country is noble. America's a noble nation.

Oprah: Yeah.

Bill: We make mistakes, we have to correct the mistakes.

Oprah: Right.

Bill: There are inequalities, we work to do a level playing field. But fundamentally, the founding fathers, based on Judeo Christian philosophy—not religion, philosophy—fundamentally, we've risen to be the strongest country that civilization has ever seen. We give opportunity to more people than anyone else in the world. We freed billions of people and spent our blood and treasure doing it. We're noble. Traditionalists.

Secular-progressives say, "No. We're a flawed society. Deeply flawed. We need changes in every area. Social. Economic. Foreign policy."