Bill O'Reilly pokes Obama on White House fence-jumper: 'Karma payback for the southern border'

Bill O&#039;Reilly pokes Obama on White House fence-jumper: &#039;Karma payback for the southern border&#039;

(Image credit: Late Show)

last updated 8 January 2015

Fox News host Bill O'Reilly was the guest on Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday, and the conversation was lively. O'Reilly and Letterman took a dating compatibility test, cogently discussed the NFL and domestic abuse, and then the topic turned to the newly disclosed problems in President Obama's Secret Service detail. The knife-carrying Iraq war vet who jumped the White House fence and got shockingly far into the building before being tackled could have had a suicide vest on, O'Reilly said, cryptically adding, "that's what these people do."

Both men agreed that the lapses were serious, and O'Reilly blamed "management" and "culture" for the problems at the Secret Service, noting that the agents caught with hookers in Colombia would have been in real trouble were Gen. George S. Patton in charge of the Service. But given the serial security lapses, "this is out of control," he added. Then he got in a dig at Obama: "The fence thing may be a little karma payback for the southern border." This being a CBS comedy show and not Fox News, he got a handful of claps and some vaguely uncomfortable laughter. --Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.