ABC News “Putting Americans At Risk?”

On The O’Reilly Factor Tuesday night, former Army intelligence officer Lt. Col. Ralph Peters was asked about a recent ABC News report that the CIA moved detainees out of secret prisons in Europe prior to Secretary of State Rice’s visit. He responded:

“When ABC or any other outlet gives away our national secrets, or verifies them, and underscores them by repeating what others have said, and seems to verify for the world — look, they are putting Americans at risk. They’re putting our allies at risk, as you observed. And they’re putting our programs at risk…But worst of all, Bill, it’s killing American soldiers.”

To which Bill O’Reilly replied:

“I would not have reported what ABC News reported. I would not have done it. I — as you know – didn’t put Abu Ghraib pictures on this broadcast, the only television journalist not to do so. I do feel that the press has a responsibility to help the government in the war on terror.”

Meanwhile, the loonies over at Think Progress think “freedom of the press was a fundamental democratic value.” Anyway, I get so confused sometimes. Is O’Reilly a commentator or a journalist? Is there a difference?