CNN contributor Roland Martin is fighting back against Bill O’Reilly‘s characterization of him during last night’s O’Reilly Factor. Martin posted a pair of emails on his blog that he sent to O’Reilly, to SVP of programming Bill Shine and to SVP of development Joel Cheatwood.
In a discussion about the comments of Barack Obama‘s pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, O’Reilly called Martin the “chief apologist” for the pastor. “I don’t know much about him,” O’Reilly said. “But he has basically said this is no big deal.”
Martin apparently knows O’Reilly more than the FNC anchor recalls: “For someone who has done your show eight to 10 times, and who has actually defended you from the folks who think you are to the right of Hitler, I’m terribly disappointed that you was so weak with the facts,” Martin writes.
He also challenges O’Reilly to a debate on his radio program, since Martin’s CNN contract prohibits him from appearing on FNC.
> Update: After a tipster questioned Martin’s assertion that he had been on The O’Reilly Factor “eight to 10 times,” TVNewser contacted FNC to find out. It turns out he was a guest on the show five times, with the most recent being November 19, 2004.
Click continued to see the clip of the O’Reilly segment…