The O'Reilly Update, May 18, 2026

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

Episode: The O'Reilly Update, May 18, 2026
Host: Bill O'Reilly
Date: May 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of "The O’Reilly Update" covers breaking political events, sports news, and cultural commentary. Bill O’Reilly and correspondent Mike Slater provide fact-driven analysis on recent primary elections, the intersection of big donors and congressional races, Supreme Court developments in Virginia, and a look at veteran NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ career extension. O’Reilly’s "Message of the Day" scrutinizes Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s interpretation of early American history and the concept of socialism and communism in the Founding era. The show wraps up with a nostalgic look at top summer anthems and a behind-the-scenes fact about Alice Cooper’s classic hit "School’s Out."

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Major Political Developments and Election Recaps

[00:22–03:45] - Mike Slater

• Louisiana Senate Primary Upset
  • Republican Senator Bill Cassidy becomes the first U.S. senator in 14 years to lose his party's primary, coming in third behind Congresswoman Julia Letlow and State Treasurer John Fleming.
  • Cassidy faced backlash for being one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict Donald Trump for January 6th.
  • Only Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski remain in the Senate from that group.
  • Notable quote:
    • “Trump wrote, his disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now part of a legend and it's nice to see that his political career is over.” (Mike Slater, 01:43)
• Kentucky Congressional Primary: Thomas Massie
  • Massie, known for opposing party leadership and former President Trump, faces a heavily funded primary tomorrow.
  • According to Massie, “this race has turned into a referendum on whether Israel gets to buy a seat in Congress.”
    • “Three billionaires from outside of Kentucky have funneled millions of dollars in here.” (Mike Slater, 02:37)
• Virginia Redistricting and Supreme Court Decision
  • The US Supreme Court denies an appeal, upholding the Virginia court’s decision to overturn a state election as unconstitutional.
  • Virginia's governor criticizes the move:
    • “The Supreme Court of the United States has chose to nullify an election and the votes of more than 3 million Virginians.” (Mike Slater, 03:02)
  • All nine justices including Ketanji Brown Jackson agreed, countering the governor's argument.
• NFL News: Aaron Rodgers to Steelers
  • 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers will return for a 22nd NFL season, now under coach Mike McCarthy.
  • Rodgers is closing in on Tom Brady and George Blanda’s longevity records.

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2. Message of the Day: Ocasio-Cortez, American History & Ideologies

[03:45–07:34] - Bill O’Reilly

• O’Reilly critiques Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's knowledge of early American history, focusing on her public remarks linking America’s Founding era to socialism or communism.
  • “She is a woman of accomplishment, but she is a communist. I don't care what she says, that she's a socialist, Democrat or whatever they make up tomorrow. The woman is a communist.” (Bill O’Reilly, 04:28)
  • Corrects her claim about billionaires in the colonial era:
    • “The problem is, Congresswoman, there were no billionaires. Why? Because the king of England, George, would not allow that.” (Bill O’Reilly, 05:00)
  • O’Reilly frames this correction as an offer to help, not to ridicule:
    • “We need a little history update here. Congresswoman, just trying to help.” (Bill O’Reilly, 05:22)
• Tone: Critical but maintains a characteristic directness and brief acknowledgment of Ocasio-Cortez’s political accomplishments.
• Invites listeners for correspondence and feedback.

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3. Listener Mail & O’Reilly’s Personal Reflections

[05:25–07:34]

• Spotlights a listener praising Marco Rubio as the most articulate Trump cabinet member.
• Promotes his merchandise (hats for the Fourth of July) and highlights the store’s “not woke” offerings.
• O’Reilly’s "Word of the Day" is “nugatory” (“don’t be a nugatory, people” (06:56)), encouraging smart and substantive participation from his audience.

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4. Something You Might Not Know: Top Summer Anthems & "School’s Out”

[07:54–09:58] - Bill O’Reilly

• Lists the top 10 summer songs of all time (according to Parade and Billboard):
  1. "Summer Breeze" by Seals and Crofts
  2. "Summer Nights" from Grease
  3. "Summer in the City" by Lovin’ Spoonful
  4. "Vacation" by the Go Go’s
  5. "Cruel Summer" by Bananarama
  6. "Fun, Fun, Fun" by The Beach Boys
  7. "Under the Boardwalk" by The Drifters
  8. "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles
  9. "Hot Fun in the Summertime" by Sly and the Family Stone
  10. #1: "School's Out" by Alice Cooper
• Anecdote on "School’s Out":
  • O’Reilly shares Alice Cooper’s explanation:
    • “What's the greatest three minutes you've ever had? One Christmas morning when you're getting ready to open presents. The other is the last two minutes of the last day of school. It's like a slow burning fuse.” (Bill O’Reilly quoting Cooper, 09:30)
  • Over a million copies of the song are in circulation.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Reflections on AOC:
  “I admire her pluck… but she is a communist. I don't care what she says.” — Bill O’Reilly (04:28)
• Senator Cassidy’s Defeat:
  “His disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now part of a legend and it's nice to see that his political career is over.” — Mike Slater quoting Donald Trump (01:43)
• Thomas Massie on Outside Influence:
  “This race has turned into a referendum on whether Israel gets to buy a seat in Congress.” — Mike Slater recounting Massie’s remark (02:37)
• Historic Music Trivia:
  “What's the greatest three minutes you've ever had? …The last two minutes of the last day of school.” — Alice Cooper quoted by Bill O’Reilly (09:30)
• O’Reilly’s Word of the Day Challenge:
  “Don’t be a nugatory, people.” — Bill O’Reilly (06:56)

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Timestamps to Key Segments

• 00:22 — Political headlines (Slater)
• 01:43 — Trump’s response to Cassidy’s primary loss
• 02:37 — Massie on billionaire spending and Israel
• 03:02 — Virginia governor’s reaction to Supreme Court case
• 03:42–03:45 — Mike Slater plugs his podcast, segue to O'Reilly
• 03:45–07:34 — O'Reilly’s Message of the Day: AOC & history
• 06:56 — “Word of the Day: Nugatory”
• 07:54–09:58 — Something You Might Not Know: Summer Anthems
• 09:30 — Alice Cooper’s quote on “School’s Out”

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Podcast Tone and Approach

Bill O’Reilly and his team maintain their signature “just the facts” directness, blending political insight, historical commentary, and light entertainment. The episode is brisk, unfiltered, and mixes current affairs with old-school radio show flair, designed for a conservative-liberal skeptical audience seeking straight analysis without pretense.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode offers a comprehensive run-down of key political contests, trenchant critique of left-wing narratives, a nostalgic look at summer music, and audience engagement, all in O’Reilly’s energetic, opinionated style. With sharp quotes and memorable references, it’s a snapshot of American politics and culture as summer 2026 begins.

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Bill O'Reilly]

Bill O'Reilly here. You are listening to the O'Reilly Update. Coming up next, the news with Mike Slater.

[Mike Slater]

Thank you, Bill. It is Monday, May 18, 2026. Here's what's happening today in America. Rhino gone, Massey fights tomorrow, Virginia Democrats lose again and another one year deal. It's all coming up and Bill's gonna be here with your message of the day. But first, a Louisiana Republican senator is the first senator to lose his primary fight in 14 years. He didn't even get second place in the primary, got third in his own party's primary. The two Republican challengers, Congresswoman Julia Letlow and State Treasurer John Fleming, both beat Senator Bill Cassidy. Those two will advance to the runoff election. Cassidy was one of seven Republicans, Republican senators who voted to convict Donald Trump for January 6th on charges of insurrection. The seven Republicans who voted to convict Donald Trump were Richard Burr, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Pat Toomey and Bill Cassidy. Only two of the seven senators remain in the United States Senate. Murkowski and Collins. Trump wrote, his disloyalty to the man who got him elected is now part of a legend and it's nice to see that his political career is over. Speaking of crossing Donald Trump, seven term Congressman Thomas Massie his primaries tomorrow for Congress in Kentucky. He's often voted against the president and the Republican Party and Trump said he would support a primary challenger against him. Big days tomorrow, Massey said out of state billionaires have funneled millions of dollars in here in an effort to buy a seat in Congress, he said. How did this race become the most expensive race in the history of Congress or a primary? It's because three billionaires from outside of Kentucky have funneled millions of dollars in here. On Friday, Massie told a reporter that this race has turned into a referendum on whether Israel gets to buy a seat in Congress. In Virginia redistricting news, the Democrats in Virginia sought an appeal from the Supreme Court against the Virginia State Supreme Court who overturned the election, saying it wasn't even constitutional to have that election. And the supreme court denied the appeal. 9 Nothing Spamberger the Governor of Virginia said the Supreme Court of the United States has chose to nullify an election and the votes of more than 3 million Virginians. Note that it was the Democrats of Virginia who told the Supreme Court not to decide until after the people voted. Also worth noting that not even Justice. Jackson agreed with Spamberger. Aaron Rodgers is going to return to the NFL for his 22nd season, this time another year at the Steelers. The new Steelers head coach is Mike McCarthy, who coached at Green Bay for 15 seasons. Rogers is 42 years old, still got a few years to catch up to Brady. Tom Brady was 45, but the record goes to George Blanda. He's the oldest quarterback to play in a game at 48 years old back in 1976. I'm Mike Slater from the podcast Politics by Faith. If you could Please [e-mail] politics by faith, Bill O'Reilly has your message of the day next. Hey, this is Mike Slater. I have a podcast called Politics by Faith. I would love for you to listen. We take the news of the day and we run it through the Bible. What does the Bible have to say about this? Because there's nothing new under the sun. Read the headlines. Everything's all crazy. World's coming to an end. It's all in the Bible. And after every episode, hopefully you leave with a proper perspective and a biblical piece. Please join us wherever you listen to podcasts and and we also have a YouTube page as well. YouTube.com politicsbyfaith

[Bill O'Reilly]

Time now for the O'Reilly update. Message of the Day on this Monday. I recently did a commentary on YouTube about Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and her knowledge of history, which is scant S C A n T to say the least. Now, I am not in business to run down Congressman Ocasio Cortez. In fact, I admire her pluck. I mean, there's a woman that comes out of Boston University and I have a master's degree from that school as well and gets a congressional seat held by a long time Democratic player. All right, she is a woman of accomplishment, but she is a communist. I don't care what she says, that she's a socialist, Democrat or whatever they make up tomorrow. The woman is a communist. And recently she gave a couple of podcast interviews where she said, hey, there was communism or socialism, whatever you want to call it in the beginning of this nation. The founding fathers were aware of it because of the billionaires. The problem is, Congresswoman, there were no billionaires. Why? Because the king of England, George, would not allow that. Yes, there were dukes and earls and landowners. They weren't billionaires. They took what the king gave them. So we need a little history update here. Congresswoman, just trying to help. I'm Bill O'Reilly. I approved the message by writing it. You can reach me billoriley.com, billoriley.com name in town if you wish to opine. Now let's go to the mail. Brian, I believe Marco Rubio is the most articulate member of the Trump cabinet. Commands authority without being too aggressive. Secretary Rubio has really helped himself. No doubt about it. Ralph concierge, remember, that means Ralph has direct access to me. Ralph gets in trouble, gives me email. We mobilize to help him. Check it out on billow reilly.com so the B blood are upset with gas prices. Think if Republicans are defeated, everything will go back to normal. Does anyone ask the Democrats what their plan is? No, but Democrats aren't big on plans. Rosemary thieves. The village is Florida. I ordered two 250American hats for my husband and son. They love them, really well made because I designed them. Best hatch you'll ever buy. Okay, let me see them. Throw them on up there. Gotta have for the Fourth of July. Come on. Billoriley.com store that's where you get them. And we have all kinds of other stuff not woke, you know, all of that. I mean book bundles. Books, books, books. You want anything from us, that's where you go. Word of the day, don't be a nugatory. N u G A T O R y [e-mail] billabillorilly.com name in town. No nugatory, people. In a moment, something you might not know.

[Jillian Michaels]

Every major story has a version the news gives you and then a version that's actually true. If you're a critical thinker, if you're somebody who's not tribal, if you're somebody who just wants the facts so you can make your own decisions. Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels is

[Bill O'Reilly]

the show for you.

[Jillian Michaels]

Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Now the O'Reilly update brings you something you might not know. The summer nearly here. From the beach to the backyard, Americans will enjoy warm weather with some classic music. Here are the top 10 summer anthems of all time as ranked by Parade and Billboard magazine. Number 10, Summer Breeze by Seals and Crofts. Next, Olivia Newton John and John Travolta. Summer Nights from the movie Grease. Number eight, Summer in the City by the Lovin Spoonful. 7. Vacation by the Go Go's sixth Cruel Summer by Banana Rama. Number five, Fun, Fun, Fun by the Beach Boys. Number four, under the Boardwalk by the Drifters. And the top three begins with the Beatles. Here Comes the Sun. Second place, Sly and the Family Stones. Hot fun in the summertime. And the most successful summer song of all time released in 1972, Alice Cooper and his anti education anthem School's out can't find a flag that don't suit you, that's a drag. School's out for Summer,

[Commercial Announcer]

School's out for.

[Bill O'Reilly]

When asked to explain the inspiration behind the single, Cooper said the song is about the greatest three minutes of the year. Quote what's the greatest three minutes you've ever had? One Christmas morning when you're getting ready to open presents. The other is the last two minutes of the last day of school. It's like a slow burning fuse, said Mr. Cooper. More than one million copies of Alice's classic are in circulation. Back in a moment. Thank you for listening to the O'Reilly update. I am Bill O'Reilly. No spin, just facts. And always looking out for you.

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