The O'Reilly Update, May 8, 2025

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis – The O'Reilly Update, May 8, 2025

Release Date: May 8, 2025

In the May 8, 2025 episode of Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis, host Bill O’Reilly delves into a range of pressing national and international issues, providing a no-holds-barred perspective that aligns with his commitment to presenting “No Spin. Just Facts.” This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions drawn during the episode.

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1. International Conflicts and Diplomacy

Houthis and U.S. Agreement: Bill O’Reilly opens the episode by addressing the recent developments in the Middle East. At 00:38, he reports that the Houthis have confirmed an agreement with the United States to pause their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. This ceasefire comes in exchange for the U.S. halting its retaliatory attacks on the group. O’Reilly underscores the geopolitical tension by highlighting the Iranian Foreign Ministry's attempt to distance itself from the Houthis, insisting, “they had nothing to do with the missile attack on the main airport in Israel” (00:38).

Israel’s Response and Trump’s Stance: The Prime Minister of Israel has vowed to retaliate against both the Houthis and Iran “at a time and place of our choosing,” intensifying regional tensions (01:15). Former President Donald Trump weighed in, asserting that any further attacks by the Houthis would be perceived as actions stemming from Iranian leadership. He stated, “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon from this point forward as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of Iran” (02:10), emphasizing that Iran would face dire consequences for continued aggression.

India-Pakistan Conflict: Shifting focus to South Asia, O’Reilly discusses the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations. On 02:50, he reports that Pakistan has declared India’s missile strikes as an act of war following a terrorist attack in India that resulted in 26 deaths, primarily tourists. The response from India included six separate missile strikes, leading to 31 fatalities and 57 injuries (03:05). Trump’s call for de-escalation is evident as he remarks, “I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop. They've gone tit for tat. So hopefully they can stop now” (03:45).

2. Appointment of the New U.S. Surgeon General

At 03:55, O’Reilly introduces Trump's new pick for U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Casey Means. He lauds Dr. Means' credentials, stating, “Her academic achievement together with her life's work are absolutely outstanding” (04:10). Dr. Means, who dropped out of Stanford Medical School during her surgical residency, is praised for her dedication to addressing the root causes of disease rather than just treating symptoms. O’Reilly notes her involvement with RFK Jr’s presidential campaign alongside her brother Callie, adding a layer of political context to her appointment.

Furthermore, O’Reilly explains the formal role of the Surgeon General, highlighting that she is a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps with the rank of vice admiral, underscoring the importance and prestige of the position (05:00).

3. The Papal Conclave Process Explained

In an informative segment around 05:20, O’Reilly provides a detailed explanation of the papal conclave process. He outlines the rigorous voting procedure in the Sistine Chapel, where Cardinals continue voting until a candidate secures two-thirds of the votes. He mentions the historical consistency of the process, noting that since 1831, the ballot never extended beyond four days. The traditional smoke signals—black for inconclusive and white for the election of a new pope—are also explained, along with the iconic ringing of St. Peter's Basilica bells upon a successful vote.

4. Media Critique and President Trump’s Constitutional Commitment

The core of the episode revolves around O’Reilly’s critique of the mainstream media’s portrayal of President Trump. At 04:09, he launches into his "Message of the Day," addressing what he perceives as media hysteria over unfounded claims about Trump’s potential third term ambitions. He points out inaccuracies in media reporting, such as sensational headlines suggesting Trump plans to “make Canada a state” or “invade Panama,” which he dismisses as baseless and part of a “pattern” of the media falling for Trump’s provocative statements.

O’Reilly specifically critiques Kristen Welker of NBC News, quoting her concern over Trump's potential disregard for the Constitution: “Don’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president” (07:15). He counters this by relaying Trump’s response, “I don’t know. I have to respond again by saying I have brilliant lawyers that work for me and they are obviously going to follow what the Supreme Court says” (07:45). O’Reilly argues that the media misrepresented Trump’s stance, which was actually focused on due process for undocumented migrants and awaiting Supreme Court rulings, rather than a repudiation of constitutional obligations.

5. Listener Mail and Financial Advice

O’Reilly engages with his audience through listener mail, addressing various concerns:

• Savings and Compound Interest: Responding to Bill Giovanniello from Dublin, Ohio, O’Reilly emphasizes the importance of disciplined saving and leaving money untouched to benefit from compound interest. He explains, “What most people do not understand is how money left untouched compounds over time” (09:00).

• Insurance Regulation: To Bill Shield’s inquiry about insurance rights, O’Reilly clarifies the complexity of insurance regulation, noting that while insurance is typically state-regulated, large companies operate across state lines under the Commerce Department’s jurisdiction. He advocates for stringent measures against price gouging by major insurance firms (09:30).

• Harvard’s Lawsuit Against the Federal Government: Addressing George Anderson from Freeland, Maryland, O’Reilly explains that Harvard is suing the federal government on the grounds that the president lacks authority to prevent tax money from being allocated to private institutions. He points out that Congress is responsible for such regulations (10:00).

• Confederation of States Inquiry: In response to Brad Padgett from Laurel, Montana, O’Reilly expresses skepticism about the feasibility of a Confederation of States, citing the immense financial and logistical challenges involved (10:30).

6. Medicare and Medicaid Budget Concerns

O’Reilly turns to the looming budget battles in Congress, particularly focusing on Medicare and Medicaid spending. He critiques the Democrats’ attempts to portray Republicans as intending to slash funding for these entitlements, labeling their claims as “blather” (11:00). He presents a historical overview, recounting the inception of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 under President Johnson’s Great Society program, initially costing approximately $1.3 billion with 25 million Americans enrolled (11:20).

Fast forward to the present, O’Reilly highlights the exponential growth in costs and enrollment:

• 2019 Spending: Over $1.4 trillion with 150 million enrolled (11:45).
• 2024 Spending: $1.8 trillion, marking a 30% increase in five years under President Biden (12:05).

He attributes the rising costs to two main factors:

1. Increased Life Expectancy: Life expectancy in the U.S. has risen from 66 years in 1965 to 81 years, leading to longer periods of entitlement benefits (12:20).
2. Fraudulent Activities: O’Reilly cites the Department of Health and Human Services’ estimate that 15% of all healthcare payments are fraudulent, equating to $300 billion in waste (12:40).

He concludes that the current trajectory is unsustainable, necessitating significant reforms to ensure the solvency of Medicare and Medicaid in the future.

7. Conclusion

Wrapping up the episode, Bill O’Reilly reiterates his commitment to delivering unvarnished facts and encourages listeners to engage with him directly through his website. He emphasizes the importance of discerning truth amidst media distortion, maintaining his stance of “No spin, just facts.”

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Notable Quotes:

• Trump on Houthis and Iran Responsibility: “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon from this point forward as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of Iran” (02:10).

• O’Reilly on Media Misrepresentation: “You wouldn't know that by listening to the corrupt corporate Media” (07:50).

• Listener Mail on Savings: “What most people do not understand is how money left untouched compounds over time” (09:00).

• Medicare and Medicaid Fraud: “Department of Health and Human Services estimates 15% of all health care payments are bogus. That's $300 billion in fraudulent waste” (12:40).

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This episode of Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis offers a comprehensive overview of significant global conflicts, domestic policy debates, and economic concerns, all framed through O’Reilly’s distinctive lens. By interweaving factual reporting with critical analysis, the episode serves as a valuable resource for listeners seeking clarity amidst the complexities of modern news.

Transcript

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[Mike Slater]

Here you are listening to the O'Reilly Update. Coming up next, the news with Mike Slater.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Thank you, Bill. It is Thursday, May 8, 2025. Here's what's happening today in America. Houthis pause nuclear powers fight a new surgeon general and not yet a new pope. It's all coming up. Then Bill's gonna be here with your message of the day. But first, the Houthis have confirmed that they've reached an agreement with the United States to pause their attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea in exchange for us stopping our attacks on them. The Iranian Foreign Ministry is trying to distance themselves from the Houthis, insisting they had nothing to do with the missile attack on the main airport in Israel. The prime minister of Israel vowed to retaliate against both the Houthis and Iran at a time and place of our choosing. Trump did write back March 17th. Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon from this point forward as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of Iran. And Iran will be held responsible and suffer the consequences. And those consequences will be dire. Pakistan has vowed retaliation as India launched missiles into their nation, into Pakistan on Wednesday. Pakistan called this an act of war. Worth noting both of these nations have nuclear weapons. This attack from India is in response to a terrorist attack in in India. They killed 26 people, mostly tourists. But it was in a disputed region between the two nations. Pakistan says that the latest attack From India killed 31 people, 57 injuries and six separate strikes. Trump said, I get along with both. I know both very well. And I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop. They've gone tit for tat. So hopefully they can stop now. Trump's new pick for U.S. surgeon General is Dr. Casey Means. He said her academic achievement together with her life's work are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest surgeon generals in United States history. She's very impressive if you don't know her. She dropped out of Stanford Medical School during her surgical residency because she couldn't stand to be a part of a system that doesn't treat root causes of disease. Casey and her brother Callie, have been close advisors to RFK Jr during his presidential campaign. Interestingly, the surgeon general is a commissioned officer in the U.S. public Health Service Commissioned Corps, one of the eight uniformed services of the United States, and by law holds the rank of vice admiral. The conclave voting taking place in the Sistine Chapel. They keep voting until someone gets two thirds of the votes. If there's no winner after three days, the balloting is suspended for 24 hours. But since 1831, it's never lasted longer than four days. Each round of balloting is signaled by smoke from this stovepipe on top of the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke means inconclusive vote. White smoke signifies a new pope has been chosen with the ringing of the bells of St. Peter's Basilica. I'm Mike Slater from Politics by faith. Bill O'Reilly with your message of the day next. My name is Mike Slater. I have a podcast called Politics by Faith. I was just talking to a friend of mine who said he hasn't been able to follow the news lately. It's been too much. It's too crazy. It's driving him crazy. And he's just checked out. If you feel that way sometimes, too, I think you'll really like our podcast, Politics by Faith. We take the main story of the day and we run it through the Bible. What does the Bible say about this? It's amazing, but it's all there. And then God tells us what to do. We don't even have to figure it out. The answers are right there. He gives us the answers. Politics by Faith. Please join us over there. You can listen to it wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. Politics by Faith.

[Mike Slater]

Time now for the O'Reilly update. Message of the day on this Thursday. Remember the media hysteria over President Trump allegedly running for a third term? Lots of empty rhetoric. Well, now he says he won't do it. Then it was making Canada a state. Fury all over the place. Apparently, that's not happening. Invading Panama? No. Occupying Greenland? Don't think so. Making Gaza into Miami Beach? Doesn't look like it. Do you sense a pattern here? An incredibly foolish media falling for every single provocative thing Mr. Trump says. The latest is obeying the Constitution. Apparently Kristen Welker of NBC News is very concerned Mr. Trump will ignore it. Here's what she said on Sunday. Quote, don't you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president. To which Mr. Trump replied, quote, I don't know. I have to respond again by saying I have brilliant lawyers that work for me and they are obviously going to follow what the Supreme Court says. Okay. But the media headline was misleading. It simply said Trump doesn't know if he has to follow the Constitution. The discussion was about due process for undocumented migrants. The Supreme Court will have to make some big rulings on that shortly. So the president's answer was not a repudiation of the law, was it? You wouldn't know that by listening to the corrupt corporate Media. I'm Bill O'Reilly. I approve the message by writing it. You can reach me billorilly.com, billoriley.com name in town if you wish to opine. Now, let's go to the mail. Bill Giovanniello, Dublin, Ohio. Bill, growing old and having little money is very difficult. As we said yesterday, like you, I was taught as an early age to save 10% of what I made. Discipline required to save is one thing, but not touching what you save is even more problematic. What most people do not understand is how money left untouched compounds over time. So you get interest, then you leave it there. You get more and more and more and more amounts of capitalism. Bill shield. Bill, you stated that President Trump hasn't done anything about insurance rights. Keep in mind, almost all insurance is regulated by the states. True, but not true. So the big insurance companies, they cross state lines. State Farm, all State Liberty, all of these. The little gecko guy. Okay, state. Once you cross state lines, the Commerce Department takes over. If I think that all the states and the Fed should look at price gouging for insurance rates and look at it hard and institute big fines because we're getting gouged, no doubt in my mind. George Anderson, Freeland, Maryland. On what grounds is Harvard suing the federal government? That the president has no authority to stop money tax money from going to Harvard and other private institutions. Congress regulates that. That is the basis of the lawsuit. Brad Padgett, Laurel, Montana, longtime listener, recent new premium member. Thank you, Brett. My question do you think the Confederation of states will ever have it? No. It's way too difficult. You need billions of dollars to get that together. Nobody's going to do it, not in my lifetime. In a moment, something you might not know. Now the O'Reilly update brings you something you might not know. Another budget battle looming in Congress. Predictably, Democrats are trying to scare the public by claiming Republicans want to slash spending on Medicare and Medicaid. Despite the blather President Trump has promised to protect the entitlement system. However, to be fair, significant changes must be made to ensure these programs are solvent in the future. Here are the facts. America's welfare state drastically increased in July 1965 as part of President Johnson's Great Society program. Medicare was designed to provide government subsidized health insurance for senior citizens. At the time, nearly all workers obtained coverage through their jobs. Those who retired, however, were immediately booted from the program. Medicaid gives free health care to low income families, the sick, disabled, and those unable to find work. It is administered by the states, but gets federal tax dollars now. During the first year, the entire budget for both Medicare and Medicaid was about $1.3 billion, the modern equivalent of 12 billion total enrollment, 25 million Americans. Sixty years later, the system has spiraled out of control. 2019 combined spending on Medicare and Medicaid topped $1.4 trillion. More than 150 million Americans are enrolled in either program, nearly half of the U.S. population. In 2024, taxpayers spent $1.8 trillion on the public health care system, an increase of 30% in five years under President Joe Biden. The mounting cost is a result of two things. First, Americans are living longer. When LBJ started the entitlement programs, the average life expectancy in the USA was 66 years. That figure has risen to 81. Secondly, fraud. Department of Health and Human Services estimates 15% of all health care payments are bogus. That's $300 billion in fraudulent waste. Can the system continue that way? No. Back after this. 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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