The O'Reilly Update – November 27, 2025

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

Host: Bill O'Reilly

Guest Host: Mike Slater

Episode Overview

This Thanksgiving edition of The O’Reilly Update delivers the latest headlines, a deep dive into Pilgrim history, and explores Thanksgiving traditions around the globe. Guest host Mike Slater steps in for Bill O’Reilly to provide both news analysis and an evocative “Message of the Day” on the Puritan roots of Thanksgiving, highlighting lesser-known stories of America’s early settlers.

Key Topics and Segment Breakdowns

1. News Headlines with Mike Slater

[00:39–03:29]

Mike Slater covers four major news stories in quick succession:

• Shooting Involving National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C.

  • Three people were shot near a subway station by Ramanula Lockenwall, a 29-year-old Afghan national whose U.S. residency expired in September 2025.
  • Led to a White House lockdown.
  • President Trump requested 500 additional National Guardsmen.
  • “This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make D.C. safe and beautiful.”
    — Pete Hexath, Secretary of War ([01:17])

• Trump Election Case Dismissed in Georgia

  • Fulton County judge dismisses the suit accusing Trump of fabricating 15,000 ballots during the 2020 election; Slater characterizes it as “a ridiculous case, of course, finally thrown out.” ([02:09])

• Deadly Hong Kong Fire

  • A high-rise inferno kills at least 40; cause possibly a cigarette. First responders fear the toll will rise.
    “A couple apartments just top to bottom, totally engulfed in flames.” ([02:38])

• Transparency International Corruption Rankings

  • Least corrupt: Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Norway, Sweden.
  • Most corrupt: Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Venezuela, Afghanistan.
  • U.S. drops to 28th, between Chile and South Korea.
  • Rhetorical remark: “Why are we importing as many people as we can from those places?” ([03:06])

2. Message of the Day: The Pilgrims’ True Story

[04:36–08:32]

Mike Slater delves into the lesser-known history of the Pilgrims, connecting their challenges and motivations to Thanksgiving’s legacy:

• Pilgrims’ Journey and Motivations

  • Left England not just for religious freedom but to protect their children from “pagan culture” in Amsterdam.
  • William Bradford quote:
    “Our kids were drawn away by evil examples into extravagant and dangerous courses, departing from their parents.” ([05:15])
  • Reflects on their religious drive:
    “Heaven was their dearest country.” ([05:56])

• Hardships Upon Arrival

  • After abandoning the leaky Speedwell, all 102 settlers crammed onto the Mayflower for 66 days, followed by six months on the ship due to harsh winter—half died.
    “No cell phones, nothing all day, just misery on this boat with everyone around you dying.” ([06:32])

• Early Deportation in American History

  • Story of Mary Mount, a settlement overtaken by pagan festivities, contrasts with Plymouth’s sobriety.
  • Bradford sends Miles Standish to raid the settlement; arrest and exile of Mary Mount’s leader is “the first deportation out of the New World.”
  • “Our Pilgrims were not here just for a better life or for freedom just to do whatever they wanted. Our Pilgrims are here on a religious mission, a Christian mission to create a new nation founded on Christian principles.” ([08:12])

• Memorable Quote:

  • “Praise God and thank you, pilgrims. Thank you for establishing this heritage for us that we can look back on and celebrate and emulate.” ([08:25])

3. Thanksgiving Traditions Around the World

[08:32–12:24]

Bill O’Reilly recounts surprising details about global celebrations inspired by Thanksgiving:

• Historical Facts

  • Original Thanksgiving (1620): Three-day feast in Plymouth with Native Americans.

• International Applications of Thanksgiving

  • Liberia: First Thursday in November, founded by freed slaves.
  • Grenada: October 25, referencing 1983 U.S.-led restoration of peace.
  • The Netherlands: Celebrates the Pilgrims’ decade in Holland, despite Dutch ambivalence.
  • Japan: Transformation from a 2,000-year-old harvest festival to a celebration of labor post-WWII.
  • South Korea: Three-day harvest feast honoring ancestors.
  • Norfolk Island (Australia): Thanksgiving introduced to lure U.S. sailors; remains celebrated with turkey and pumpkin pie.

• Notable Commentary

  • “The Dutch really didn’t like the Puritans. They were happy to see them leave.” ([10:48])
  • “One of the strangest celebrations... an American trader named Isaac Robinson used the holiday to lure American sailors...” ([11:54])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Mike Slater on the Pilgrims’ perseverance:
  “Imagine every day, no cell phones, nothing all day, just misery on this boat with everyone around you dying.” ([06:32])

• William Bradford’s reflection:
  “But we knew we were pilgrims and looking not much on those things. We lifted our eyes to heaven, our dearest country, and quieted our spirits.” ([05:56])

• On U.S. corruption ranking:
  “The United States dropped number 28, right between Chile and South Korea.” ([03:14])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• News round-up: [00:39–03:29]
• Pilgrims & Thanksgiving Message: [04:36–08:32]
• Global Thanksgiving Traditions: [08:32–12:24]

Tone and Style

• Direct, patriotic, historical, and at times pointed—especially in comparing today’s culture with early American principles.
• Emphasis on gratitude, tradition, and America’s Christian founding, tying in Thanksgiving’s roots to contemporary values.

For a deeper dive into the Pilgrim story, Mike Slater refers listeners to his own podcast, Politics by Faith.

End of summary.