The O'Reilly Update – September 2, 2025

Host: Bill O’Reilly
Guest Host: Mike Slater
Main Theme: A brisk roundup of the day’s top news and cultural issues, including federal immigration enforcement, crime in Chicago, a tragedy resulting from a viral prank, the political arc of Rudy Giuliani, an inspiring act of heroism, and a reflective message about mortality and language in politics.

Episode Overview

Guest host Mike Slater fills in for Bill O’Reilly, delivering a factual, opinionated summary of the day’s most pressing stories. The episode covers a major federal immigration operation in Chicago, a tragic shooting connected with a viral prank, President Trump's awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Rudy Giuliani, a heroic football player’s rescue, a reflection on the fragility of life, and a satirical take on language policing within the Democratic Party.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. News Rundown

With Mike Slater
(00:24-03:20)

• Federal Crackdown in Chicago

  • Chicago and Illinois are preparing for a large-scale federal immigration enforcement operation, possibly involving the National Guard.
  • Illinois Governor Pritzker, rumored to be considering a 2028 presidential run, called potential Guard deployment “an invasion.”
  • Trump’s use of the Guard has historically been to protect federal law enforcement rather than direct involvement in crackdowns.

  “The Guard everywhere it’s been used has only been used as a protection force around federal law enforcement.”
  — Mike Slater (00:56)

• Labor Day Weekend Crime Spree

  • Chicago saw 53 people shot and 7 fatalities over the weekend, with victims aged 14-50.

• Viral Prank Turns Deadly in Texas

  • An 11-year-old boy was shot and killed during a late-night door-knocking prank (“ding-dong ditch”) in southeast Houston.
  • The shooting suspect is in custody, with a search revealing many weapons in the home.
  • Slater notes how the TikTok trend behind such pranks often includes aggressive antics, sometimes leading to violent outcomes.

• Presidential Medal of Freedom to Rudy Giuliani

  • President Trump announced the awarding to Giuliani, highlighting his legacy as “America’s mayor” and lamenting his fall from public grace due to political controversies.
  • Giuliani was just involved in a serious car crash over the weekend.

  “I have never seen in my life such an unfair fall from such great heights as the left has perpetrated against Rudy Giuliani.”
  — Mike Slater (01:52)

  “Rudy Giuliani, the greatest mayor in the history of New York City and an equally great American patriot, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our country’s highest civilian honor.”
  — Quoting Trump (02:03)

• Heroic Rescue by Army Football Player

  • A 20-year-old football player and his father saved a driver from a burning car, guided by quick thinking and military training.

  “Dad said there was no discussion. My son jumped right into action. His military training kicked in, pulled the man right out.”
  — Mike Slater (02:49)

2. Message of the Day: Memento Mori — The Fragility of Life

(04:27-09:37)

• The Image of a Mother's Fear

  • Slater describes a haunting image from a church school shooting: a mother running barefoot toward danger, holding her shoes, desperate to reach her children.

• The Latin Principle: "Memento Mori"

  • He shares the ancient phrase meaning “remember, you must die”—once considered morbid but reframed here as a transformative mindset.
  • References to Christian and Puritan traditions, and Stoic philosophy, especially Marcus Aurelius citing Epictetus.

  “As you kiss your son good night, whisper to yourself, he may be dead in the morning. Jeez.”
  — Mike Slater quoting Epictetus (06:21)

• Personal Reflection on Mortality and Parenting

  • Slater recounts how a health scare with his eight-year-old son, Jack, led to confronting deep fears and regrets, only to find relief in a benign diagnosis (migraines due to vision problems).
  • The experience prompts him to urge listeners to cherish time with loved ones and reconsider priorities.

  “If only I knew how much time he really had left. All these thoughts were, in an instant…”
  — Mike Slater (08:06)

  “Maybe it’s really important to take a moment every day and try. How will the decisions you make in your life be different after you do?”
  — Mike Slater (09:00)

3. Language Policing: Democratic Party's New "Banned Words"

(09:37-14:05)

• Satirical Analysis of "Forbidden Words" List

  • Slater comments on a list by a Democratic think tank, Third Way, warning candidates against using terminology seen as alienating to mainstream Americans.
  • Examples: “privilege”, “triggering”, “microaggression”, “safe space”, “body shaming”, “critical theory”, “birthing person”, “cisgender”, “LGBTQIA+”, “Latinx”, “justice involved individuals,” and more.
  • He mocks the evolving political correctness, noting the irony that originators of these terms are now asking their own side to stop using them publicly.

  “These are the people who came up with these words... Part of me, of course, doesn’t want the left to figure this out, but I’m pretty sure they’ll find new ways to alienate normal people.”
  — Mike Slater (13:40)

  “Are we at an era where the Democrats are going to stop using... Even LGBTQIA+?”
  — Mike Slater (12:56)

• Broader Point:

  • Slater underlines the cyclical absurdity of partisan language, emphasizing how phrases once considered progressive now backfire by alienating potential voters.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rudy Giuliani:

  “I have never seen in my life such an unfair fall from such great heights as the left has perpetrated against Rudy Giuliani.”
  — Mike Slater (01:52)

• On Parenting and Mortality:

  “As you kiss your son good night, whisper to yourself, he may be dead in the morning.”
  — Mike Slater quoting Epictetus (06:21)

• On the "Banned Words" List:

  “Stop saying these words, Democrats, if you don’t want people to think you’re lunatics anymore.”
  — Mike Slater (12:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:24 — News Highlights Begin
• 01:52 — On Giuliani’s “unfair fall”
• 02:49 — Heroic car rescue by football player
• 04:27 — Message of the Day: Fragility of Life and Memento Mori
• 06:21 — The Epictetus quote on mortality
• 08:06 — Personal parenting reflection
• 09:37 — The “Banned Words” list segment

Tone & Style

Mike Slater—while substituting for O’Reilly—employs direct language, opinionated analysis, touches of irony, and emotional storytelling, balancing hard news with personal reflection and cultural commentary. The tone switches easily from urgent and fact-driven to contemplative and lightly sarcastic.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a concise, comprehensive rendering of the episode’s most impactful news and commentary.