FOX's O'Reilly Confronts Douglas 

There's no one who can capitalize on tragedy and make it political like FOX bloviator-in-chief Bill O'Reilly, who seems to relish beating up on the liberal loons in Vermont. In separate reports in the past two weeks, O'Reilly has placed us pedophile enablers in his righteous crosshairs.

Here's the link to a great video from the O'Reilly Factor the other night. Watch FOX producer, Jesse Watters — who ambushed House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Bill Lippert, D-Hinesburg, in 2006 in the statehouse cafeteria — confront Gov. Jim Douglas outside a weekend meeting of the National Governor's Association in Philadelphia.

Here's a sampling of how it went between Watters and Douglas:

WATTERS: About how many deadgirls are we going to tolerate here? I mean, over and over again, it'sanother story after another story out of Vermont?

DOUGLAS:One dead girl is one too many. I attended the funeral of Brooke Bennettlast week and met with her family, her friends, with people in thecommunity. It's a devastating impact, and we need to be sure that we dosomething about it. As the pastor said at the funeral, Brooke's lifewill have meaning if we take action, and I plan to do that.

Check out the whole video. Douglas seems congenial enough during the confrontation, but it ends on a note that I don't think even the governor would admit is flattering. But, that's always the purpose of these hit-and-run pieces.

This was O'Reilly's take on the interview with Douglas:

Well, obviously, Governor Douglas is blaming thelegislature, but you, sir, must lead. Your voice has not been loudenough. I think he's a good man, but I don't think he's a strong man.

According to Douglas spokesman Jason Gibbs, the FOX crew didn't request an interview. But Gibbs said the administration knew the crew was there to "interview" governors of states that do not have a Jessica's Law. That law, named for a Florida girl, has a 25-year minimum sentence for child molesters. Some in Vermont, including Lt.Gov. Brian Dubie, believe it is time for Vermont to adopt such a law.

This is not the first time O'Reilly has focused his ire and e-mail-writing minions on Vermont. Two years ago, after a judge gave a 60-day sentence to a child molester — in a convoluted attempt to get the molester into treatment — O'Reilly came in with cameras ablazing.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Watters making a return visit, so keep a watch on moving bushes and people leaping out from in between parked cars, mic in hand.