None of which means that O'Reilly isn't a smart man with a considered point of view and a marketable, flamboyant style. It just means most viewers know what they're getting with the, ahem, "no-spin zone." It ain't fair and balanced, but we don't care. Most talk television is "slanted and shallow," and we like it that way. Apparently.
Franken, meanwhile, gets credit for cleverness, if not hilarity, for his strategy of using more-famous people to sell his books. His 1996 book was titled "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot: And Other Observations." Franken, relatively unknown by comparison, attached his byline to one of the best-known names in America and, voila, he's got a best seller.
I read the book. It was kinda funny, kinda interesting, but name one line? Can't. What was it about? Don't remember. Something to do with Rush Limbaugh, about whom my opinion changed not one wit. Limbaugh may be a lot of things, but he's no idiot. He's not even fat anymore.
One might correctly assume, however, that a book so titled isn't to be taken too seriously. It's obviously one man's rant, not unlike dozens of others circulating and doing head-scratchingly well. Treason. Slander. Stupid White Men. How about this for a title: "You're Stupid to Buy This Book, But You'll Do It Anyway."
In any case, those who loved Limbaugh already hated Franken, if they'd ever heard of him. Those who hated Limbaugh enjoyed feeling clever by association with Franken. The same will apply to the O'Reilly-Franken encounter.
Otherwise, none of it matters except to Franken and his publisher, who are getting richer whether they deserve to or not.
And hoping, no doubt, that O'Reilly and friends will appeal the judge's ruling. More publicity equals more sales. It doesn't matter what they're saying, after all, as long as they're buying the book.