Bill O’Reilly returns to ‘The View,’ but everyone behaves

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Bill O’Reilly returned to ‘The View’ on Thursday, the scene of a heated debate in 2010 that resulted in ‘View’ hosts Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg walking off the program. This time, everyone remained seated.

The ‘O’Reilly Factor’ host once again sparred with the women on the panel, including Barbara Walters, with topic No. 1 being the debate over access to contraception and Rush Limbaugh’s criticism of Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke.

As soon as O’Reilly sat down, Walters charged into the debate, noting that Fluke had appeared on ‘The View,’ but not ‘The O’Reilly Factor’ because ‘maybe we were just more objective. But I will move on!’

While it was apparent Behar and Goldberg were ready for a fight, O’Reilly appeared to be on his best behavior, condemning Limbaugh’s use of the words ‘slut’ and ‘prostitute’ to describe Fluke, while still debating the issues.

When talk turned to the current GOP primary elections, O’Reilly even got a rare chance to play nice guy. When asked whether Newt Gingrich should drop out of the race, O’Reilly responded: ‘No, he’s having fun.... What else does he have to do?’ To which, Behar said, ‘Get divorced and get married again.’

‘Oh, that’s not nice,’ O’Reilly said. ‘What’s wrong with you? Come on.’

Behar responded, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. You’re so nice and I’m not.’

Back in 2010, a debate over a proposed Muslim community center to be built in Lower Manhattan boiled over into Goldberg and Behar stomping off the set. Walters scolded both of them on-air.

O’Reilly returned to ‘The View’ in 2011, whereupon Goldberg and Behar strapped themselves to their seats.

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--Patrick Kevin Day