Obama O'Reilly Super Bowl Interview

In January 2006, Internet blog site Drudge Report posted that President Barack Obama would be interviewed by Fox presenter Bill O'Reilly as part of the network's program lead-up to Super Bowl XLV.http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/06/news/la-pn-obama-oreilly-interview-20110107 It will be the first time Obama has been interviewed by O'Reilly since his election campaign in 2008.http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/06/news/la-pn-obama-oreilly-interview-20110107

In the past, Obama has been critical of the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News channel. The channel is home to conservative presenters such as O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck.http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thecutline/foxs-oreilly-to-interview-obama-before-super-bowlObama told CNBC in 2009 that he has "one television station that is entirely devoted to attacking my administration," referring to Fox. More recently he called the channel "destructive."http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thecutline/foxs-oreilly-to-interview-obama-before-super-bowl

O'Reilly opened the interview by thanking the Obama administration for rescuing a Fox News colleague during the uprising in Egypt. The interviewer then asked President Obama about the leadership in Egypt and his administration's plans for president Hosni Mubarak. President Obama reinforced his belief that the Egyptian people needed to force change in their own country, through the democratic process. 

O'Reilly highlighted editors painting Obama as a "tax and spend" liberal and attacking health care reform. Obama defended his reputation, stating that he had not raised taxes, he had actually lowered them. He also committed himself to health care reform.

Obama told O'Reilly that the worst thing about being president was "being in the bubble," and feeling that he could not have "spontaneous conversations with folks." He also agreed with O'Reilly that the job had made him more "guarded."

On the Super Bowl, Obama said that he was not picking sides, just hoping for a good game. He stated his opinion that the Packers had more speed and Steelers had more experience, but believed the teams were evenly matched.