OReilly Taps Petraeus as His Person of the Year

Time magazine named Russian President Vladimir Putin its “Person of the Year” on Wednesday, but if Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly had his way, the nod would have gone to Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq

In O’Reilly’s Talking Points Memo on Tuesday night’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” he told viewers:

“‘The Factor’ person of the year is General David Petraeus, who has turned a disastrous military situation in Iraq into a possible victory in less than a year.

“You will remember how the general got worked over by some Congress people, how many folks said publicly the so-called ‘surge’ in Iraq would not work.

“Well, they were wrong. Violence is now at the lowest levels since the conflict began in 2003 — obviously, a stunning turnaround in less than a year…

“The cost has been great. We all know that. In suffering and cash. And the Iraqi government is still a mess. But General Petraeus, backed by a brave and professional U.S. military, has restored much order, largely defeated the Iraqi al-Qaida thugs, and at least given the good people of that country a chance to prosper. General David Petraeus is ‘The Factor’ person of the year by a wide margin.”