O'Reilly complained that SF Chronicle “field marshal” label is a “Nazi reference”

Written by Sam Gill

Published

On The Radio Factor, host Bill O'Reilly called the San Francisco Chronicle's use of the term “field marshal” a “Nazi reference; the Chronicle labeled O'Reilly ”a field marshal for the conservative counter-campaign against the 'war on Christmas.' " However, the term “field marshal” is also the highest rank in the military forces of Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and bears relation to the French rank of “Marischal du Camp.”

On the December 15 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, The Radio Factor, host Bill O'Reilly called the San Francisco Chronicle's use of the term “field marshal” a “Nazi reference.” The Chronicle, in a December 15 article, wrote of O'Reilly:

Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly, a field marshal for the conservative counter-campaign against the “war on Christmas,” will be happy to know that San Francisco called this its “Dreaming of a Green Christmas” tree program.

“Field marshal” is also the highest rank in the military forces of Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and is related to the French rank of “Marischal du Camp.”

O'Reilly also apparently invented his assertion that a San Francisco program to bring live Christmas trees to the homes of city residents for $90 was started "[b]ecause people were putting lights on regular trees ... [a]nd the Department of Environment in San Francisco said this was bad for the tree." According to the Chronicle article, the program was actually initiated because some residents felt that buying a tree for two weeks and throwing it away was wasteful. The new project helps get the most out of Christmas trees:

For $90, the city will bring a live, 7- to 9-foot potted tree to your home for you to decorate. After Christmas, the city will retrieve it and plant it in one of San Francisco's tree-starved neighborhoods, like Bayview-Hunters Point.

From the December 15 broadcast of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:

O'REILLY: San Francisco Chronicle, one of the nation's most secular newspapers, says today, quote, “Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly, a field marshal” -- notice the Nazi reference -- “for the conservative counter-campaign against the 'war on Christmas' will be happy to know that San Francisco has called [sic] its 'Dreaming of A Green Christmas' tree program. Not that there wasn't discussion about other names. 'Some people wanted to call it a peace tree, or a holiday tree,' said Mark Westland, a spokesman for the Department of the Environment in San Francisco, 'But we figured that only people who would be celebrating Christmas would want one for the most part.' ” So San Francisco has a Dreaming of A Green Christmas tree program, but I am a field marshal now, according to that newspaper.

[...]

O'REILLY: And I read you the San Francisco Chronicle thing, I'll just re-read it. “Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly, a field marshal” -- Nazi reference -- “for the conservative counter-campaign against the 'war on Christmas' will be happy to know that San Francisco has a program called 'Dreaming of A Green Christmas' ” -- where, for $90, the city will bring you a 9-foot potted tree. You know why they do this? Because people were putting lights on regular trees. You know, like in their front yard. You probably -- might know someone who does that. You might do it. And the Department of Environment in San Francisco said this was bad for the tree. Apparently, the tree called the Department of Environment. “Look, I hate these lights. Get them off me!”

So now in San Francisco, nut central USA, for $90, the city will bring you a potted tree so you don't hurt the shrub in your front yard. [Laughing] Anyway, somehow they dragged me into this insane program. But I am now a field marshal.