Former Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly is weighing in on President Trump’s widely derided use of “Pocahontas” to describe Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, promising “thoughtful analysis” later this evening on BillO’Reilly.com.
“What would the real Pocahontas think of President @realDonaldTrump using her name to mock Senator Elizabeth Warren?,” O’Reilly asks. “Would she think the use of her name is a slur? We’ll have thoughtful analysis on BillOReilly.com tonight and Pocahontas would like it!,” he tweeted on Tuesday.
It’s unclear if Bill’s last reference is to the Native American historical figure or Sen. Warren.
What would the real Pocahontas think of President @realDonaldTrump using her name to mock Senator Elizabeth Warren? Would she think the use of her name is a slur? We’ll have thoughtful analysis on https://t.co/rryWmyXe7C tonight and Pocahontas would like it!
— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) November 28, 2017
O’Reilly has already given the issue thought. A visit to his website reveals a lengthy essay on the matter in which the host declined to condemn the term per se, but rather warned that anyone wanting to make “any reference to a minority group” should “be careful.”
“So now we find out that the PC police, self-appointed left wing fanatics, have labeled the name Pocahontas as a racial slur. Who knew?,” said O’Reilly. “The message is this: any reference to a minority group can get a person in big trouble. Be careful.”
Since losing his perch at Fox News, in the wake of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and tens of millions of dollars in settlements, the one-time ratings emperor of the network has doggedly refused to vanish, regularly tweeting about current events and hosting a podcast on BillOReilly.com. Rumors of a new gig at the right-leaning Sinclair Broadcasting or Newsmax have also been floated in recent weeks — though, so far, nothing has materialized.