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Obama Going On Fox Thursday Night

There are reports out that Barack Obama will go on The O'Reilly Factor Thursday to steal some headlines from John McCain (Fox News is sure to have a huge, huge audience that night).

Basically I think this is a smart move on the part of the Obama campaign, with one caveat. Anyone who has seen O'Reilly's show over the past six months can attest to two truths: First, O'Reilly has been kinder to Obama than one would have expected, and second, O'Reilly has been obsessed with getting Obama to come on the show. Those familiar with O'Reilly's ego can decide for themselves whether or not there is a connection between these two things.

Therefore the concern is that once Obama goes on the show, O'Reilly will spend the last two months of the campaign unloading on him. Perhaps, then, a strategy of stringing along the Fox host for several more weeks would be the wisest course of action. Let's call it the EU strategy, in honor of those Europeans who counsel dangling the prospect of EU membership in front of the Turks--thus ensuring liberal reforms--while putting off the actual date of admittance.

--Isaac Chotiner