Clinton Plans Attack on Rush, O'Reilly, Fox

But rather than talk about the war or the road ahead for peace, former President Bill Clinton this weekend will take a shot at Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and the Fox network over family values and network television, WORLD magazine has learned.

In a debate with Bob Dole on Sunday during his weekly appearance on the CBS program "60 Minutes," Clinton will say: "Fox, the network full of conservative Republicans, has reality shows. You and Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh haven't attacked them."

The full exclusive advance transcript is published below.

Clinton and Dole agreed in March to tape 10 weekly segments. According to CBS, "the segments will revive the Point-Counterpoint segments popular until they stopped airing in 1979, but will not use the name. Instead, the segments will be called 'Clinton/Dole' one week and 'Dole/Clinton' the next week."

"I think that the country needs a debate that's not a screaming match," the former president said on CBS News' "Early Show" in March. "And I think too many times we have these arguments on these talk shows where they're trying to get ratings by generating heat, when we ought to be trying to generate more light."

BOB DOLE:

"Does Hollywood still think Ozzy Osbourne is funny now that he's shipped his underage son off to drug rehab? America is awash in reality TV. The reality is it's debasing and degrading.

"Mr. President, don't your show biz pals realize the consequences? They package dysfunctional people like the Osbornes. Giggle at the coarseness and the crimes. And sink lower for higher rating. For eight years you treated Hollywood like your own piggy bank. Now how about joining me in demanding a little responsibility? Ask those entertainment executives who wrote you those big, big checks: Isn't there some way to reach the most viewers without appealing to the worst in viewers?

"Reality exacts a price. Sadly, from Ozzy's son today. Maybe from other kids tomorrow. President Clinton, how low can things go?"

BILL CLINTON:

"I've never watched the Osbournes, but 10 years ago did challenge the entertainment industry to take violence and other things harmful to kids out of their programming. I pushed for the first TV ratings system and the V chip to give parents more control over what their kids watched.

"Reality TV makes money because adults watch it. Fox, the network full of conservative Republicans, has reality shows. You and Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh haven't attacked them.

"As for kids and drugs, the Republican budget gives a tax cut to you and me paid for by cutting $50 million (each) from the Safe and Drug Free School Program and the Drug Enforcement Administration and worst of all by taking half a million kids out of after school programs which we know helps kids stay off the streets and away from drugs.

"The administration's budget will hurt our efforts to keep kids drug free a lot more than the Osbournes. That's reality."