Lest anyone claim that the O'Reilly Factor interview was not all about pushing the Jesse Ventura story, Fox does post transcripts of the show:
It began and more than 50% of the interview was about Ventura. Where it reads start Video, it is a video of Ventura. Draw your own conclusion about Mr. Kyle's approach to avoiding the cops with his "Punch and run" philosophy.
"
This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," January 05, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET!
BILL O'REILLY, HOST: "Personal Story" segment tonight, Chief Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL, is officially the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. The chief has written a brand-new book called "American Sniper" that chronicles his amazing story in Iraq. I spoke with him last night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'REILLY: So Chief, I read your book. Very entertaining. I recommend it for my audience. I think they'll like it.
First of all, you said you knocked Jesse Ventura to the floor with a punch. Now you don't mention his name, but everybody knows who that is. No. 1, that happened? Knocked him out?
CHRIS KYLE, FORMER NAVY SEAL SNIPER: Well, I knocked him down.
O'REILLY: Why? Why would you punch Ventura?
KYLE: It was in '06. It was the year we lost our first two SEALs in Iraq. We came home. We lost our last guy just before coming home. We had the wake in a SEAL bar there in Coronado, and he was there. He was there for a speaking engagement at a bud ceremony, graduating class.
O'REILLY: Because he was a SEAL, right?
KYLE: Yes.
O'REILLY: He was a Navy SEAL. So he was bad mouthing the war. Right?
KYLE: Bad mouthing the war, bad mouthing Bush. Bad mouthing America.
O'REILLY: And you took exception?
KYLE: I did find a problem with it. The family was there. I asked him to please tone it down, that we did not want to upset the family members of Michael Mansoor.
O'REILLY: Who was killed?
KYLE: Yes, sir. And he earned the Medal of Honor. He jumped on a grenade and saved everybody else around.
O'REILLY: But I want to be clear. Ventura wasn't attacking him at all, verbally bashing him. He was just bashing the whole thing in general?
KYLE: Yes, sir. Until he said we deserve to lose a few guys.
O'REILLY: He said we deserve to lose -- we, the United States...
KYLE: No, he said, "You, y'all deserve to lose a few guys."
O'REILLY: Navy SEALs?
KYLE: I am assuming he was saying that to me.
O'REILLY: Was he drunk?
KYLE: No, sir. I never saw him with a drink in hand at all.
O'REILLY: So once he said, "You deserve to lose a few guys," you popped him?
KYLE: Yes, sir.
O'REILLY: Did he fight back?
KYLE: He went down, the cops were there. I took off running.
O'REILLY: You ran?
KYLE: Yes, sir.
O'REILLY: Did they arrest you?
KYLE: No, sir. I have a master chief that always said, punch and run.
O'REILLY: Now if I ask you a tough question, you going to pop me tonight?
KYLE: No."
If you wish to read the shorter remaining part of the interview it is available.
Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History | Fox News
But as you can see, the FIRST item of interest to O'Reilly was the Ventura story which multiple witnesses and photographic records of Mr Ventura from that day convinced a jury was a slanderous lie from which Mr. Kyle monetarily benefited.