Kinky on O'Reilly Factor (June 16)

President Bush has just completed his eight-day tour of Europe. As you may know, many Europeans do not like him or us. In France, 57 percent of the folks have a negative view of America. In Germany, the number is a whopping 66 percent.

Now, our pal, Kinky Freidman is also just back from a European tour. He joins us from Austin, Texas, anticipating his new book "What Would Kinky Do" how to unscrew a screwed up world. The book comes out June 26th.

All right, you were on a three week, 18 city concert tour of Europe. And you wore the outfit so they knew you weren't from Romania. Why do they dislike us? One thing? Is it the Iraq War?

KINKY FRIEDMAN, COWBOY PHILOSOPHER: No, no. Bill, I didn't get that at all. Not only was the tour a financial pleasure, but I found that the Europeans, I think they see us more clearly than we see ourselves. I think they believe in us, maybe more than we believe in ourselves.

Examples, our cowboys and Indians. I mean, maybe because I was doing songs like "The Ballad of Ira Hayes," you know, the Indian who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, that I believe he referenced a few weeks back.

O'REILLY: Right.

FRIEDMAN: I told them the native American thanksgiving prayer. You know the native American thanksgiving prayer, don't you, Bill?

O'REILLY: Why don't you refresh my memory?

FRIEDMAN: Thanks for nothing, but they love the cowboy. Of course, Willie Nelson is somebody they adore. A man you designated, I think as a pinhead now twice in recent months.

O'REILLY: Right.

FRIEDMAN: And once was because what he thought 9/11 was an inside job.

O'REILLY: Right.

FRIEDMAN: And I call him the hillbilly dalai lama because he believes our government is even capable of doing something like that.

O'REILLY: All right, you and I know - you know, Willie goes over the line. And when he does, we have to slap him around.

But let's get back to the Europeans. Now there's no doubt that they don't like President Bush, that they - that except for Italy, Italy's an interesting country. That'st heir most pro American country right now.

But there is a secular progressive movement in Europe that is seized the cotton.. And it's basically saying all things liberal are good. All things progressive are good. And all things conservative are bad. Decline of religion dramatic in places like Spain and France used to be 100 percent Catholic. I think that's why traditional America, which is what Mr. Bush represents, is loathe in that European Union. I think that's what it's all about.

FRIEDMAN: Well, where we were, which was of course, Ireland, England, Scotland, and Holland, I contend I think the people love America. I mean, I think the whole Bush-Iraq thing might be a side show. For instance, they want to be us when they grow up, Bill, like...

O'REILLY: You know, that's interesting. I think you're right. But when you have a 66 percent of the German population has unfavorable view of the United States, that's us, Kinky. We elect our leaders.

FRIEDMAN: Come on, come on, Bill. The Germans are my second favorite people. You know, my first is everybody else. We can't worry about that.

O'REILLY: I do worry about it because I want -- look, we can't win this war on terror. And we can't become a peaceful world if people have the wrong view of the United States, which is the leader of the world. You know, as I said in the "Talking Points Memo.

We're noble to try to free 26 million Iraqis. We're noble for taking out Saddam Hussein. Yet we're the devil in Europe for doing that. And there's something wrong with that. I think you and I have got to go on a concert tour. You warm them up and sing and do all of that and I'll come out and give them a little no spin.

FRIEDMAN: Well, here is the problem. We're turning our own country into a condo association. Bill. We are destroying our greatest gift, which is freedom of expression, freedom to be different, freedom to be who you are. If there's Bill O'Reilly's bar, he wants to have no smoking, put up the sign. Kinky Freidman's bar can say smoking allowed. That's the way it ought to be.

O'REILLY: All right, so you think that banning smoking in public places has turned the world against us. You might be right. Everybody in Europe smokes.

FRIEDMAN: No, they're copying us. They're copying us, Bill.

O'REILLY: Oh, I know that.

FRIEDMAN: Bill, if you go there, it's sad.

O'REILLY: OK. Well, I don't know if it's sad, but it's certainly a reality. Kinky Friedman, everybody. Appreciate it.

Plenty more as "The Factor" moves along this evening. Body language warming up with "The View" ladies arguing about McCain and Obama. And then a salacious political ad. Will it bring votes to the Democratic party? We hope you stay tuned for those reports.