Martin Bashir Defends Andrea Mitchell, Attacks Bill O'Reilly (VIDEO)

WATCH: Bashir Fights Back Against Bill O'Reilly

MSNBC host Martin Bashir took a moment on his Thursday show to defend his colleague Andrea Mitchell.

Mitchell was the subject of Fox News host Bill O'Reilly's criticism on Wednesday for what he called her biased reporting. During a broadcast on MSNBC, Mitchell joked that she had the "advantage or disadvantage" of watching GOP candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich because "it's [her] job and someone has to do it."

Bashir responded to the criticism and issued a strong defense in favor of Mitchell. He called her "a friend" and "one of the finest journalists in the country." He said that Mitchell has spent her career defying the odds and shattering glass ceilings. He added that he was "completely taken aback" that O'Reilly would attack what Bashir called Mitchell's "brief, lighthearted aside" as an example of "the declining journalists standards in America."

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