In response CAIR goes wild, calling for immediate action against him, which they got.
Here's what's missing: a link between the calls by CAIR and the actions by NPR. Why would NPR worry about CAIR's opinions?
This all seems contrary to you assumption that the responses to NPR were orchestrated by, or inspired by, O'Reilly's comments on his "factor" program.
I don't believe I attributed that to O'Reilly, or even Fox News, specifically. However, they do have the largest audience among the players, and the news segments were running well before Wiliams appearance on O'Reilly.
As far as my opinion about what NPR did, I say they done got played by a very small, ideologically-driven special interest group (CAIR) and ignored the mainstream wishes with respect to Williams.
Again, where is the evidence that CAIR influence NPR?
But it’s not. This was a blunder of enormous proportions. Even many liberals—Donna Brazile, Joan Walsh, Whoopi Goldberg—are castigating National Public Radio for throwing Williams overboard.
Why is it "Even many liberrals"? Why would liberals be more likely to support an NPR action? Is NPR supposed to care more about what liberals think than conservatives?
NPR Chief Executive Vivian Schiller—dubbed a “pinhead” by O’Reilly—made matters worse by suggesting that Williams needs psychiatric attention.
We both know that's not what she actually said.