Wednesday on his nightly “The O’Reilly Factor” program, host Bill O’Reilly used his “Talking Points Memo” segment to rebut criticism he had received for taking on first lady Michelle Obama’s address to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia two nights earlier
Transcript as follow:
On Monday Michelle Obama said that America has come a long way from the days when slaves built the White House.
Some criticized her analysis, saying it demeaned the USA.
I disagree and presented the facts of Mrs. Obama’s statement last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
As we mentioned Talking Points memo, Michelle Obama referenced slaves building the White House in referring to the evolution of America in a positive way. It was a positive comment. The history behind her remark is fascinating. George Washington selected the site in 1791, and as president laid the cornerstone in 1792. Washington was then running the country out of Philadelphia. Slaves did participate in the construction of the White House. Records show about 400 payments made to slave masters between 1795 and 1801. In addition, free blacks, whites, and immigrants also worked on the massive building. There were no illegal immigrants at that time. If you could make it here, you could stay here. In 1800, President John Adams took up residence in what was then called the executive mansion. It was only later on they named it the White House. But Adams was in there with Abigail and they were still hammering nails. The construction was still going on. Slaves that worked there were well fed and had decent lodgings provided by the government, which stopped hiring slave labor in 1802. However, the Feds did not forbid subcontractors from using slave labor. So Michelle Obama is essentially correct in citing slaves as builders of the White House but there were others working as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
That commentary is one hundred percent accurate, providing context to Mrs. Obama’s remarks and explaining how the administration of George Washington conducted itself in the construction of the executive mansion.
Is that not important to know?
For doing that I was immediately attacked by smear merchants.
The rank tabloid New York Daily News says, “O’Reilly defends use of White House slaves …”
That is a lie. I defended nothing. The publisher of the Daily News, Mort Zuckerman, allows that kind of stuff on a daily basis.
It is despicable.
USA Today did the same thing …”Bill O’Reilly defended the working conditions slaves faced while building the White House …”
Another lie. Not surprising from a publication that routinely distorts events, especially on its editorial page.
It is a given that slavery is an abomination, but reporting the story behind Mrs. Obama’s very valid points does not diminish the horror of enslavement as these dishonest critics allege.
As any honest historian knows, in order to keep slaves and free laborers strong the Washington administration provided meat, bread and other staples, also decent lodging on the grounds of the new presidential building.
That is a fact not a justification, not a defense of slavery, just a fact.
Anyone who implies a soft on slavery message is beneath contempt.
Some celebrities like Stephen King, Bryan Cranston and Broadway star Audra McDonald immediately sought to exploit the situation on Twitter by buying into the defamation.
We have invited all of them on The Factor.
Place your bets on whether they’ll show up.
That phony outrage comes on the heels of another media deception.
Writing in Time Magazine this week liberal columnist Joe Klein says, “Bill O’Reilly – who was busy trying to gin up a race war by blaming Black Lives Matter for the police shootings …”
Klein using that gross fallacy in a column that calls Republicans a quote “party of hate.”
Got a mirror, Joe?
The Factor has reported accurately about Black Lives Matter and the provocations stemming from that group.
But the far-left zealots do not want that reported and despise anyone who does so.
Factor viewer George Bretherton sums up the situation this way:
“O’Reilly, everything you said about how the White House was built is true – according to the White House Historical Association. It is truly sad that intellectual honesty is so rare in today’s world.”
It’s beyond sad, George. It’s dangerous.
Propaganda and hate now dominate the media landscape.
And that will be demonstrated in the upcoming presidential campaign.
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