Bill O’Reilly claims slaves who built White House were ‘well-fed and had decent lodgings’

Jul 27, 2016

Bill O’Reilly on Tuesday attempted to fact check the speech that Michelle Obama gave at the Democratic National Convention by saying that the slaves that built the White House were well-treated.

“Slaves that worked there were well fed and had decent lodgings provided by the government, which stopped hiring slave labor in 1802,” O’Reilly said.

“So, Michelle Obama is essentially correct in citing slaves as builders of the White House, but there were others working as well,” he added.

He then went on to say, “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.”

“I just can’t get rid of that history teacher thing. You know what I’m talking about?”

The remarks were made in response to the First Lady’s speech in which she spoke about her experience living in a White House built by slaves.

“I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves,” she said. “And I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent black young women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn.”

“And because of Hillary Clinton my daughters and all our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States. So don’t let anyone ever tell you that this country isn’t great, that somehow we need to make it great again, because this right now is the greatest country on earth.”