Marking the 20th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, on the January 16 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, assessed the potential for all Americans “to pursue happiness in a meaningful way” and concluded, “I don't think Dr. King would be disappointed ... because our system of government and economy gives more people the chance to pursue happiness in a meaningful way than any other system in the world.” He added, “I'm the poster boy for that.”

O'Reilly continued: "[N]o matter what color you are, if you work hard, and you're persistent, and you get educated, you can make it here."

From the January 16 broadcast of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:

O'REILLY: OK, I don't think Dr. King would be disappointed in where the economic situation is in the USA right now. I really don't. Because our system of government and economy gives more people the chance to pursue happiness in a meaningful way than any other system in the world. I'm the poster boy for that. And, you know, no matter what color you are, if you work hard, and you're persistent, and you get educated, you can make it here. You know, it's no accident that millions of people are trying to get in here. So, you know, you hear a lot of bad things about the USA -- you can make it. No matter what color you are, no matter where you come from. But you gotta -- you gotta work, gotta get educated, gotta be persistent.