Bill O'Reilly: Trump's Support Comes Primarily From Angry White Men
O'Reilly: “Many White Americans Believe That Illegal Immigration Hurts Their Job Prospects”
Written by Media Matters Staff
Published
From the April 4 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
BILL O'REILLY (HOST): All the polls say the same thing, Donald Trump's rise is being fueled largely by white men, who are both angry and furiously angry with both political parties. At this point 47 percent of Republican women say they will not vote for Trump, according to a Wall Street Journal/ NBC poll. So it's the guys that have catapulted the candidate to the top of the Republican primary pack. According to the Washington Post, Donald Trump is favored by 50 percent of Republican voters that make less than $50,000 a year, most of them men. Also, Mr. Trump is supported by just 32 percent of Republicans who have college degrees, according to polling from 20 Republican primary states. So you can see that Trump's support is coming largely from working-class white men who feel aggrieved.
Now, we've seen this before in America, the black grievance industry is a powerful force. That group sells the notion that most problems in the African-American precincts are caused by white people, and historical oppression. While the media gives that view a lot of attention, most African-Americans themselves reject the propaganda. A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation says 61 percent of American blacks believe the breakdown of the African-American family is a major reason for the economic deprivation and social problems in the black community. Now in the white side, the issue is similar. Many white Americans believe that illegal immigration hurts their job prospects, and are angered by changing neighborhoods and changing social patterns. Their refrain is often “I want my country back.” These voters are tired of seeing welfare doled out to people who are not motivated to succeed, or even American citizens. They are angry that terrorism is not being contained. They see the Republican Party as largely cowardly in the face of political correctness. The white grievance crew also believes they are being oppressed economically, and that nobody is looking out for them.
Enter Donald Trump, who vividly reflects that anger and who has criticized his own party for being weak. Now, both the black and the white grievance movements have some legitimate points. There is no question that in poor black neighborhoods schools are generally deficient, because the property tax base which supports the schools is low. So poor black kids are not being educated as well as affluent children. That's true. On the white side, here's a very simple example. The Republican Party did not, get behind Kate's Law, which would have harshly punished illegal alien felons who defy deportation. While GOP senators like Grassley, McCain, and Cruz did actively try to get Kate's Law passed, the Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell did not. And in general, Republican politicians did not raise the flag on this issue.I mean, when you control both houses of Congress, as the Republicans do, and you cannot get a just law like Kate's Law passed, there is a serious problem.
Again, Donald Trump has tapped into that chaos. Going forward, Mr. Trump's nomination not a lock. He has made serious mistakes and will have to win over millions of Americans who do not believe he is qualified. If you believe the polls, Mr. Trump is in for a rough day tomorrow in Wisconsin. That being said, the issue of white grievance, not going away. And Trump will maintain a very loyal level of support. Many of his supporters, as I said, are furious. And if Mr. Trump does not get the nomination, the stay home factor in next November's vote is likely to be substantial. And that's the memo.
Previously:
Bill O'Reilly: “Racial Persecution Really Isn't The Problem In Baltimore,” It's “Personal Behavior”
O'Reilly Claims He's Never Seen Racism From Donald Trump, Then Highlights His Racist Tweet
Bill O'Reilly Blames Black Lives Matter For “The Rise Of Fascism On American College Campuses”