Bill O’Reilly on Tuesday sought to fact-check Michelle Obama’s Democratic National Convention speech, saying slaves who built the White House were “well-fed and had decent lodgings.”
“Slaves that worked there were well-fed and had decent lodgings provided by the government, which stopped hiring slave labor in 1802,” Mr. O’Reilly said on his Fox News show. “However the feds did not forbid subcontractors from using slave labor.”
“Records show about 400 payments made to slave masters between 1795 and 1801,” he said. “In addition, free blacks, whites and immigrants also worked on the massive building.”
“So, Michelle Obama is essentially correct in citing slaves as builders of the White House, but there were others working as well.”
In her convention keynote speech, the first lady repeated a line about living in a house built by slaves.
“I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves,” Mrs. Obama said. “And I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent black young women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn.”
In a tweet Wednesday, Mr. O’Reilly said “far left loons” had distorted his remark. He said he agreed with Mrs. Obama that slaves had built the White House and promised to address the issue further on his show Wednesday night.
“She’s correct & I provided facts,” Mr. O’Reilly said. “More on The Factor – BO’R.”
• Bradford Richardson can be reached at brichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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