Mississippi is the roadmap to freedom and prosperity
Gov. Reeves: There’s no question that if MSNBC and Dr. Fauci had their way, we would play tomorrow’s game with no one in the stadiums. The reality is that we have to get back to normal in America.
This is a rush transcript of "Ingraham Angle" on October 22, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST: All right. I'm Laura Ingraham and this is the INGRAHAM ANGLE. Welcome to Oxford, Mississippi. We are live from the campus of Ole Miss. This is wild here. OK.
So tomorrow the number 12 rank rebels are going to take on the LSU Tigers in a legendary rivalry. And over the past few days, the campus has swelled with alums from both teams flooding into town.
And another highlight of the weekend, former Ole Miss quarterback, the great Eli Manning and his family are in town and his number 10 jersey will be retired tomorrow. It's going to be extremely emotional. And it's going to hang next to the jersey of his father, Archie Manning, another former Ole Miss QB superstar, who played 13 seasons in the NFL.
Now, the Manning family is beloved here in Oxford. So it's a special time to be here indeed. So I don't know about you guys, but the energy here is pretty electric. The crowd is nice. Now, I wanted to - I want - everybody knows already who watches this show, and they listen to me on radio for years that I'm a major SEC football fan.
And the tradition of football is just a huge part of life. Not just here in the south, but it's also, of course, across the Midwest, the West Coast, New England, where I'm from. And once a week every fall, we gather together in our homes at bars and stadiums, at tailgates, to cheer for our favorite teams. And it's what they call the old normal. It's called America.
All right. And we told you a year and a half ago that the tragedy of this pandemic wasn't just going to be measured in the number of lives lost, but in how much of our culture and our traditions we lose in the process. We warned you that a lot of powerful people will try to use the temporary COVID crisis to create a new normal. Come on. They still have people masked up in blue state America and under areas of federal control. And with few exemptions allowed, they'll exclude you, they'll fire you. They'll even shame you for not complying with vaccine mandates.
Thousands of Americans have been forced out of their jobs in just the past week. Although Joe Biden last night said such concerns about vaccine mandates and people losing their jobs. They were just really overblown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I waited until July to talk about mandating, because I tried everything else possible. The mandates are working. All the stuff about people leaving, not true. You got about a 90 some percent vaccination rate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: All right. Tell that to the 1900 state employees in Washington State now out of work, Mr. President; or the 34,000 health care workers in New York, who've been pushed out for refusing to get the jab. And the list by the way goes on and on.
Now, most hardening since the early days of the pandemic is how red state America did not reflexively bow down. Patriotic, hardworking Americans fought to preserve their pre-pandemic lives. Now, this willingness to fight for our freedoms, to maintain our traditions, to defy the so-called experts who weren't elected by the way to anything, to make decisions for ourselves, all this the left detests. And Biden, he just doesn't understand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: Things that concern me. One are those who just tried to make this a political issue of freedom. I have the freedom to kill you with my COVID. Now, I mean, come on, freedom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: How pathetic. Have you ever heard a president of the United States talk about freedom in such a pejorative manner before? His own CDC, by the way, concedes that you can spread the virus whether you're vaccinated or not.
Democrats love though calling everything an emergency. COVID is an emergency, climate's an emergency, racism is an emergency. You name it. Because when you call something an emergency, it gives Washington more power.
So fast forward to this year, when Fauci and others said football, especially college football, would be super spreader events. Well, all of us ignored them. We knew the science of outdoor transmission better than Dr. Fauci did, despite his prestigious degrees in all of his titles. The mass outbreaks that were predicted did not happen, thankfully.
The south and the heartland fought harder than the rest of the country to keep our schools open, to keep our churches open, to keep our county fairs going, and yes, to keep college football going.
(CROWD CHEERING)
INGRAHAM: And they did that no matter what the so-called experts said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAYMOND ARROYO, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Dr. Fauci says, it's very dangerous to gather at a game like this. Why are you doing that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, in my opinion, there is no Dr. Fauci. There's really just us people having a good time, enjoying life, and living life the way we should live.
ARROYO: So you're not worried about Fauci?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He needs to come to Oxford and take his mask off and enjoy a game.
ARROYO: Dr. Fauci says, it's not a great idea to go into a stadium.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's the craziest thing I've ever heard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's time to move on, man. I don't know, we've lived too long in isolation. It's (inaudible) too many people are suffering from it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You only live once, don't be scared of living.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Now, we understand that Americans have an inherent right to self determination. That means we understand that life is filled with risks. And we also know that we manage those risks better than Washington D.C. ever could.
Now, you think about college football. You have the school songs, the chance, the cheers and the parties before the game, that adds to all the atmosphere. But in the end, results matter. Stats are meticulously analyzed. TDs, interceptions, passing and rushing yards, and the end either win or lose.
But in politics, other than on maybe Election Day, you can insulate yourself from scrutiny, despite repeated screw ups, faulty predictions, fumbles, you get the point. Oh, if you're a liberal, if you're woke, that usually means zero accountability. And that only seems to make them angrier by the way that they have no accountability, and they get more resentful along the way.
Well, as for us, tonight and tomorrow across the United States, we're all going to be having fun with family and friends. And we're going to be getting ready to root for our teams. Knowing that, no, they're going to make mistakes. But we're going to remain loyal and hopeful about next season. It's part of their tradition that the left hates about America. They like tearing down our traditions.
You know what I say? I say life's too short to be as unhappy and as miserable as they are. I've never seen anyone hate their own team as much as the left hates America. Feeling the excitement here tonight, it reminds me of a quote that I read by an Ole Miss alum in the New York Times many years ago. She said, "We might not win every game, but we've never lost a party". And in the end, we might even - might even invite Dr. Fauci.
All right. Here with me now, and I'm so excited he's with us, is Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. Governor, wonderful to see you tonight. I know you've been in the excitement for the last couple of days here. It's insane. I thought Tuscaloosa was crazy till I came to - came to Oxford.
Mississippi has been vilified, ridiculed in the press, for not bowing down to some of the COVID tyrants. Yet your state now has a 5.5 percent unemployment. Places like New York City, over 10 percent. Governor, your thoughts tonight looking back on this period?
GOV. TATE REEVES (R-MS): Well, it's been a challenging time for us and everyone across the country. But the reality is, we've done it right because we focus not only on saving lives, but also protecting livelihoods.
And I got to tell you, Laura, it's great to have you here in Oxford, Mississippi, what we really think is as real America. And we'd love to have an SEC football fan like yourself right here with us. And you're going to see a great football game here, Laura.
INGRAHAM: Oh, boy. All the LSU people out there watching.
When you watch what's happening across the country, we've been telling people now for over a year, governor, that the recovery could be led and would be led by the red states, including Mississippi.
Here's proof. "The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported real GDP for the state increased at an annual rate of 6.9 percent in the first quarter 2021 and that Mississippi surpassed its pre-recession level of real GDP before the United States did." Until we started getting ready for the show tonight, I didn't know that fact.
Again, you won't read that in the New York Times, you won't read that in the Washington Post. But you guys are cruising in Mississippi. Wow!
REEVES: Well, there's no doubt. We're seeing great economic growth. We're seeing GDP growth. We're seeing more capital investment. In fact, last year in 2020 during COVID-19, we actually saw capital investment exceed $1.9 billion in our state, which was twice the average over the last eight years. We're seeing people around the country looking at Mississippi and other red states, by the way, because we've been open for business.
We have a business friendly climate, we have a great place to come visit. I will tell you. You mentioned New York City earlier, it's a great American city. But you can't find better restaurants than you find right here in Oxford, Mississippi. Anywhere in New York City.
INGRAHAM: Well, we were at Lenora's earlier tonight, it was real good. I can tell you that.
REEVES: Real good.
INGRAHAM: But there are some headwinds from Washington, governor. Here's Biden's solution to the rising gas prices. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: The cost of gas. And we're about $3.30 a gallon most places now, when it's up from - when it was down in the single digits. I mean, single - a dollar-plus. I don't have a near-term answer, but it's going to be hard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Governor, how about drilling and releasing permits for new drilling and lands? They decided not to deliver on the drilling permits. That's part of it. Is it not?
REEVES: Well, President Biden don't have a near-term solution to any of America's challenges. He's made that perfectly clear. The reality is gas prices are going up is a direct result of the policies of the Biden administration. Gas prices were low for the entirety of the four years of the Trump administration.
INGRAHAM: He blamed Saudi Arabia last night. He said some people in the Middle East want to hear from me. I don't even know what he was talking about. Made no sense.
REEVES: Well, and he wants to blame the--
INGRAHAM: I was like, what? What was that?
REEVES: He wants to blame anybody, but the policies that he has pushed upon Americans over the last year. America was energy independent under President Trump. This administration - like it has in so many areas, has tried to change the direction of the country. And it's - and hard working Mississippians and hardworking Americans are the one paying the bills. It's horrible.
INGRAHAM: Just a real quick question. How important was it to have full stadiums at college football games this fall? I mean, you played last year - (inaudible) played, a lot of people didn't want him to. But you have full stadiums. 100,000 people packed into stadiums. How important a message is that to the spirit of America?
REEVES: Well, there's no question that if MSNBC and Dr. Fauci had their way, we would play tomorrow's game with no one in the stadium. The reality is that we have to get back to normal in America. We have to recognize that this - is in the south, this is part of life. We go to church on Sunday, and we go to college football games on Saturday. And we are getting back to normal here in Mississippi.
INGRAHAM: Governor--
(CROWD CHEERING)
INGRAHAM: Governor, which is more of an essential service, football or church? Go.
(REEVES LAUGHING)
INGRAHAM: All right. Governor Reeves, it's great to see you.
REEVES: Good to see you. Thank you so much.
INGRAHAM: While the science regarding COVID in kids is crystal clear. They're less likely to, of course, contract, spread or suffer serious symptoms of the disease than adults. We've known that for almost 18 months. But despite the overwhelming evidence, Biden was pushing shots for kids as young as five-years old on CNN last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: Unlike past administrations, science will dictate this. There are over 800,000 sites right now that exists in America, where you can go get a vaccine. And you're going to be able to do that with your children, particularly we're going to try to work it out to deal with childcare centers. And those of you who have children, or brothers, or sisters who are between - who are in that age category above 12, get the vaccine for them. Get the vaccine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: But here in Oxford, they're following the facts and the data. Oxford school district superintendent Bradley Robertson recently ended the mask mandate in schools saying, "We have to consider the low risk of transmission versus the high risk of learning loss". If only more school officials followed his lead.
Joining me now is Mississippi congressman Trent Kelly, whose district includes Oxford. Congressman Kelly, it's great to see you tonight. It must be kind of refreshing to be represented by people who actually want the best for the entire population and actually consider the science.
REP. TRENT KELLY (R-MS): Absolutely. I think that's what's wrong, is they want to consider the science and then they don't. And when people do, they want to throw rocks. But right now, I think it's bad on our kids to have to wear these masks all day long, inside, outside, when it doesn't make reason. Follow the science, if it makes sense. Do it. If it doesn't, then don't punish these kids.
INGRAHAM: Well, we've known for a long time that children are much less likely to die of COVID than they are of any number of other serious communicable diseases. But it doesn't look like the left and Democrats really want to let go of the mask issue for the foreseeable future.
Friend of mine said, in 2024, the Democrats will undoubtedly be wearing masks at their convention. That's three years from now.
KELLY: Well, they like masks because it shows control. They like mandates, because it shows control. And it doesn't matter of the science. Children aren't dying. So we're going to vaccinate five-year olds, but we don't care about tens of thousands of people coming across our border. And we're not testing them, or making sure they are vaccinated. But we're going to make our five-year olds get vaccinated here at home.
INGRAHAM: You know, Congressman, I was thinking about this today. I was thinking about how the left - they're in power, they have the House, they have the Senate. They have a lot of state houses, not all of them. They have a lot of state houses. Of course, they have the presidency, they have a lot of judgeships. They seem really angry.
I mean, these are happy people here. These are kids and adults and fans. They just want to enjoy life. Right? These are just American people who want to live their lives and be left alone by the federal government, if at all possible. The left is so unhappy and so angry. Why do you think that is? I know it's kind of a weird, broad question. But--
KELLY: I think they're angry because they're not exercising enough control over America. That's - I mean, that's what all the COVID is about. It's about what are the masks. They don't care about the border, the withdrawal in Afghanistan, they don't care about any - inflation. They don't care about real issues. They want to talk about things that take away the freedoms of God and patriotic loving Americans.
INGRAHAM: And I think they're really angry that football is actually - has resumed and there's no super spread. I mean, at some point, it seems like--
KELLY: Well, they might not like football. But I love football. And I know these Ole Miss fans love football.
INGRAHAM: All right. Congressman Kelly, great to see you tonight.
KELLY: Thank you.
INGRAHAM: And as you saw on the 'Angle', we sent our own Raymond Arroyo out to speak with folks around Oxford today. Here's some more of what he found.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARROYO: What about tailgating? They say tailgating is a big threat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, it's part of America. If you want to tailgate, if you want the vax, get it. If you don't want the vax, personal choice, do what you want to do and have fun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's happening. And I don't think it's that big of a deal. I really don't right now, because especially my wife and I, we're vaccinated. We have no fear of that. So it's like, that's the whole reason for getting vaccinated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Coming up, I discover what the running of the tents is all about. Plus, we're going to hear about two series that explore what it means to be American, and what makes this country great. Clay Travis and Lee Habeeb join us in moments. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: I'm here right at the grove where people tailgate. It's crazy. It's nuts. And people say it's really crowded here. It's going to be this massive crush of people. But I don't know, before the big LSU game it's pretty quiet so far. I'm not really seeing any activity. Not a lot of activity.
(CROWD SHOUTING)
(CROWD CHEERING IN UNISON)
INGRAHAM: Why is tonight important?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to get our spot. It's the biggest game of the year.
INGRAHAM: OK. Give me your strategy. How are you going to get your spot?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: [ph] Decide to run. (inaudible)
INGRAHAM: But do you know exactly where you're going?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
INGRAHAM: I'm worried about your health. I hope you guys--
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we are going to (inaudible)
INGRAHAM: If it means broken bones, sprains, turned ankles, cuts. Was it all worth it in the end?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. (inaudible)
INGRAHAM: If you don't get the spot, if someone else gets the spot you wanted, will you even go back to your dorm tonight?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It won't happen. That's not going to happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll get that spot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: Now, the running of the chance on the grove is more like the running of the goals. It is no joke. Never, ever get between a college football fan and tailgating. Never ever.
Speaking of which, all right, tailgates aren't just a good time. They're just quintessentially American. And my next guest sees them as a window into the great soul of our country.
Joining me now is Clay Travis, OutKick founder, co host of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show. And Clay's new Fox Nation show Going Deep debuts tomorrow. Clay, how are you man? Good to see you. Why aren't you in Oxford with me, dude? Where are you?
CLAY TRAVIS, OUTKICK FOUNDER: Well, I'm going to be in Oxford in a couple of weeks. But we're actually doing a really cool event. And by the way, Laura, that looked amazing. And I know how incredible it's going to be for the LSU Ole Miss game tomorrow. Because I've been on the road all fall. And we're having an incredible time, and I hope people are going to love the documentary behind the scenes of SEC football, the pomp, and the circumstance, the pageantry of it all.
But we're actually doing a really cool thing for the college football pre- game show on Big Fox tomorrow. We're going to be at Luke Bryan's farm, Laura, raising money for the Brett Boyer Foundation. Luke's nephew died of a congenital heart condition and since then, they have made it their quest to raise as much money to fight pediatric heart conditions through the Brett Boyer Foundation.
And so Luke Bryan is going to be on with me tomorrow morning talking college football. We're going to help raise some money. It's an awesome thing Fox is doing. And I can't wait to be a part of it. Yes, it's really cool.
INGRAHAM: Clay, that is so awesome. We have such a great group here in Oxford. I can't wait to watch you tomorrow morning as well. And I have to say, just the whole idea of people gathering together again, being together, packed stadiums, last year wasn't the same. Let's face it.
I mean, it was this small crowded stadiums. How important psychically is it to have this - completely locked and loaded with people every single weekend?
TRAVIS: Well, you said don't get between college football fans and their tailgate. That's exactly what Dr. Fauci did and what college football fans finally did is running over. And they said, we're going to get back to normalcy. We're going to fill up all of our stadiums and we're going to have a full and normal life. And all those people in Oxford know what I'm talking about.
I'm born and bred in the south. I know how important to the culture it is to be in big, full football stadiums on Saturday, celebrating your teams. And the only way, Laura, you know this, and all those people there with you know it too. The only way we get back to normalcy is by kicking the ass of fear. And that's what football oftentimes is all about.
So when we all come together in communion on a Saturday rooting for our special teams and their favorite teams, and everybody is in those crowded stadiums. There's not a mask to be seen, your high five and everybody around you, that is how we reclaim American normalcy. That's how we kick Dr. Fauci's ass. And I am so glad that college football and NFL fans have led the way back to normalcy in this country.
INGRAHAM: All right, Clay. You cannot say it better than that. Clay, great to see you. Good luck tomorrow. We will be watching.
And small southern towns aren't just dominating in football, they're taking back the airwaves. Talkers magazine keeps the definitive list of the top 20 radio talk shows in the country. No show on that list has ever originated from outside a big city. Until now.
Joining me now is Lee Habeeb, host of 'Our American Stories' that broadcast from right here in Oxford, Mississippi. Lee, you and I started the radio show all those years ago. I can't believe how long ago it was. Back in 2001, your show was a huge success. But you're kind of like my cousin Vinnie (inaudible). I mean, you came from New Jersey, and then you relocated here, raised your family here. What's so great about Mississippi that brought a city boy down here?
LEE HABEEB "OUR AMERICAN STORIES" HOST: Well, you've seen it. You spent a day here. This - welcome to America, by the way, Laura. Welcome to America.
(CROWD CHEERING)
HABEEB: You and I lived in D.C. and I always told you I couldn't stand the place.
INGRAHAM: That's right.
HABEEB: And I couldn't wait to be out of the place. I'm a refugee from the north, coming home to his own country.
INGRAHAM: But it's - what's incredible about the south is, it's really not political. People think, 'Oh, it's so politically this or that.' No, it's not. It's just people. It's just people being together. And I wanted to do the show about college football, because it's actually not political. I mean I'm political. But the football isn't political. It's just about family, friends, a little bit of faith, and a little bit a prayer that help your team wins.
HABEEB: Well, the success of our show has been that we're telling positive stories about good and beautiful people. And this is a good and beautiful country. My Lebanese grandparents and my Sicilian parents - grandparents did not come here because it's a white supremacist nation, nor do my Kenyan friends, Chinese friends, Mexican friends. It's a beautiful country. It's not a perfect country.
Every night, two hours a night, we tell stories about America's past, present. We even told a beautiful story about Barbra Streisand, because in the end, what can - what kind of a life is that that she starts as a important Jewish girl in Brooklyn, goes to Erasmus High School, and because of intellectual property rights, meritocracy, she rises to be the greatest star in the world and is worth $600 million. What a story! And we celebrate her story. Henry Ford's fate stories. And the show is a runaway hit, I think in large measure, because it comes from a small town America. And most people live in small town America.
And you know, and I know. I lived in LA for a year in New York. People from small towns go to those big cities, they stay for a little while, and then they come back home.
INGRAHAM: Yes. They want to go back home.
HABEEB: They want to go back home. There's something special about small towns. You know each other, you can't abuse each other. And you don't want to be the jerk in town. And so, we get along because we need. We're going to bump into each other over and over again.
INGRAHAM: Although I pretty much got run over on the grove.
HABEEB: Well, that's a different place.
INGRAHAM: They do run over you. (inaudible)
You know, politics is such a dominating force in our lives. And you've done so much with education over the years and your show is a lot about educating America. Again, not with politics. But how important is it that schools get back to teaching and not propagandizing? I know, you just wrote a piece that's going to be published in Newsweek on social studies in America.
HABEEB: Well, the social studies teachers are now weaponizing education for activism and advocacy, to which I say, become a community organizer, run for office.
I have nothing against people expressing their opinions, but your just is not to indoctrinate. It's to tell people who Thomas Jefferson. And he didn't just own slaves. He wrote the Declaration of Independence, had a formidable part in the Northwest Ordinance in the northern territories, and the guy created a revolution which started the abolition of slavery. And it was white countries mostly, but for Haiti, that started this history of the ending of human bondage. And Christians played a fundamental part in the abolition movement.
So tell the whole story. Yes, Thomas Jefferson owned slaves. Yes, he was a flawed man, we all are flawed. But judge him in the context of his times. We do that every night, all week long.
INGRAHAM: Lee, you were saying a while ago when we were talking about the Netflix controversy, Netflix and Chapelle and all of that. You said, how many shows on Netflix feature an evangelical or a devout Christian of some sort in any prominent role? And I was racking my brain, maybe I'm missing one or two, but I couldn't think of any.
HABEEB: The last time I can think of a priest playing a positive role, in "Gran Torino" there's a good priest, right. But "On the Waterfront" is the last time --
INGRAHAM: We are going back 50 years.
HABEEB: We're talking 1954, Laura, 1954. Netflix doesn't feature a priest or a pastor or small business owner or business owner as a protagonist in any of their work. They are always the bad guys. And that just has, it's dissonant from how we all live our lives our lives.
INGRAHAM: It's bad storytelling.
HABEEB: It's wretched.
INGRAHAM: And it's in antithetical to who we are.
HABEEB: It is not who we are.
INGRAHAM: No.
Lee, it's so great to see you. Congratulations on all your success.
And here's a little more from Raymond around Oxford.
RAYMOND ARROYO, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: There are some experts, and I use that term very lightly, who say tailgating is dangerous because of the pandemic. Are you worried? Is your family worried?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. I'm non-vaxed and I plan on staying non-vaxed. I'm just going to have a good time, enjoy life. If God is going to take me out, it is going to be on his terms, not Dr. Fauci's.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think right now we're trying to bring the country back, and if anything can bring the country back, it's college football. The SEC is in particular, I feel like they have led the way.
ARROYO: Do you think the south is leading the way back to normalcy in some ways, and the SEC is?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is America. This is what it should be like. Football games is not about all these rules and stuff. Do what you want and everyone just be together and have fun. If you're worried about getting corona, then don't come.
INGRAHAM: Speaking of Raymond, he also asked some game goers here at Old Miss what they make of Biden's cognitive state. We're going to show you the most concerning moments from the town hall. Friday Follies is next.
(APPLAUSE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(APPLAUSE)
INGRAHAM: It's Friday, and that means it's time for Friday Follies. And for that we turn to our friend turn here at Ole Miss, Oxford, Mississippi, FOX News contributor Raymond Arroyo. All right, Ray, welcome to Mississippi. You've been watching --
(APPLAUSE)
RAYMOND ARROYO, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Pretty good.
INGRAHAM: You've been watching the president over the last few days, I'm sorry to hear that. And there were some overlooked follies, I understand.
ARROYO: There were. President Biden's gaffes now are becoming so legion, Laura, he is practically a Monday through Friday folly. But I won't go on. The good news is when he is really in a pickle, when he is simply saying things that are untrue, he can always rely on some help from his friends.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What did you do for me lately? We had $1.9 billion we took care of.
Los Angeles and ah, ah, um -- what am I doing here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it Long Beach?
BIDEN: Long beach, thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARROYO: Now, those were two of the milder presidential fumbles, OK. The White House spent much of the day trying to clean this up, Laura. These are simply untrue statements. The president told Anderson Cooper he was going to deploy the National Guard to relieve the supply chain constipation, OK. Nope, they can't do that. You know why? The White House said we don't plan to do it, and that is the governor's prerogative. Someone didn't tell Biden.
And then, this is even worse, he said he'd been down to the border. He hasn't been down to the border, not since 2008 when he was on the campaign trail. And at that time, he just drove up from the southern border. So he never actually saw it.
INGRAHAM: The best is when Biden says, I've been really busy. I've been traveling, I've been doing things, the hurricanes, I've been dealing with - -
ARROYO: I know the border.
INGRAHAM: I know the border.
ARROYO: No joke. No joke.
INGRAHAM: This weekend he is going to have been in Delaware 20 weekends. So he actually had time to go to the border. He chose not to.
ARROYO: This is why allies get a little shaky, because they look at this and go we can't rely on what he's telling us, and that's why his agenda is stalled on Capitol Hill.
Look, in addition to all the misstatements, the body language, the jumbled syntax, it was downright frightening, Laura. And during questioning, the president just zoned out. He started looking at his shoes. I don't know if he was looking at "Jeopardy!" down there or what was happening. But you watch and see if you can make sense of this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: The Build Back Better plan, as you call it, the clean electricity performance program, that has been dropped now from this spending bill.
JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's going to be approved and it will be a much smaller dose, basically the same dose but a smaller dose.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
INGRAHAM: What did he say?
ARROYO: He said we're going to give them the same dose, a smaller dose. I can't translate that.
INGRAHAM: The kids? Is that how they are measuring it with the kids?
ARROYO: Here's my question, what is the thing with the hands, like this?
INGRAHAM: He grips.
ARROYO: Is it Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots or is he about to drive an imaginary car over Anderson? I don't know what is happening.
INGRAHAM: I have noticed this with some elderly is that they are gripping. It's gripping to reality or what they know. It was a bit curious.
ARROYO: I was curious about how real voters feel about all of this, because let's face it, at this point you normally take the car keys away from someone. We gave him the nuclear codes, OK. But I decided to go out to the streets here in Oxford and ask people what they made of all of this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARROYO: Describe for me Joe Biden's cognitive state in one or two words. I'll wait.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Slow. That is the nicest thing I can think of.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Horrible. Ice cream.
JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Chocolate chip.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pudding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's having a hard time. And I'm concerned for him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Behind the scenes, he's not running the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Slow.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think if that was my dad, I wouldn't want him out there like that. I would want to protect him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There should be an age limit, and he's too old.
BIDEN: I'm not being -- I am being literal when I say this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he stands like this like last night when he was going through his little spiel, and just couldn't stop.
ARROYO: Does it concern you, his cognitive state?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does. And I know it's overlooked and glossed over by a lot of people, but I think it's a serious issue.
ARROYO: Give me your sense of Joe Biden's cognitive abilities in one word.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. I'm not answering that question.
ARROYO: Your turn. Joe Biden's cognitive ability in one word.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not going to answer that.
ARROYO: Now they are suddenly shy.
BIDEN: Not a joke. Not a joke.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No response.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARROYO: Laura, it is really sad. This is funny, the people's reaction, but it's quite sad that Americans feel this way about their commander in chief. And this is why "Politico" recently filed a complaint with the White House. He's only done nine interviews since taking office. Nine interviews in nine months. Trumped at 57, Obama did 151. And Biden, he is incapable of that kind of give-and-take, and you see it even in that fixed town hall that was scripted to the end.
INGRAHAM: Also what happened repeatedly last night, and it was like phone a friend with Anderson Cooper. He was standing with him, but every time Joe forgot where he was going, Anderson kind of pulled him back. It's like come on, grandpa. Come beach.
ARROYO: Long Beach.
(LAUGHTER)
INGRAHAM: Come on, go to the cafeteria. Dinner is at 4:30. Come on.
ARROYO: It was like "The $100,000 Pyramid." Remember, they would -- oh, it's Long Beach!
INGRAHAM: California.
ARROYO: It is the border, the border states.
INGRAHAM: No, that was -- it was elder abuse. Raymond, always good to see you.
ARROYO: Great to see you.
INGRAHAM: And you're not rooting -- are you rooting?
(APPLAUSE)
INGRAHAM: I don't want to say.
ARROYO: I'm not rooting for anybody but Ole Miss this year. Don't tell the LSU people.
(APPLAUSE)
INGRAHAM: All right.
It's not just happening at institutions in California or liberal arts colleges in New England. Professors across the country are being targeted by the woke mob. In moments we are going to hear from a journalism professor right here who claims his COVID believes have wrecked his standing. Stay there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(APPLAUSE)
INGRAHAM: Welcome back to THE INGRAHAM ANGLE live on the campus of Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. It is so great to be here, big college football weekend.
And we have a new story about a conservative professor who claims to be the target of the liberal mob. Here in Oxford? Wow. Journalism professor Mark Burson, he claims he was accosted by school administrators after two students accused him of racism. His sin? Allegedly uttering the phrase "China-virus" in class. Professor Burson joins me now. Professor, walk us through what happened.
MARK BURSON, UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI PROFESSOR: Well, I think we've got to step back a little too Will Witt's appearance here on campus. I happen to be the faculty advisor for Turning Point USA, and I don't think many people knew that until Will Witt arrived on campus.
INGRAHAM: Who is Will Witt? Forgive me.
BURSON: Will Witt is part of PragerU and has a podcast and quite a following. He is quite an interest young man. He comes here, speaks on campus. I'm associated with Turning Point USA. And the next day I receive an email from the university's equal opportunity and regulatory compliance office saying that I have run afoul of the word police by using the phrase "China virus."
What's interesting about that is I don't think I ever used the word "China virus." I tend to use the term "China flu." And I was invited to be part of a conversation, which was to take place two days later. The following day in class my graduate students notified me that I had been removed from the class schedule, which --
INGRAHAM: Your teaching the class.
BURSON: Yes. For the spring of 2022. So I had been removed by --
INGRAHAM: OK, fast forward. What happens then? What along the line.
BURSON: I have my meeting with the director of EORC, and she informs me that the term "China flu" is a racial slur, and by implication, I must be a racist teacher.
INGRAHAM: OK, so what did you say to them at that point?
BURSON: I asked if the virus was from China, and she said yes. And then I asked if it was a virus, and she said yes. And I said, did I violate any university policy? And she said no, but everybody knows that it's racist, and if you had Chinese students in class you would have offended them. And what's interesting about that is I am pretty good at recognizing Chinese students or anybody who has Chinese in them because 26 years ago I adopted a little baby that was one quarter Chinese. And so I know someone from China when I see them, and nobody in class is from China. But that didn't seem to matter. I was still in violation of some policy.
INGRAHAM: There is a Middle Eastern respiratory, MERS, right. So I guess that wasn't racist to say that. That was actually the official name of it. But let's go deeper here. What is really going on? In a place like Ole Miss where you think it's all conservative, it's all great, it's actually not all great, because there are forces inside this industry, the liberal arts and the journalism school and beyond, that really want to woke-ify this whole place, is there not? Is that not true.
BURSON: I'm a unicorn in Farley Hall, which is home of the School of Journalism. I'm a conservative professor and I make no apologies for the worldview that I hold. I believe in the sanctity of life, I believe in the sovereignty of the individual. I believe we are all created equal and in God's image.
(APPLAUSE)
INGRAHAM: Professor Burson, I have to read what Ole Miss, we asked them for a statement tonight, and they said "The University of Mississippi welcomes all points of view on our campus and we do not discriminate based on political points of view. Mr. Burson and is scheduled to teach in the spring." That is their response. So what's the --
BURSON: And that is half true. My graduate classes have been removed. I fully expect the two classes that I'm still on the schedule for, an undergraduate, will be removed as well.
INGRAHAM: They said you are still scheduled to teach in the spring?
BURSON: I am, I am, two undergraduate classes which is half what I was going to be teaching. On September 9th I received an email from the department chair confirming my schedule, right, that I would be teaching two graduate classes and two undergraduate classes. Then October 11th, two of those classes had been removed.
INGRAHAM: Do you all think this professor should be teaching at this school? Yes?
(APPLAUSE)
INGRAHAM: Unbelievable. Professor Burson, the right will ultimately prevail here. Thank you for telling this story.
(APPLAUSE)
INGRAHAM: Great to see you, thank you.
And when we come back, I get to talk to some of the great fans in a moment. We'll hit the crowds. Stay there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(APPLAUSE)
INGRAHAM: All right, I am here with the crowd. They say that somehow that Ole Miss is going to win. Are you going to win tomorrow?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One-hundred precent.
INGRAHAM: All right, are you --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.
INGRAHAM: Any superstitions about tomorrow?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
INGRAHAM: How about your head?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to come.
INGRAHAM: OK, it's going to come with you.
All right, guys, why is college football important?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I --
INGRAHAM: That's wrong.
(LAUGHTER)
INGRAHAM: Why is college football important.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's important to our way of life. It shows our freedoms to be able to choose what teams we choose.
INGRAHAM: I have a question. Where's your mask?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't wear it.
INGRAHAM: Are you worried about Dr. Fauci?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't like that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guys, what you have to say to America from Oxford, Mississippi?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hotty Toddy!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hotty Toddy!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hotty Toddy!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hotty Toddy!
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