The gang at “Fox & Friends” celebrated “Founding Fathers Friday” by bringing on a Thomas Jefferson impersonator who stayed in character and on the tea party talking points throughout the bizarre interview.
From the beginning, co-host host Steve Doocy used the appearance by the “third president of the United States” to push the small government message that typifies the conservative network.
“Even though you were one of the very first presidents of the United States, as you remember, you were a budget cutter, weren’t ya?” Doocy asked, fully playing along.
“Well, I was. I believe that government needs to be simple and frugal,” the impersonator said. “And when I became president in 1801I inherited a debt, $83 million. When I left the presidency eight years later I had reduced that $33 million.”
He continued, “We are not only being irresponsible but stealing from posterity. Posterity that we paid a great price to purchase liberty for that it seems we’re giving away.”
Co-host Gretchen Carlson then reminded “Jefferson” that the world — and government spending — had changed dramatically since he died in 1826.
“I know that you’ve never seen a number that big that we just showed on the screen,” Carlson said, referring to a graphic that detailed the U.S. government’s debt. “That’s something that’s been created since you’ve passed.”
Doocy closed by revealing that Jefferson was in fact Stephen McDowell, president of Biblical Worldview University.
Watch the highlights from the interview:
