Eric Bolling

The “Wake Up America” Interview

with Kam Williams

Rollin' with Bolling!

Chicago native Eric Bolling is a Fox News Channel personality perhaps best known as a co-host of the highly-rated show "The Five." He also has his own weekend program, "Cashin' In," and he frequently appears on other Fox programs, including subbing for Bill O’Reilly on "T'he O’Reilly Factor."

Eric was raised in Chicago where the lessons he learned during childhood led to his eventually being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and to his subsequent success as a trader on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Eric and his wife, Adrienne, live in Demarest, New Jersey where they are raising their son, Eric, Jr. Here, he talks about his best-selling new book, "Wake Up, America."

Kam Williams: Hi Eric, thanks for the time.

Eric Bolling: No problem. How're you doing, man?

KW: I love The Five. I think it's one of the best talking head shows on TV.

EB: That's great. I appreciate it.

KW: I've already interviewed two of your co-hosts on the show, Dana Perino and Juan Williams.

EB: Perfect! Great! Let's do it!.

KW: What inspired you to write the book?

EB: I've been at Fox for 9 years, and at NBC prior to that, and people have always asked me to put my conservative viewpoint on paper. I said, "I'll write a book when the time is right." Well, the time seemed to be right, since we were being dragged kicking and screaming so far left by President Obama. I felt that before it's too late I needed to hurry and create a road map back to center-right where the country was founded and where it has thrived. So, when I finished writing, I dedicated it to President Obama, because if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have written the book, and it wouldn't have been so easy to write.

KW: In "Wake Up, America," you lay out the 9 virtues the country was built upon. Which one would you say is the most important?

EB: I started with "Grit" because I believe that's really one of America's founding virtues, that spirit of falling, getting back up, dusting yourself off, and trying again until you succeed. We've always done that so well, but I felt grit was in danger because of Obama's liberal-progressive ideas like giving out participation trophies or eliminating valedictorian. "Profit" was also important to me because I come from a very poor background in Chicago and I'm blessed to sit in the center sit on The Five because of profit, because I've worked hard, been successful, and as rewarded for my hard work. I end the 9 virtues with the one that's most important to me, and that's "Providence." It's meaningful to me, because I'm a very spiritual person. I go to St. Patrick's Cathedral every day before The Five, and I go on Sunday as well. My path has been lit by the Good Lord, so I wanted to end with that.

KW: To what extent do you think growing up Catholic might have shaped you in terms of these virtues?

EB: Clearly, "Providence" has been a theme throughout my life. But I think growing up American is more of the reason why I succeeded. Neither one of my parents had a college education, yet they instilled all these virtues in me.

KW: What do you think of the pressure exerted on conservatives by political-correctness?

EB: It's sad that we've come to this place where everyone is so easily offended. The left has pushed politically-correct culture on us so aggressively that there is a huge portion of the population that's tired of being told what they can or can't say. My book is touching a nerve because it is a road map back from this liberal-left pushing back to the center-right country that we really are.

KW: How do you feel about Black Lives Matter?

EB: I'm a fan of the First Amendment and of people speaking their minds. I get that. But I'm not a fan of this Black Lives Matter group. It's insane when they call it racist when someone says "All lives matter" and when they say the vast majority of cops are bad cops. They're declaring war on law enforcement. Our police officers are the ones who kiss their wives goodbye everyday and go out into the streets to keep us safe. Not you. Not me. 600 thousand officers are protecting over 300 million of us. Without them, there would be anarchy. I respect them. I think what Black Lives Matter is doing is detrimental and threatening the very fabric of the republic. The vast majority of cops are good, hard-working cops

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

EB: [Laughs heartily] No! Just ask me how to get an autographed copy of the book.

KW: The Dana Perino question: What keeps you up at night?

EB: My son is going off to college soon. Sending him off to a liberal institution keeps me up at night.

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

EB: I love to barbecue. I love a back door barbecue, no matter what it is... turkey burgers... hot dogs... I'm all for it.

KW: Ling-Ju Yen asks: What is your earliest childhood memory?

EB: I talk about it in the book. I was 6 years-old. We didn't have a lot of money. My mother let me but myself a pair of sneakers. I couldn't believe the look on her face when I brought home Pro Keds. She said, "Son, we can't afford those." It was earth-shatteringly shocking to me to realize that there were haves and have-nots, and that we were have nots..

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

EB: Grit and determination. 

 

KW: Finally, what’s in your wallet?

EB: Cash.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Eric and best of luck with the book and the shows.

EB: Thank you, Kam.

To order a copy of “Wake Up America,” visit: