Fox News "Sunday Morning Features" - Transcript Interview with Burgess Owens

Interview

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Burgess Owens joins me right now to talk more about that.

And, Burgess, that speech really gave me chills. It was incredible. Congratulations on that and so much to you. We're happy that you're here with us this morning.

What is the feeling among the black community, in your view, as it relates to President Trump and his policies?

OWENS: Thank you, first of all, Maria, for the opportunity.

First of all, Burgess for Utah, for those who want to support my efforts out in Utah.

What we have to understand, Maria, about our country is that, no matter what our color is, our background, our creed, our religion, we all want the same thing, life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

And the black community has been dealing with a death of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for decades because we have trusted the Democratic Party.

And my background, I grew up in a middle-class, segregated community, which was basically 50 to 60 percent of black Americans in the '60s, because we believed in education, in entrepreneurship, in family unit, and our faith.

And so what's happening today is, the last three years, black Americans, Hispanics, Asians, women, veterans are finally realizing we have a president who just doesn't talk the talk and give promises. He's getting results.

So, we're experiencing things that we have not experienced in decades. And because of that, black Americans are walking up, and we're leaving the plantation. The greatest thing that President Obama did was that he was such a lousy president that people woke up one day and say, what happened to hope and change? And that's what's going on today.

We're realizing that the middle class and the poor suffered tremendously over eight years of Obama/Biden. And we're seeing now that it doesn't have to be that way. We don't have to have this low expectation that we have had for at-risk people.

So we're now waking up. You are seeing that nine-point bump. That's just the beginning. We have black Americans across this country wearing MAGA hats because they are well over being intimidated, being called names.

We love our country. We love kids. We love our future. And we want to be hopeful. So that's what the we see happening right now. I'm so excited about -- after seeing this for decades.

I have always been a conservative, but I became a Republican with President Reagan. And it's so refreshing to see Americans across the country put aside the politics and the politician, and vote and focus on their values and principles and their kids' future.

So, we have a -- I think are really going to have a good time this coming 2020 election.

BARTIROMO: And you're zeroing in on the policies. You're talking about Opportunity Zones, school choice, all of the things that you would imagine really do resonate with all of us.

I mean, whether it's suburban women, black America, white America, these are policies that will impact people. You're not hearing that on the other side.

OWENS: It's always been about policies.

And the tenets that have made our country great is something consistent, no matter whether it was my great-great-grandfather who came in on a slave ship that became a successful entrepreneur, or the '60s, when you have segregation.

It comes down to four tenets. It's education, it's faith, it's having the opportunity to have a business and have a legacy you can pass on to your kids, and a focus and commitment to your family.

BARTIROMO: Yes.

OWENS: You put that together -- and suburban women feel the same way.

We're beginning to see things in the streets the last -- this last year that's allowing all Americans, no matter what side of the aisle we're on, to realize we're not into this destruction.

BARTIROMO: All right, Burgess, stay with us.

I want to talk more about that, because you have hit on something that's real important. And that is crime and security across our country.

More with Burgess Owens when we come right back.

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BARTIROMO: Welcome back.

We are back with Republican congressional candidate Burgess Owens. He's running in Utah's Fourth District.

And, Burgess, we were talking about the support from black America for this president.

And I want to get your take on your own compelling story. I mean, you talked about it at the RNC. After retiring from the NFL, you lost everything. You had to start over again as a chimney sweeper and a security guard. That did impact your view on politics. Talk about that.

And then, really, I'd like to get your take on some of these Democrat-run cities and the policies, because that also feeds into why you have these strong beliefs that you have.

OWENS: Well, first of all, I think the secret needs to come out that everyone has the obstacles. Everybody goes through their ups and downs in life.

And the most powerful nine words that one American can tell the other is, if I can do it, you can do it.

And that's the American way. That's the American dream. And that's how we keep hope in our country and with each other.

And we need to do more of that. At the end of the day, we also have policies put in place -- and I truly do believe this, Maria -- that the Democratic Party, what really draws the type of people there -- and I'm talking leadership now -- are -- they are drawing narcissists and sociopaths.

These people who have no empathy for anyone else. They love misery, because misery is a strategy. And you look at every single blue city in our country, you see death, you see destruction, you see anger, you see -- if you want to see systemic racism, look for Democratic cities, and you see more black people upset and hopeless than ever before. So, we have to understand that it is all about policies.

The reason I'm running, to be honest with you -- I have never thought about being a politician -- is, I realized the young people that I have been trying to fight for and give hope to do not have a chance in our country as long as the Democrats keep power.

So, I want mothers to understand this. I don't care whether you're poor or middle class or very wealthy. If you care about our kids care, if you care about our kids' future, we need to make sure we take away control of their future from Democrats and from this party that uses misery as a political strategy.

It's important for us all to have empathy for those who don't have opportunities...

BARTIROMO: Yes.

OWENS: ... because those kids who cannot read, writing, and all that kind of stuff will impact -- end up impacting our kids at some point in the future.

So, we need to be going the right direction now.

BARTIROMO: It's such an incredibly compelling point. And when I look at this list of Democrat-run cities, and I see the crime, it's just a heartbreak, and the shootings that are up.

Burgess Owens, thank you so much for joining us this weekend. It is great to talk with you. Please come back soon.

Thank you, Burgess.

I will see you tomorrow on FOX Business. That will do it for us on "Sunday Morning Futures."

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