Eric Bolling has a new mission. In the wake of his son’s tragic death last September, the new host of “America” on CRTV has become an advocate for ending the opioid crisis that kills 60,000 Americans each year.
Bolling’s activism on the issue involves speaking about opioids on cable news channels like MSNBC and working with the White House to get resources to Americans who are battling with addiction.
“President Trump called me several times after the tragedy, and my point to him was: Let’s help remove the stigma of opioid addiction,” he said. “Let’s not treat the addicts like they’re criminals. Let’s get them some help. Let’s get them some resources to get help.”
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Bolling took the story of his son to young Americans at the Turning Point USA High School Leadership Summit in D.C. When asked why he seeks to bring his message to young people, Bolling told Red Alert Politics that his son’s death resonated with him, and he realized he had a story to tell. He first spread that message at CPAC, where he says he was touched by how many young people approached him after his speech.
“I lost my 19-year-old son to an accidental opioid overdose. It really resonated, and I realized at that moment that there’s a message that needs to get out to help save people from the tragedy that my wife and I went through,” Bolling said. “It’s important. So many people are touched by it. I was blown away after the [CPAC] speech how many young people came up to me and said, ‘I know someone,’ or ‘I’ve been clean for three years,’ or ‘my brother lost his best friend.’ The bottom line is, you guys care about it.”
In addition to discussing opioids, Bolling pitched his show “America” to young Americans, and shared how they can be part of it. He also announced that his show will be going on another bus tour.
“I have one pitch. It’s insanely good. It’s a show that’s high politics if you’re a political junkie like a lot us are,” he continued. “Every single day at the end of the show, the last third of our show, we walk into our set, which is actually a working bar in D.C. So, it’s a live bar that’s actually happening. … We have speakers. People at the bar are having a cocktail listening, and then I go in and talk to them. It doesn’t matter how old you are, or where you come from, what color you are, gay, straight, white, black – doesn’t matter – you have an opinion. Everyone’s opinion is actually more qualified than mine … In essence, you and people in the bar are the reason for what we’re doing up front.”
On advice for young conservatives, Bolling urged them to “have a thick skin” and be “persistent.” He added that young conservatives are facing a decision about the direction of the Republican Party and the country. He left them with two choices.
“If you’re conservative, what’s the future for the Republican Party? Is it the old school Lindsey Graham, John McCain, Jeff Flake? The old timers, the establishment who’ve been doing business in this country for 240 years?” Bolling asked.
“[They’re] not really getting much done. They’re spending a lot of our money and not really getting much done. Or is it the Donald Trump-type, conservative Republicanism going forward? It’s exciting. It’s different. We’re winning. The scoreboard looks great on the economy. It looks good on safety; it looks good on foreign policy. It’s more vibrant … You guys have a choice. You want to go back to the old-school type swamp? Or do you want to go exciting, America First agenda?”
