Fox News hits all-time low: Why Laura Ingraham insulting Lebron is insulting us all

Yesterday (Jan 15th), ESPN’s Cari Champion dropped a special edition of her Rolling with the Champion series for this weekend’s NBA’s All-Star Weekend, featuring the past two NBA champions Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

As you can imagine, the episode raised a lot of eyebrows and drew much attention. Two of the best basketball players on the planet and on-court rivals, driving backseat of an Uber talking life and sports — who wouldn’t want to tune in?

The two former MVPs and world champions drove around LeBron’s hometown of Akron, Ohio and chopped it up over basketball, life, fatherhood, and politics.

There were many gems dropped in the almost 17-minute interview. Kevin Durant spoke on finding his voice and the responsibility of having such an influential platform, and LeBron touched on fatherhood and how important it was to him to be to his kids what his father wasn’t for him.

The two also spoke on the President. Durant stood ground on not attending the White House after a championship win and LeBron reiterated his feelings on 45 being a “bum,”

“It’s not even a surprise when he says something,” Lebron said. “It’s like, laughable. It’s laughable and it’s scary.”

Apparently that rubbed Fox News’ Laura Ingraham the wrong way. On her segment The Ingraham Angle that same night, she unloaded on both of the basketball players.

First, she attacked LeBron’s intelligence, calling his political critique “barely intelligible and ungrammatical,” and suggested that he leave political comments to people who didn’t leave high school a year early. Ingraham then ended her spill instructing both players to “shut up and dribble.”

“Unfortunately, a lot of kids and some adults take these ignorant comments seriously. Look, there might be a cautionary lesson in LeBron for kids. This is what happens when you attempt to leave high school a year early to join the NBA. And it’s always unwise to seek political advice from someone who gets paid $100 million a year to bounce a ball. Oh, and LeBron and Kevin? You’re great players, but no one voted for you. Millions elected Trump to be their coach. So, keep the political commentary to yourself. Or as someone once said, ‘shut up and dribble.’”

Laura Ingraham says #LeBronJames should "shut up and dribble" and leave political comments to people who didn't leave high school a year early. pic.twitter.com/vwInOpZJZq

— Thomas Bishop (@bishopk0s) February 16, 2018

The reaction was swift and heavy. Athletes from the Eagles’ Chris Long to LeBron’s former teammate and best friend Dwyane Wade rushed to LeBron’s defense and shamed the Fox News host.

They use to try and hide it.. now the president has given everyone the courage to live their truths. https://t.co/OwLSMHIG0m

— DWade (@DwyaneWade) February 16, 2018

https://twitter.com/JOEL9ONE/status/964506977614422017

https://twitter.com/JOEL9ONE/status/964506986388828167

https://twitter.com/JOEL9ONE/status/964506995775635456

https://twitter.com/JOEL9ONE/status/964507024661864449

LeBron James is just as qualified to talk about politics as Laura Ingraham, so is a literal basketball

— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) February 16, 2018

LeBron is one of greatest examples of our country we’ve ever seen. He went from nothing to something. He had to be excellent at everything. To insinuate he’s not intelligent is appalling

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 16, 2018

Let’s put aside that LeBron has overcome poverty and has been shouldering the pressure of the hottest spotlight since he was a teenager. He’s literally never had a scandal or misstep off the court ever. For a moment, let’s ignore he’s a an active father to all three of his children and a role model husband.

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that he isn’t up to Ingraham’s standards for a true intellectual, despite million dollar deals and testimonials from Warren Buffett and Harvard Business School praising his business acumen — let’s remove all of his accolades for a second.

The reason why Ingraham is the true idiot and why her words are divisive and dangerous is because at the very basic and fundamental core, LeBron James is a tax paying American with a right to say what the hell he feels.

Insulting LeBron is insulting all of us because by discrediting and attacking his opinion, she’s effectively limiting the first amendment for everyone.

What’re the qualifications then, to speak up and be critical of the president? If a GED isn’t enough, what is? Is it a specific education clearing, or is it a specific tone of skin?

LeBron has to be the absolutely worst candidate for Ingraham to come after.

She could have chosen so many different athletes who have spoken out against 45 in the past and while she’d still be wrong, she wouldn’t look this out of pocket, showing her obvious biases this outwardly.

I’ll never steer anyone from watching Fox News. Hiding in your own bubble amongst nothing else but the comfort of your beliefs is how you end up like Laura. However, Fox News has hit an all-time low.

Like Wade tweeted, the President has given everyone to courage to show their true colors. It’s our responsibility to treat them accordingly.