Scott Baio explains why he thinks America isn’t America and President Obama could be a Muslim
CLEVELAND — Actor and director Scott Baio is concerned about the state of the country and whether President Obama may have a covert Muslim agenda.
Baio discussed his criticism of Obama and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in an extensive Tuesday interview with Yahoo News at the Facebook Live lounge at the Republican National Convention. The conversation also included a sing-along and recitation of the famous theme song from his television show “Charles in Charge.”
On Monday, Baio delivered a primetime RNC speech in which he praised Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and expressed the need to “make America America again.” Yahoo News asked Baio to explain why he thinks the country is not itself.
“I think we’ve lost our way. I think we’ve given up on being tough in the world. The world is ruled by the aggressive use of force, and that’s just the way it’s been since it’s been started,” Baio said, adding, “Economically we’re weak. I don’t think the country understands … what individualism is. We are not a socialist country. We’re a capitalist country, and I think a lot of kids are being taught that socialism is the way to go.”
Baio also said the country has become divided, which he attributed in part to Obama and Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee.
“The America that I knew was … united. And I think this president is so divisive and I think Hillary Clinton is so divisive. They compartmentalize people, the black community, the Hispanic community,” Baio said.
Baio suggested that the Democratic strategy toward minorities is to “give them just enough to … get their vote.”
“Welfare is out of control,” Baio said. “Let’s just give these people a cellphone and they’ll vote for us. I mean, people have lost their incentive.”
After his RNC speech on Monday, Baio was widely mocked as a “D-lister” who lacks the star power of celebrities who typically participate at conventions. He dismissed this critique as “schoolyard stuff.”
“I’m sure Hillary Clinton will have big guns there who probably don’t know her. But she just wants the star power,” Baio said. “Mr. Trump is a loyal man, and he knows that I was out there plugging away for him. … There’s other big celebrities out there, much bigger than me, that I’m sure would have spoken, but he’s a loyal man.”
Baio added that he’s not concerned about where people rank him in the Hollywood firmament.
“You want to say that I’m a D, B, C, A — whatever ‘lister’ I am … I don’t care. I don’t,” said Baio.
While stumping for Trump, Baio has also come under fire for jabs he has made at Clinton and Obama. One of his more controversial moments was a tweet he sent earlier this month that included an image calling Clinton a “c***.” Baio proclaimed in his tweet that the picture could be the “best meme out there.” In his conversation with Yahoo, Baio said he could “care less” about people who were upset by the tweet. He also pointed out that Republicans are regularly insulted by Democrats.
“I just put it out. … Listen, that was sent to me. I sent it out. I thought it was funny. … People can make what they want of it,” said Baio. “Republicans have been so beat up and so afraid to fight back. And, I mean, they called Mr. Trump ‘Hitler’ and other things. And when somebody fights back with something on the other side — all of a sudden, you’re branded a racist, a homophobe, a bigot, whatever,” he added.
Baio also raised eyebrows with an appearance on Fox Business Network last month in which he said Obama’s decision not to use the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” means “he’s dumb, he’s Muslim or he’s a Muslim sympathizer.” In his conversation with Yahoo, Baio doubled down on the assertion Obama, a Christian, is hiding a secret Islamic identity.
“I think he’s either a Muslim or a Muslim sympathizer,” Baio said of the president. “There are people killing us, beheading us, drowning, burning women, killing people in a gay bar in Florida, San Bernardino, saying that they’re Muslims, saying ‘Allah Akbar.’ I don’t know what other proof this man needs that it’s radical Islam.”
Baio said he would approach terrorism “completely different” if he were president.
“I’d call it what it is and I’d go after everybody,” he explained.
Baio went on to express a desire to kill all of “the radical Muslims that are looking to kill us.” Yahoo News asked whether a President Baio might consider deploying nuclear weapons against them.
“If they were all centered in one place that we could nuke? Yeah,” Baio said.
With his outspoken political views, Baio sounds like someone who is considering a political career. But when asked if he might eventually run for office, Baio took a long pause before ultimately laughing off the possibility.
“My wife wouldn’t let me run for office, and I don’t blame her. You’re away a lot,” he said. “I probably wouldn’t enjoy the lifestyle.”
Baio’s conversation with Yahoo also included multiple interpretations of the “Charles In Charge” theme, including one that reimagined it as a song about Trump.
“He’s there just to take good care of me,” Baio said of Trump. “Like he’s one of the family.”
Watch the full interview here.
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