WATCH: Fox News Debate Kicks Off With ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ Question

Even though Oliver Anthony clearly doesn’t want to be inserted into political squabbles that detract from his unifying self-image, Martha MacCallum decided to make his hit song the leading question of Fox News’ 2024 first Republican primary debate.

As MacCallum opened up the debate, she pointed out that “Rich Men North of Richmond” is dominating the music charts as right and left-wingers keep on making it the source of sociopolitical controversy. This led to MacCallum asking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, “Why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now? What do you think it means?”

His answer:

Our country is in decline. This decline is not inevitable. It’s a choice. We need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline. And it starts with understanding we must reverse Bidenomics so that middle-class families have a chance to succeed again. We cannot succeed as a country if you are working hard and cannot afford groceries, a car, or a new home while Hunter Biden can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on lousy paintings. That is wrong.

We also cannot succeed when Congress spends trillions and trillions of dollars. Those rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation. Finally, we need to lower gas prices. We need to open up all energy production. We will be energy dominant again in this country. I showed it could be done in the state of Florida. I pledged to you as your president we will get the job done and I will not let you down.

Fox News has been consistently promoting Anthony for days despite the fact that he has shunned the press and expressed a distaste for corporate media narratives and divisive politics.

Watch above via Fox News.